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Background information on research and innovation in Aragon – 
Palma de Mallorca RIS 3 meeting, February 2013 

 

Key socio economic data 

Aragón is proud of its geostrategic location in the northern part of Spain between the Atlantic and Mediterranean 

axes, mainly from a national perspective. The 136 km shared with France are split by Pyrenees which hinder the 

cross border cooperation. Madrid and Barcelona can be reached from Zaragoza with the high speed train in less than 

one hour and a half. Aragon offers good direct connections with many international airports and owns one of the 

largest logistic platforms of Europe.   

Aragon is facing strong demographical challenges. Its ageing 1,350000 million inhabitants represent 2,9% of the 

Spanish population. The territory of Aragon is larger than Belgium, it covers 9,4% of Spain, but the Region suffers 

from a low density : 28,2 inhabitants/km² as an average. More than 700000 people, half of the whole population, are 

living in Zaragoza, the capital city. 

Aragon is more industrial than the average of Spanish regions. Industry including energy represents 22% of its GDP 

and 20% of its workforce. 50% of industry covers metal industry, food process and machine equipment. Energy and 

water  management also play an important role in a Region where the climate change is another challenge as this is 

the case in most Spanish Regions. 70% of Aragon's energy consumption comes from renewable sources. Most of 

services are located in Zaragoza. The city of Zaragoza is very active in innovation mainly in digital services, mobility 

and energy. 

A large majority of companies are small and medium including in the car industry around a large plant of General 

Motors. The lack of critical mass in several sectors encourages us to be more active internationally and to cooperate 

with other Regions along the value chain of innovation. Aragon has a good tradition of social dialogue. 

 

  

 

 



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Education, research and innovation 

The University of Zaragoza plays a major role in Aragon with its 35000 students (including many Erasmus students) 

and nearly 4000 professors and researchers.  

http://www.unizar.es 

The interface between the University and research is mainly in the hands of strong “University 
Research Institutes”. These institutes are particularly active in fields such as engineering 
http://i3a.unizar.es, IT complex systems with the support of a super computer http://bifi.unizar.es, 

nanosciences http://ina.unizar.es, mathematics, physics, environment and materials. The University 

has also set up since 1988 “Oficinas de transferencia de resultado de investigacion (OTRI)” 
http://www.unizar.es/otri/index.jsp aiming at fostering the cooperation between researchers and 

companies. These centres are not limited to the University, 18 OTRI are presently registered in 

Aragon. 

A private University: San Jorge was created in 2005. 

 http://www.usj.es 

Main research centres and fields 

Research is organized in Spain both at a national and regional level.The “Consejo Superior de 
Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)” is well represented in Aragon http://www.dicar.csic.es. The 
main research centres of CSIC at the level of the region are the “Estación Experimental Aula Dei”, 
the “Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología” and the “Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón” 
(mainly agrofood, environment and materials). 

More over, Aragon is well equiped in research. The main research centres are focusing on 

- agronomy and agrofood in the “Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria 
(CITA) http://www.cita-aragon.es which is a public body supported by the Region of Aragon 

and in the “Instituto Agronomico Mediterraneo”  http://www.iamz.ciheam.org/es 
(cooperating with other meditarranean regions in the field of agronomy) 

- logistics in the “Zaragoza Logistic Center” (ZLC) http://www.zlc.edu.es which benefits 
from a strong cooperation with the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of technology) 

- health in the “Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud (IACS)” 
http://www.iacs.aragon.es/awgc, the “Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Aragón (CIBA)” 
and the “Instituto de investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS)” 

- space in the “Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón (CEFCA)” 
http://www.cefca.es and in the “Fundación Aragonesa para el Desarrollo de la Observación 
de la Tierra (FADOT)” http://www.fundacionfadot.es created in 2010 at the initiative of the 
Region of Aragon 

 

















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Technology and innovation 

Aragon has no regional innovation agency as such but several players are active in technology transfer. The most 

important one in this field is the “Technological Institute of Aragon”. It was created in 1984 at the initiative of the 
Region of Aragon aiming at promoting applied research and innovation in companies in a very concrete way. It is 

frequently involved in the preparation and implementation of European projects in the field of research and 

innovation. It also plays an important role in the field of training thanks in particular to a “Master in innovation” 
which was launched five years ago.   

