Sustainability, Internationalisation and Inclusion

INTALENT Programme

InTalent researchers together with the president of the Social Council, the rector and the vice-rector for Scientific Policy, Research and Transfer in 2019.

InTalent is a programme promoted by the University of A Coruña (UDC), financed by Inditex S.A., for the recruitment, return, where appropriate, and management of excellent research talent, through contracting, on a competitive basis and ensuring the principles of publicity and objectivity, postdoctoral researchers with international projection and extensive experience, from anywhere in the world.

Researchers applying for the programme must have at least three years’ postdoctoral experience, at least two years’ international experience at internationally recognised R&D centres, an excellent research track record, the ability to generate new knowledge, the potential as independent researchers and a promising scientific career.

InTalent offers selected researchers a contract that links them to UDC with a competitive salary, as well as professional stability and a budget allocation to promote the development of their project and access to the facilities, services and equipment necessary for its execution. The researchers also teach in UDC’s undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and collaborate with the institution itself in dissemination activities.

During the first three years of the programme, three selection processes have been conducted with the participation of 316 researchers of 48 different nationalities from 5 continents. The six researchers included to date have achieved scientific excellence awards in research areas as diverse as the biomedical development of smart sensors for degenerative diseases and nanomaterials for cell regeneration, social anthropology in rural communities, biomaterials for cartilage regeneration in humans, historical disruptions in the process of transformation from medieval to modern culture, gender inequality in the public sphere or the exploration of advanced rendering and lighting techniques for scientific visualisation.

InTalent researchers have been able to access external funding sources, through regional, national or European scientific excellence programmes, which have already brought nearly €6 million in revenue to UDC, representing a return of approximately four euros for every euro invested in the programme.

The University of A Coruña Social Council participated actively in the Committee for the Design, Implementation and Promotion of the INTALENT Programme’s fundraising strategy.