Ministry of Science (Spain)

Early years

Historically, cultural and scientific responsibilities were assumed directly by the Spanish monarchs, both through private commissions and the creation of scientific and cultural institutions such as the royal academies. However, over time, these responsibilities were delegated to the various government departments that were created from the 18th century onwards to manage increasingly complex administrative apparatus. Thus, from the beginning of this century, the Secretariats of State and of the Office assumed these responsibilities, first the Secretariat of Justice and then the Secretariat of the Interior.

After the creation of the Ministry of Development in 1847, these responsibilities were unified under this new department, closely linked to everything related to education, which is why, both in the project of the Ministry of Public Instruction of 1886^[8] and in the definitive creation of this Ministry in 1900, these powers were part of the new ministry.^[9]

Evolution of science in the administration

Throughout the 20th century, the Ministry of Education assumed responsibility for scientific matters. Initially, these responsibilities were assigned to the Ministry's under-secretary, through sections such as those for Universities and Institutes, and Fine Arts.^[10]

Over time, the number and rank of these bodies increased, with the establishment of some new ones such as the Directorate-General for Fine Arts in 1915, and the first organizations for the promotion of scientific research were created, as was the case of the Board for the Extension of Studies and Scientific Research (Spanish: Junta para Ampliación de Estudios e Investigaciones Científicas, JAE) in 1907, promoted by The Count of Gimeno, Minister of Education, and led by Nobel Prize winner Santiago Ramón y Cajal until his death in 1934.^[11] The JAE created dozens of laboratories, research centers and gave hundreds of scholarships for research abroad as well as connecting intellectuals from Spain and the rest of Europe.^[12] This Board was replaced in 1939 by the current Spanish National Research Council (CSIC),^[13] which has since been the main scientific organization in Spain.

In 1938, the Institute of Spain was founded to group and coordinate the activity of the existing royal academies^[14] and, twenty years later, the Advisory Committee on Scientific and Technical Research was created, attached to the Office of the Prime Minister, to promote and modernize Spanish science policy.^[15]

Following this trend, the importance of science was such that in 1966 the Ministry of Education itself was renamed as "Ministry of Education and Science",^[16] science policies were implemented through more specialized administrative bodies, such as the Directorate-General for Higher Education and Research.^[17] Towards the end of this period, this directorate-general focused solely on higher education and, in 1976, an independent directorate-general for science was created, the Directorate-General for Scientific Policy.^[18]

At the end of the 1970s, other organizations were created, such as the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics and the Centre for Industrial Technological Development,^[19] and the scientific-university responsibilities were once more elevated in rank with the creation of the position of Secretary of State for Universities and Research in 1977.^[20]

First Ministry of Science

1979 was a key year for science policy in Spain. In this year, the Ministry of Universities and Research was created, the first independent science ministry, which assumed the Ministry of Education and Science's powers exercised through the Secretariat of State for Universities and Research, which was abolished, as well as the directorates-general for Universities and Scientific Policy, the CSIC, the Institute of Spain, and the Advisory Commission for Scientific and Technical Research, which until then had been under the Prime Minister's Office.^[21]

This department only lasted two years, being abolished in February 1981 and its functions returning to the Department of Education. When the four rectors of Madrid's universities were asked about the elimination of the ministry, their opinions differed. Francisco Bustelo (UCM) considered it a setback, while Rafael Portaencasa (UPM) and Tomás Ramón Fernández (UNED) saw no major problem. Pedro Martínez Montávez (UAM) declined to comment, believing the ministry had no time to develop its policies. All four did agree on the importance of maintaining the budget and the potential influence of the reinstated Secretariat of State for Universities and Research.^[22]

During its existence, noteworthy events included the creation of the psychology faculties in 1979, the founding of the Royal Academy of Letters and Arts of Extremadura, and the transformation of the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) into an autonomous agency, the latter in 1980. Also in that year, the National Museum of Science and Technology (MUNCYT) was created, at that time dependent on the Ministry of Culture, and the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) was established, an independent agency that partially replaced the Nuclear Energy Board (JEN) in its functions of control and guarantee of nuclear safety and radiological protection.

1986 Science Law

During the interregnum that followed the elimination of the ministry and, after criticism from prestigious Spanish scientists such as Nobel Prize winner Severo Ochoa due to the passivity of Spanish institutions in relation to science,^[23] the first science law was approved, Law 13/1986, of April 14, on the Promotion and General Coordination of Scientific and Technical Research, which established, for the first time, a permanent scientific and technological policy in Spain.^[24]

Thanks to this law, the country went from contributing 0.3 % to world scientific knowledge in 1981 to 3.1 % in 2003.^[24] Also, this norm reformed the Nuclear Energy Board, whose powers had been reduced since 1980, renaming it as Centre for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT) and establishing it as a scientific and technological research agency in the fields of energy and environment.^[25] At the same time, the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) was founded.^[26]

Present

After two decades in the Education Department, in 2000 prime minister José María Aznar created the Ministry of Science and Technology that unified the responsibilities on scientific research of the Ministry of Education, and the powers over technological development of the Ministry of Industry and Energy, including telecommunications. The tertiary education policy remained in the Ministry of Education.^[27] Minister Anna Birulés, addressing the Congress of Deputies' Science and Technology Committee, defined the ministry as follows:^[28]

It is in this context that we must understand the timely creation of this Ministry of Science and Technology, which has the challenge but also the opportunity to make a reality, within the time horizon of this legislature, the determined process of promoting the culture of innovation in our country, following the commitment made by the Prime Minister in his investiture speech.

