Ramón y Cajal Program: Spain’s brain drain scheme leaves scientists redundant

From El País: ‘Hundreds of scientists face the dole as brain drain dam fails: researchers on Ramón y Cajal grant near end of five-year term’ | “Before the end of this year, 250 Spanish scientists will be made redundant and a further hundred will follow in their footsteps in 2007, victims of an ill conceived program that was launched by the government five years ago to stem a brain drain abroad, but which has ultimately done little to improve the image of Spain’s underfunded and poorly managed public research system.

The 350 researchers who now face an uncertain future are among the almost 800 who were granted contracts in 2001 and 2002 under the Ramón y Cajal Program, a scheme hastily set up by the government to encourage Spanish science graduates to remain in Spain rather than seek work abroad. The program was initially so successful that it even attracted many Spanish scientists back home, including some who already had permanent positions abroad.

The idea was that they would be funded to work at Spanish universities for five years, essentially researching and teaching whatever they chose. In theory the experience they gained would give them a solid footing to gain tenure in Spanish universities and research institutes. The reality has been rather different.

Out of the 774 researchers given contracts in the first phase of the program, only 437 have managed to obtain permanent positions. And only now, when the first recipients’ contracts are due to expire in a matter of weeks, is the government seeking a solution.”

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