Research is a priority activity at Ramon Llull University because it encourages the expansion of knowledge and the university’s educational capacity. For this reason, URL has increased its own funds dedicated to R&D&I over the last few years and has prioritised efforts to obtain external funding (public and private) to finance this activity.
At URL, we see R&D&I as a public service which foments the general progress of knowledge and its return for society. Our research activity centres on three strategic areas as detailed in our 2009 Strategic Research Plan.
- Technology: biotechnology and IT
- Management
- Social sciences and humanities
In terms of social challenges and, thus, from an oriented research focus, URL has selected 5 focus areas for its activity in response to increasing social demand and the capacities of our groups. These areas are:
- Social innovation and change
- Management and social responsibility
- Education: innovation, competencies and values
- Health and biosciences
- Energy and sustainability
Given its federal nature, Universitat Ramon Llul prepares a global strategy through the Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation which is then applied by all the federated centres through their Strategic Research Plans depending on the area of knowledge which they specifically address.
Thanks to these strategic plans and our research community’s constant activity, URL has succeeded in fomenting R&D&I as is reflected by the research groups recognised by URL with more than 595 researchers working in the different departments in our university centres. With this critical mass, we have created and currently offer numerous PhD programmes.
At the same time, the university also encourages knowledge transferral activities to respond to the R&D&I needs of the business community and society in general. We believe that a key priority is for research results to reach citizens. For this reason, URL has professional research management structures in place to successfully transfer the knowledge and technology we create.
Similarly, URL’s research is currently undergoing an important internationalisation process, the aim being to adapt to the important social and economic challenges as well as increase our presence and visibility around the world. The university has fomented the mobility of its research personnel and faculty, the participation of our research groups in European projects and, within the framework of Aristos Campus Mundus, developed a series of strategic alliances with internationally renowned universities such as Georgetown University, Boston College and Fordham University.
The URL promotes quality and socially committed research aimed at responding to the main challenges of our society.