www.ita.es 

The “Centro de Investigación de Recursos y Consumos Energéticos (CIRCE)” is active in the field 
of energy. It was created in 1993 with the support of the University. 

http://fcirce.es/ 

The “Aitiip Centro Tecnológico” also acts as technological center specialized in plastics and 
composite materials. It was set up in 1995 and converted into a private fundation in 2003. 

http://www.aitiip.com/ 

 

Scientific and technological parks 

Four main parks can be found in Aragon: 

– the technological park WALQA  http://www.ptwalqa.com in the field of ICT, biotecnology 
and renewable energy, created in 2002 at the initiative of the Region of Aragon and the City of 

Huesca, 80 km in the north of Zaragoza 

– the technological park AULA DEI http://www.zaxpark.com/web/guest with a strong focus 
on agrofood and environment, created at the initiative of the Region of Aragon and CSIC 

– the technopark MOTORLAND http://www.parquetecnologicodelmotor.com/index.aspx   

– the technological park Lopez Soriano http://www.ptr.es dedicated to recycling industries. 

 










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Other structures of support to innovation 

Several other structures play an important role in Aragon. 

One is the “Instituto Aragonés de Fomento (IAF)” acting as a public agency of regional development. It contributes 
to supporting industrial infrastructures in the whole territory of Aragon with a special attention to SMEs. The IAF is 

member of EURADA. 

http://www.iaf.es/ 

 

The “Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Aragón (CEEIAragón)” belonging to “European Business 
Network” is the main incubator centre of Aragon. It aims at supporting the creation of innovative companies. 

http://www.ceeiaragon.es 

 

The “Fundación para el Desarrollo de las Nuevas Tecnologías del Hidrógeno en Aragón” is a 
private structure promoting the applied use of hydrogen. It was created in 2004 with the support of 

the Region of Aragon. 

http://www.hidrogenoaragon.org/ 

 

The “Agencia aragonesa para la investigación y el desarrollo (ARAID)” was created by the Region 
of Aragon in 2005. It aims at supporting I+D+i in Aragon through support schemes to researchers in 

particular. 

http://www.araid.es/ 

 

The “Red Aragón 7PM” acts as a network aiming at getting the best out of the 7PM opportunities 
until 2013 thanks to a strong cooperation between various Aragonese structures. The coordinator of 

this network belongs to the University. This network is particularly active in Brussels, it contributes 

to the involvement of Aragon in the “European Innovation Partnerships” (Water, Smart cities) and 
ERRIN. 

http://www.redaragon7pm.eu/index.php 








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Economic and social players 

Aragón does not differ much from other spanish regions as regards the representation of economic and social players 

through structures such as  CREA (www.crea.es) and CEPYME (www.cepymearagon.es) on the employers' side. 

The association of young entrepreneurs is very active. The UGT and CCO are the main trade unions. Three 

Chambers of commerce and industry also play an important role in Zaragoza (www.camarazaragoza.com), Huesca 

and Teruel. 

Clusters are other key players in Aragon, mainly in the industrial sector, in particular in agrofood 

INNOVALIMEN, logistics ALLIA, TIC TECNARA and IDIA, automobile CAAR, water 

management ZINNAE and aeronautics AERA. A meeting of the Presidents of the main clusters was 

organized in November 2012 aiming at promoting a more active cooperation between clusters. 

ALLIA and ZINNAE are involved in two EU FP 7 “Regions of Knowledge” projects. 

  

Policy of Aragon in the field of research and innovation 

The first strategy of Aragon for research and innovation (I PAID) was set up in 2002 for the period 2002-2004. 

A second strategy was adopted in 2004 (II PAID) for the period 2005-2008. It includes four axes in a detailed way: 

actions related to human resources, support to I+D through funding and research infrastructures, support to 

technological transfer and diffusion of research and innovation. 

