"We share the vocation to make Barcelona the European scientific capital", said the head of the Spanish Government.
The President of the Spanish Government, who has visited the facilities of the new MareNostrum 5 supercomputer, has committed himself to strengthening the EU's strategic autonomy.
The President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, visited the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer facilities at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) this Friday, where he underlined the government's commitment to making Spain a European leader in supercomputing and reinforcing the strategic autonomy of the European Union as a priority for the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the EU.
"This project exemplifies our country's commitment to the R&D&I system as a vector of growth for Spain. After a lost decade with a lack of economic resources, we now have the ideal regulatory framework, a Science Law that gives stability and certainty to researchers," the head of the Executive highlighted.
The MareNostrum 5 supercomputer, which will have a total investment of 220 million euros, reinforces Spain's leading position in supercomputing and is a clear example of the Government's commitment to the public-private collaboration model and co-governance between administrations.
Furthermore, this project plays a fundamental role in the Microelectronics and Semiconductors Strategic Project (PERTE Chip), through innovation, job creation and joint work with leading companies in the sector.
In this sense, the collaboration between the Government and the technology company Intel will give rise to a laboratory for the generation of new supercomputers, which will have an investment of 400 million euros and will involve the creation of up to 300 highly qualified jobs.
"We share the vocation to turn Barcelona into the European scientific capital", remarked Pedro Sánchez, accompanied by the Minister of Science and Innovation, Diana Morant, and the Government Delegate in Catalonia, Maria Eugènia Gay.
Reducing the wage gap and promoting STEM vocations
In a week characterised by the feminist struggle for equality, the President of the Government has stressed the Executive's commitment to reducing the wage gap between men and women, as well as to promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) vocations in order to prevent the under-representation of women in these subjects.
In this regard, the head of the Executive highlighted the importance of the Science Act and the Law on Equal Representation to consolidate progress in equality, through measures such as the increase in the minimum wage and other unprecedented actions in terms of work-life balance.
"Half of the population should share half of the power, be it political or economic. There may be some who think this is too much, but for us it is a question of justice. In short, you can count on the Government's full support to make Spain a country of science and a country of women scientists", said President Sánchez.
- See the Spanish Government press release here. (in Spanish)
