Strategic Plan

1. SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE  and  2. QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY

Strategic Priority 1.1.

Objectives

• New building inauguration
• Quality premises, services and equipment
• Financial viability of the new spaces

Actions

1.1.1. Draft and approve the functional plan (basic and executive projects)

• Bearing in mind current and future needs and ensuring maximum flexibility for spaces.

1.1.2. Monitor the new building tender and construction processes

• Coordination with Fundació Privada Sant Pau (owner of the builiding).

1.1.3. Develop a new building and premises policy and management

• Staffing forecast and development of a flexible policy for allocating spaces according to, among others, active projects.

1.1.4. Develop a viability and operational plan for the new building

• Forecasted versus actual operating expenses and contingency plan.

1. SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE

Strategic priority 1.2.

Objectives

• Viable and sustainable integration of the ICCC

Actions

1.2.1. Analyse existing entities and plan the new entity

• Study of operational synergies.
• Characterization of integration cost.
• Economic and financial forecasts.

1.1.2. Negotiate the terms of integration with the Catalan administration

• Provision of financial assistance for restructuring costs to ensure viability of the operation and of the resulting entity (e.g., from SUMA funds).
• Contribution of the CERCA programme must cover funding needs to obtain a balanced budget throughout the period.

1.1.3. Implement integration

• Integration of animal facilities, service platforms and the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee and the radioisotope service.
• Integration of information and documentation systems.
• Accounting integration.
• Integration of teams.

1. SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE

Strategic priority 1.3.

Objectives

• More and better science and productivity
• More researchers in training
• Incorporation of leading international researchers

Actions

1.3.1. Promote research among young people

• Collaboration with the UAB for the incorporation of predocs and postdocs.
• Creation of a PhD committee.
• Support policy for emerging groups.
• Procedure for the effective supervision and feedback of researchers in their training phase by their coordinators.
• Mobility and networking plan for Europe (see internationalization plan).

1.3.2. Develop scientific careers

• Implementation of a new classification of researchers and their scientific careers.
• Ongoing self‐assessment for groups and consolidation of external periodic evaluations of researchers, groups and support structures.
• Competitive grants policy for consolidated groups.
• Implementation of the European Commission’s HRS4R programme.
• Ombudsman for the researcher.
• Designing training pathways for researchers in the Annual Training Plan.

1.3.3. Strengthen scientific coordination

• Evaluation, prioritization and revitalization of research areas.
• Creation of research lines within groups and monitoring of continuity over time.
• Strengthened figure of the research area coordinator in the Internal Scientific Committee.
• Research area coordinator with continuous development and career advice assistance functions.
• Prioritization of research call applications under cofinancing schemes according to the scientific evaluation of the applicant group and the financial resources of the entity.

1.3.4. Promote clinical and translational research

• Research intensification of clinical groups leaders with better scientific evaluation to boost research and strengthen links between groups.
• Strengthened role for the clinical co‐investigator.
• Deployment of the new PIC Sant Pau.
• Implementation of computer systems for clinical and epidemiological project management.
• Web portal for recruiting volunteers and patients in ongoing clinical trials.
• CIM external audit.

1.3.5. Promote scientific cooperation between groups

• Cooperative science project.
• Consolidation and organization of regular internal and external scientific seminars.

1.3.6. Develop research support staff careers

• Career plan for research technicians.
• Inclusion of the research manager as a professional category in new collective agreements.
• Job descriptions and skill profiles according to updated professional categories.

1. SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE

Strategic priority 1.4.

Objectives   

• More European projects, with priority to coordinated projects
• Higher proportion of foreign staff
• Adoption of Marie Curie Actions

Actions

1.4.1. Develop international visibility

• Partnerships for external promotion: presence at infodays, brokerage events and other networking
  spaces in Europe.
• Improved corporate communication materials, especially the website.

1.4.2. Develop stimulus policies for European projects

• Use of criteria such as freely assignable resource, recognition in scientific evaluation, etc.
• Active H2020 training by the Transfer and Innovation Unit and Projects Unit.

1.4.3. Strengthen European project management capacities

• Incorporation of experts in the management of European projects once awarded coordinated projects.
• Alliances for the coordination of new proposals.
• New agreement IRHSCSP‐FGSHSCSP to grant that hospital personnel dedication to EU projects is an eligible cost.

1.4.4. Foster mobility

• Promotion of Marie Curie Actions for:
  • Researcher mobility to 1) improve training and 2) create opportunities for cooperation in European projects
  • Incorporation of European researchers

2. QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY

Strategic priority 2.1.

Objectives

• Moderate growth in competitive and non‐competitive funding
• Structural cost containment
• Financial equilibrium and sustainability
• Platform sustainability

Actions   

2.1.1. Implement PlaVE

• Reduction in staff costs: a) elimination of the subsidy to technical staff in consolidated groups; b) early retirement; c) synergies with other institutions within Sant Pau Hospital.
• Other operational savings.