This stage did not bring many new developments in the scientific field, but it did in the technological field, since thanks to the impetus of the newly created Secretariat of State for Telecommunications and the Information Society the "Info XXI" Action Plan was designed in 2001, and the first Internet laws were approved: Law on Information Society Services and Electronic Trade (2002), General Telecommunications Law (2003) and Law on Electronic Signatures (2003). Also, the state-owned enterprise "Red.es" was launched.^[29]

The change of government in 2004 meant another dissolution for the ministerial department and another reintegration into the Ministry of Education. However, in his second term, prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero once again granted ministerial status to scientific responsibilities with the Ministry of Science and Innovation, with the aim, as explained by minister Cristina Garmendia, of "being less focused on construction and more focused on knowledge services, investing more in science and technology, helping companies to innovate, and coordinating universities and research centers".^[30] In 2009, university responsibilities were transferred back to the Department of Education.^[31]

However, the dependence on construction did not stop and with the outbreak of the property bubble and the 2008 financial crisis, the conservative government of Mariano Rajoy, in an effort to reduce public spending, reduced the size of the Administration merging the Ministry of Science and Innovation with the Ministry of Economy.^[32][33] During the premiership of Mariano Rajoy, the State Research Agency was also created, with numerous delays,^[34] and is currently the main scientific funding agency in Spain, along with the CDTI.^[35]

The push into space

Already with a better economic situation, in 2018 prime minister Pedro Sánchez heeded the demands of the scientific community^[36] and reinstated the department with scientific and university responsibilities, appointing astronaut Pedro Duque as minister.^[37][38] As a result of this minister's influence, for the first time it is expressly established that the department would have powers in space matters.^[39]

On the other hand, although Duque initially ruled it out, Moncloa Chief of Staff and Secretary of the National Security Council, Iván Redondo, announced in 2021 that the government would promote the creation of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE),^[40][41] since these responsibilities were dispersed among various government bodies, such as the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) and the CDTI. The new Science Law of 2022 provided for this,^[42] and finally, the Council of Ministers approved this new agency in March 2023, which directly assumed this area of responsibility.^[43] In this context, the Air Force was renamed as Air and Space Force^[44] and a Space Command was created,^[45] while Spain joined NASA's Artemis program.^[46]

In addition to the 2022 Science Law, this period was also marked by the loss of university powers in 2020, which were transferred to an independent department. This move was met with disapproval from the rectors of Spanish universities, who considered it a "setback"^[47][48] and from the minister of universities himself, Manuel Castells, who believed that science and universities had an "intrinsic and fundamental relationship".^[49] Three years later, in November 2023, and after years of pressure by the scientific and university communities, the Prime Minister abolished the Universities Department and its responsibilities returned to this department.^[50]

Advisory bodies

• The Scientific, Technological and Innovation Policy Council.
• The Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council
• The Spanish Research Ethics Committee
• The Observatory "Women, Science and Innovation"
• The University Policy General Conference
• The University Council.
• The State University Student Council.
• The Spanish Polar Committee.

Historic headquarters

During the first period of this department's existence (1979–1981), it was located at number 150 Serrano Street in Madrid. When the decision was made to install the department there, the building was occupied by the Institute for Rationalization and Standardization (IRANOR), which had to vacate it almost without prior notice.^[52] The building must have had ventilation problems because, in the summer of 1980, the staff suffered the discomfort of working due to the high temperatures of the Madrid summer.^[53] After the department was disestablished, it continued to house scientific offices such as the Secretariat of State for Universities and Research.^[54]

In its second period (2000–2004), the Ministry's main headquarters were located at number 160 Paseo de la Castellana, the traditional headquarters of the Ministry of Industry at the Cuzco Government Complex,^[55] which was vacant during this period, since the Department of Industry was abolished and the Department of Science assumed industrial responsibilities. At the same time, the Palacio de Cibeles (also known as Palace of Communications) served as the secondary headquarters, since the services of the Secretariat of State for Telecommunications and the Information Society were located there.^[55][56][57]

Finally, in its third period (2008–2011) it was installed at number 5 Albacete Street in Madrid, a building known as "Los Cubos" ("The Cubes"),^[58] a building rented by the Ministry of Education and Science to house the Secretariat fof State for Universities and Research, which, after the further dissolution of the Department of Science in 2011, continued to house the services of the Secretariat of State for Research, Development and Innovation until 2015.^[59]

Audit

The Ministry's accounts, as well as those of its agencies, are internally audited by the Office of the Comptroller General of the State (IGAE), through a Delegated Comptroller's Office within the Department itself. Externally, the Court of Auditors is responsible for auditing expenditures.

Likewise, the Congress of Deputies and the Senate Committees on Science, Innovation and Universities, exercise political control over the accounts.