Migdalia Machín meets with the Basque Government to "share knowledge and experiences"

The Minister of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands traveled to Vitoria-Gasteiz for two days

September 6 2023 (13:11 WEST)
Migdalia Machín with the Basque Government
Migdalia Machín with the Basque Government

The Minister of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture of the Government of the Canary Islands, Migdalia Machín, has held a round of meetings with representatives of the Executive of the Basque Country. The nationalist has been in Vitoria-Gasteiz for two days to share knowledge and experience in the field of universities, research and innovation. 

The head of the Universities Area has led a Canarian delegation transferred to the Basque Country, which has been made up of the Deputy Ministers of the Presidency and of Universities and Research, Alfonso Cabello and Ciro Gutiérrez, respectively; as well as the general director of Organic Coordination and Strategic Projects of the Presidency, Octavio Caraballo, who have been accompanied by the director of Innovation and Transfer of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Sebastián López, and the head of Strategic Planning of Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development of the University of La Laguna (ULL), Manuel González de la Rosa.

Migdalia Machín has highlighted "the importance of this extremely productive and significant visit, as both the Canary Islands and the Basque Country have substantial challenges in an increasingly changing and competitive world, which requires us to be at the forefront of university education, research, science and innovation on the government agenda."

In this sense, the Minister considers that "technological innovation, academic excellence and the transfer of knowledge to society and the business fabric are fundamental and non-negotiable axes for the sustainable development of our communities and the well-being of Canary Islanders and Basques."

This past Tuesday, on the first day of the visit, Migdalia Machín held a meeting at the headquarters of the Lehendakaritza (headquarters of the Presidency of the Basque Government) with the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation-Euskadi 2030, Cristina Uriarte, where they discussed the objectives, strategic lines and areas of measurement of the R&D&I program that the Basque Executive is developing.

Subsequently, the Canarian delegation had the opportunity to visit and learn in situ about the Marine and Food Research Technological Center, ATZI, located in the Park in the Bizkaia Technology Park, by the hand of the Basque Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Policy, Bittor Oroz, and the CEO of the aforementioned entity, Rogelio Pozo.

This center is "today one of the maximum references of public-private collaboration and has become a key player in the European scene for the year 2030, specializing in the contribution of cutting-edge products and technologies, both in the marine and food environment." This was stated by the Government of the Canary Islands in a statement.

Tuesday ended with a visit to the Basque Centre for Climate Change, a center whose strategic objective is to promote, through an interdisciplinary and participatory approach, the co-production of meaningful knowledge for decision-making, integrating the environmental, socioeconomic and ethical dimensions of climate change.

On Wednesday, Migdalia Machín met with the Minister of Education of the Basque Government, Jokin Bildarratz, where the Deputy Minister of Universities and Research, Ciro Gutiérrez, and his Basque counterpart, Adolfo Morais, along with the rest of the representatives of the Canarian delegation, also participated. In these meetings, the Basque model of financing the University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) was discussed in depth and issues of relevance to higher education in both communities were addressed, including the Plan of the Basque University System.

The second day culminated with a visit to the Advanced Aeronautical Manufacturing Center (CFAA), a joint center of the University of the Basque Country and the Business Association for the Development of Advanced Aeronautical Manufacturing Techniques, which together with the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the collaboration of the Scientific and Technological Park of the same name, seeks to work on the development of advanced aeronautical manufacturing technologies that are rapidly transferred to the industrial fabric oriented to this sector.

This working meeting between the Canarian and Basque Governments, which has taken place in a climate of cordiality and interterritorial cooperation, "represents a solid commitment to explore avenues of collaboration that allow us to advance in strategic projects and key university issues for both communities," said Minister Migdalia Machín.

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