2.1.2. Implement sustainability plan

• Increased competitive funding for trainee researchers and more European projects
• Non‐competitive private fundraising:
  • Promotion of clinical trials
  • Promotion of patronage
  • Review of overheads
• Platform sustainability plan:
  • Financial study of platforms and elimination of non‐sustainable platforms
  • Annual evaluation of active and possible new platforms
  • Active marketing by coordinating collaboration with the Transfer and Innovation Unit
  • CIM business plan. Market‐oriented management
• Management of transversal services: expansion and streamlining of services.
• Evaluation of new scientific investments using efficiency criteria:
  • Viability pre‐analysis of new scientific and support structures
  • Prioritization of research call applications under co‐financing schemes according to the scientific evaluation of the applicant group and the financial resources of the entity.

2. QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY

Strategic priority 2.2.

Objectives

• Quality processes of the institute accredited by external agents
• Enhanced management of business units (clinical trials and platforms)

Actions

2.2.1. Accredit the quality of research processes

• Implementation of ISO 9001.
• GCP compliance programme.
• GMP compliance programme.
• Implementation of GLP‐based quality systems in research laboratories.
• Adaptation of innovation procedures to accreditation by ITEMAS.

2.2.2. Implement process and customer‐oriented management

• Annual survey of researchers’ satisfaction with support structures.
• Process management and process map with assigned responsibilities.
• Use of project management systems.
• Further development of multidisciplinary committees and creation of new committees if necessary.
• Dynamic participation in improvement teams.

2.2.3. Consolidation of a training plan

• Improvement of the detection process for training needs, involving the end recipient.
• Designing training pathways for researchers in the Annual Training Plan.
• Creation of a PhD committee

2. QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY

Strategic priority 2.3.

Objectives

• Implementation of all features planned for the intranet
• Comprehensive computerized management of clinical trials
• Automated management of financial and scientific indicators

Actions

2.3.1. Deploy new intranet functionalities

• Consolidation of existing modules and implementation of scientific module (publications repository + researcher CV).
• Development of new functionalities: e.g., contract management and communications management.

2.3.2. Computerize clinical trials management

• Integration of the clinical trials module in the intranet.
• Deployment of new functionalities (e.g., research management and pharmacy management).
• Integration of CIM tools.

2.3.3. Consolidate ICT tools for indicator and evaluation management

• Development of the intranet as the main control panel for scientific activity.
• Implementation of ISCIII indicators (SIECT).
• Connection of the intranet with other internal (e.g., Fundanet) and external (e.g., FECYT) tools.

3. IMPACT

Strategic priority 3.1.

Objectives

• Own brand image
• Greater media exposure for our research and our researchers
• Better links with the educational system in our catchment area
• Improved internal communication

Actions   

3.1.1. Build IIB Sant Pau brand

• Agreement regarding a vision for the institute.
• Application of the storytelling concept and adoption of a slogan that connects with society.
• Identification of audiences, movers and shakers, selection of the best channels and active presence in the social media.
• Media campaign to increase prestige.

3.1.2. Improve the corporate website

• Integration with intranet to provide updated information on groups, projects and articles.
• HRS4R content.

3.1.3. Communicate actively in support of European projects

• Active participation in disseminating the H2020‐coordinated projects package.
• Support for Marie Curie fellows in fulfilling European Commission disclosure requirements.

3.1.4. Assess the impact of our projects

• Monitoring of project results (articles, agreements, patents, etc)

3.1.5. Develop closer links with society

• Popularization of science in the education system.
• Links with patient associations.

3.1.6. Internal communication

• More availability of rules and other internal procedures to personnel through employee book, intranet, etc.

3. IMPACT

Strategic priority 3.2.

Objectives

• More filed patents
• Exploitation of intellectual property
• Creation of spin‐offs from viable business projects

Actions   

3.2.1.Foster an internal culture of innovation and the generation of new ideas and opportunities

• Implementation of innovation training as part of Sant Pau’s training plan. Transparency of rules and procedures for innovators.
• Capturing innovative ideas: ad hoc activities and group/project monitoring.
• Recognition of transfer in the evaluation of researchers and groups.
• Alignment with hospital management and strategy.
• Protection of research results and their evaluation.

3.2.2. Consolidate the organizational framework for innovation and transfer

• Adaptation of innovation procedures to accreditation by ITEMAS.
• Implementation of an innovation and transfer management system.
• Consolidation of tools for technological surveillance.
• Approved rules for spin‐offs.
• Visibility of Sant Pau’s technology portfolio.
• Activation of the Innovation Committee in regard to new policies and approval of new patents.

3.2.3. Promoure la innovació del món empresarial

• Connection with the business fabric so that their innovation projects are implemented in our hospital.

3.2.4. Internationalize and professionalize the support structure for innovation and transfers

• Enhancing mobility and exchanges with equivalent European structures of reference.