Jaén University (UJA) was created in 1993 and is in the Top 50 of the world’s best young universities according to THE (Times Higher Education). This ranking analyzes aspects such as teaching, research work, the university’s international outreach, or integration into industry. Besides, the UJA has received the distinction of Campus of International Excellence in the fields of Agrifood (CEIA3) and Climate Change (CamBio), plus it also leads the Andalusian CEI project on historical heritage PatrimoniUN10.
Jaén University has five faculties (Social and Legal Sciences; Humanities and Education Sciences; Health Sciences; Experimental Sciences and Social Work) and two higher polytechnic schools for engineering (Linares and Jaén) as well as an associated center (SAFA Professional School in Úbeda). In turn, these centers are organized into 35 departments. It also has two Postgraduate educational centers (Doctorate School and Postgraduate Study Center) and a Study Center in Modern Languages.
Jaén University’s academic courses are designed according to society’s employment and professional needs. The Degree qualifications (35) and Double Degree qualifications (10) are an example of this. Moreover, UJA boasts a comprehensive offering of master’s degrees (45) and double master’s degrees (7), which are second-cycle studies in advanced education of a specialized or multidisciplinary nature aimed at academic or professional specialization or at initiation in research. In addition, Jaén University offers attractive Doctorate programs (20) presenting a broad variety of research opportunities in all fields of knowledge: Art and Humanities, Social and Legal Sciences, Sciences, Health and Engineering. This comprehensive range of academic courses is complemented with 14 international double degrees and numerous own teaching programs.
In regards to its University Community, Jaén University has more than 16,500 students (not including those that are currently enrolled in the so-called University of the Third Age), from which 949 have participated in incoming and outgoing international mobility programs. Moreover, the UJA comprises more than 490 staff members in administration and services and more than 1000 staff members in teaching and research.
In regards to its research, there are six specialized centers at Jaén University:
CAAI |
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Arqueología Ibérica (Iberia Archaeology) |
INUO |
Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Olivar y Aceites de Oliva (Olive oil and olive grove) |
IISTA |
Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación del Sistema Tierra de Andalucía (Earth System in Andalusia) |
DaSCI |
|
CEACTEMA |
Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ciencias de la Tierra, Energía y Medio Ambiente (Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences) |
CEATIC |
Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (ICT) |
Besides, the full picture of the over 100 UJA groups covers the following research fields of expertise:
Agrifood (AGR) |
Biology (BIO) |
Health (CTS) |
Social Sciences, Business, Law (SEJ) |
Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (FQM) |
Humanities (HUM) |
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (RNM) |
Information and Communications Technology (TIC) |
Engineering Production Technology (TEP) |
We should also highlight that UJA has in place the so-called Central Research Support Services (SCAI), which also report to the Vice Rectorate for Research, comprising a group of laboratories capable of providing support for scientific research, whose instruments, tools and technical equipment, either due to their own characteristics or their field of action, exceed the needs of a Center or Department. The purpose of the SCAI is to support the research activities conducted at Jaén University as well as at other institutions and public and private establishments. It also collaborates with these resources in specialization courses and in the teaching of university studies.
One of the two centers comprised within the SCAI is the so-called Scientific-Technical Instrumentation Center (CICT) of Jaén University, which offers more than 100 instrumentation resources for conducting the research activities of UJA, as well as other institutions and public and private establishments. It also collaborates with these resources in specialization courses and in the experimental teaching of university studies.
We should also point out that UJA had generated numerous patents and spin-offs, since knowledge transfer occupies a prominent place in our university’s strategy and is viewed as one of the key actions in job creation and long-term growth, in improving competitiveness and in addressing international challenges. This task is unfailingly complemented with the work carried out by the UJA’s Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit (UCC+I), which includes among its objectives that of kindling new scientific vocations but also that of improving training in the dissemination of Science and Innovation; contributing to ensuring the rigor of scientific and technological information in the media; or succeeding in increasing the visibility of the results of the work performed by our research structure and the accountability of our universities and research centers in the work they perform in this field.
In terms of funding, in addition to sources external to the university, UJA has launched a Research Support Plan (2019-2020), which is structured around three major objectives:
- Support for research groups and teams to incentivize target-led productivity and work, taking into account the specific features and needs of each research group or team and of the Branches of Knowledge.
- Hiring of research staff to favor the training of young researchers, boosting the increase of human resources engaged in research, right from the starting phase of a research career.
- Internationalization of research to stimulate the participation and leadership of UJA’s research staff in international competitions (such as Horizon Europe), a task performed through its International Projects Office (OFIPI).
Despite its relatively recent origins, Jaén University boasts highly qualified research and technical personnel as well as up-to-date and efficient research resources, giving it vast potential for competitively participating in international R&I projects.
