The 25th Anniversary Website of the Ramón y Cajal Programme: A Meeting Point for the Researchers Who Have Been Part of This Prestigious Initiative

July 7, 2025

The State Research Agency, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU), has launched a website to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ramón y Cajal Programme. The new website is designed as a meeting point for the nearly 8,000 researchers who have been part of this initiative, recognised as one of the most prestigious in the Spanish scientific system.

Through the website, beneficiaries can request a commemorative badge. This recognition expresses gratitude for their contribution to the development of knowledge and innovation in Spain, promoting scientific excellence. In addition, the website provides detailed information about the institutional 25th anniversary event, which will take place on October 14th, as well as updated data and statistics on the impact of the programme.

The Ramón y Cajal Programme, created in 2000 and co-funded in different calls by the European Social Fund (ESF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the European Commission’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, aims to attract postdoctoral researchers and promote their incorporation as research staff, specifically encouraging the return of researchers who have been developing their professional activity abroad for a certain period.

Since its inception, €1.746 billion has been invested in this initiative, and the investment has increased annually between 2018 and 2023, raising the number of annual contracts by 150%.

The Director of the State Research Agency, José Manuel Fernández de Labastida, has highlighted the importance of such significant programmes. “The Ramón y Cajal Programme is currently one of the most prestigious programmes of the State Research Agency, playing a key role in the international positioning of Spanish science,” he added.

The commemorative website, promoted by the SRA, reaffirms the Agency’s commitment to recognising the research work carried out by the participants in this programme, facilitating access to relevant information and promoting the visibility of the programme and its participants.