Moreover Aragon adopted a strategy for innovation INNOVARAGÓN 2010-2013 which is consistent with the 

national strategy of innovation adopted in Spain in June 2010. The national strategy E2I aims at moving Spain to the 

9th position in the ranking of innovation at an international level. INNOVARAGON was conceived  in a period of 

growth in Aragon based on the impact of the International Exhibition of 2008 linked with the opening of a high 

speed train station. 

INNOVARAGÓN aims at placing Aragon in the first third of innovative regions at a European level (among the 70 

most innovative regions) through an increase in private and public funding on R+I. It includes five main objectives 

and a precise Action plan (see next page).    

These strategic documents are giving us a good point of departure and are encouraging us to give weigh to a more 

participatory process in the design of the future Aragonese Innovation strategy. A good dialogue with the City of 

Zaragoza will also help us to give consistency to the strategy as regards “smart cities and territories”. 

 






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Action plan INNOVARAGÓN 

 

 

Policy of Aragon in the field of  TIC and information society 

Aragon adopted a first strategic planning for infrastructures of telecommunication. A se second one, 

adopted in 2009 relates to information society, over the period 2009-2011. It includes seven axes: 

infrastructures, digital community, digital services, TIC in SMEs, TIC business component, 

electronic administration, TICs in strategic areas. It insists on the contribution of TIC in order to 

face the geographical challenges of the large aragonese territory 

Much attention was devoted over the last years in order to reach the EU 2020 objectives aiming at 

providing 100% of the population with a large broadband at the level of 30 Mbps and 50% at the 

level of 100 Mbps. The Region also launched an important process of opening of public sources, on 

the basis of an agreement reached in July 2012, and would like to promote “e-commerce”. These 
tasks were facilitated by the Aragon Observatory of Information Society. 

TICs are also considered as one of the key priorities in the Aragonese Strategy for competitiveness 

and growth which was adopted by the Region of Aragon in July 2012. This document considers that 

TIC represent 2,3% of the GDP of Aragon and employ 9000 people. 

 

Research and innovation in Aragon: latest trends 

The main initiatives taken by the Region of Aragon in 2011 and 2012 took place in the frame of the 

strategic planning previously described, both from a national and regional perspective. This 

implementation was however hindered by the slowdown of the Spanish economy and its impact on 

the public and private spending in R+I+i. The budget line 46 of the budget of Spain devoted to 

“research, development and innovation” amounted to 8590 million of Euros in 2011, corresponding 



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to 7,4% less than in 2010. The 6398 million of Euros foreseen in the same budget line for 2012 

mean a reduction of credit by 25% in comparison with 2011.  At the level of Aragon, a budget line 

54 relates to “scientific, technical and applied research”. The credit for 2011 amounted to 58,5 
million of Euros corresponding to 18,5% less than in 2010. The credit foreseen for 2012 amounts to 

54 millions of Euros. 

Evolution of credit in budget lines 54 (Aragón) and 46 (Spain). 

 

  

Aragon tends to fluctuate among the Spanish regions around the average. Spain devoted 1,39% of its GDP to R+D 

in 2010 and Aragon ranked 7° at the level the level of 1,15%  far behind the four regions which were beyond the 

Spanish average: Madrid (2,07%), Basque Country (2,03%), Navarra (2,02%) and Catalogne (1,65%). The figures 

for 2011 and 2012 show however a strong deterioration of the situation in all Spanish regions. 

 

The private spending on R+D remains however slightly higher in Aragon than in average in Spain. 



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The latest results of the “Regional Innovation Monitor” are more encouraging for Aragon which 
was seen as a “moderate innovator” until 2009 but reached the group of “innovation (low) followers” 
in 2011 and 2012.  

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/files/ris-2012_en.pdf 

In short Aragon offers a rather complex and patchy ecosystem in research and innovation which is suffering from the 

present situation of crisis. The Regional Authority is however well aware of its strengths and weaknesses and intends 

to get the best out of the coming opportunity of a regional innovation strategy. The reinforcement of cooperation with 

other Regions of Europe will be key in this frame.