For this reason, in answer to the target set by the Research Area of the Jaén University 2nd Strategic Plan (Horizon 2020), which advocates implementing a research reinforcement model based on results and on its ability to attain a national and international leadership position and on supporting research targeting the priority areas of the 8th European Union Framework Program, in 2015 we created the so-called UJA International Projects Office (OFIPI), which reports to the Research Vice Rectorate and is a member of the Andalusia O.T.R.I. Network.
The OFIPI is supported by a present and future working plan that aspires to meet the following targets, namely:
Target 1 - Nurturing, promoting and advising UJA researchers in international research programs |
Target 2 - Encouraging and exploring University-Enterprise relations to be able to collaboratively take part in European and international programs aimed mainly at businesses while facilitating the establishment of consortiums |
Target 3 - Providing researchers with quality administrative support (a) during the drafting phase and presentation of proposals for different international research programs as well as (b) in managing funded proposals |
Target 4 - Promoting and disseminating EU policies in the fields of research and innovation |
The research areas addressed by the team of professionals comprising the International Projects Office cover our university’s fields of specialization. The full list of UJA research groups is the following one:
- AGR-230 Food and Environmental Microbiology
- AGR-232 Physiological Studies on Plant Response to Stress
- BIO-184 Cellular Stress and Age
- BIO-221 Neuroendocrinology and Nutrition
- BIO-258 Gene Transcription and Expression in Eukaryotes
- BIO-286 Cellular Biochemistry and Signaling
- BIO-294 Immunogenetics
- BIO-302 Complex Systems and Organisms
- BIO-341 Enzymes and Metabolism
- BIO-349 Biological Technologies
- CTS-026 Study Group on Physical Activity, Physiotherapy and Health
- CTS-1039 Experimental and Clinical Physiology and Pathology
- CTS-105 Microbiology and Immunology
- CTS-283 Psychobiology
- CTS-380 Orthopedic Surgery
- CTS-435 Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine and Surgery
- CTS-442 Tumor Immunobiology
- CTS-446 Cardiac and Skeletal Myogenesis Muscle Regeneration
- CTS-464 Nursing and Innovation in Healthcare
- CTS-990 Care Management and Assessment of Healthcare Policies in Chronicity, Ageing and Palliative Care
- FQM-152 Simulation and Characterization of Material Systems
- FQM-173 Theoretical and Experimental Physical Chemistry
- FQM-178 Numerical Approximation and Methods
- FQM-182 Research Group in Compounds of Biological Interest (GICIB)
- FQM-245 Theoretical and Applied Statistics and Operational Research
- FQM-268 Improved Function Approximation, Subvarieties, Rings and Categories Theory
- FQM-273 Molecular and Supported Metal Complexes of Biological or Technological Interest
- FQM-322 High-Energy Sources in the Galaxy
- FQM-323 Analytical Chemistry at Jaén University
- FQM-337 Structure and Dynamics of Chemical Systems
- FQM-363 Innovations in Chemical Analysis
- HUM-1004 Biopolicies
- HUM-103 Philology and Didactics
- HUM-112 Territory and Regional Policy
- HUM-155 Laboratory for Spatial Experimentation (LABe2)
- HUM-167 Jaén Didactics
- HUM-271 Multidisciplinary Approach to English
- HUM-338 Clinical Psychophysiology
- HUM-357 Archaeological Heritage in Jaén
- HUM-427 Development and Research of Education in Andalusia
- HUM-434 Causal Relations and Behavioral Decision Processes
- HUM-458 Egyptology and Papyrology
- HUM-469 Psychology of Educational Development and Intervention
- HUM-573 Architect Vandelvira
- HUM-630 Literary and Intercultural Studies
- HUM-642 Comparative Psychology - Learning, Attention and Memory
- HUM-651 Psychosocial Analysis of Behavior in light of the New Social Reality
- HUM-653 Didactic Innovation in Physical Activity
- HUM-660 Educational Research and Development in Orientation (IDEO)
- HUM-669 Humanism in Jaén (15th - 17th centuries)
- HUM-679 Linguistics Studies Applied to the Teaching of English
- HUM-755 French Culture Fund of the province of Jaén
- HUM-761 Arabic, Islamic and Christian Societies
- HUM-780 Hispanic Literature Studies at Jaén University
- HUM-790 Physical Activity and Sports
- HUM-793 Jaén Didactics of Mathematics (Didáctica de la Matemática de Jaén, GIDIMAJA)
- HUM-819 Curricular and Didactic Research in Experimental Sciences
- HUM-834 Linguistic Analysis - Theory and Applications
- HUM-836 Psychological Evaluation and Intervention
- HUM-862 Studies in Society, Arts and Cultural Management
- HUM-883 Cognition, Development and Education
- HUM-922 Seminar on Hispanic Lexicography
- HUM-942 Music and Cultural Studies
- HUM-943 Physical Activity Applied to Education and Health
- HUM-1040 An Interdisciplinary Approach to English Studies
- RNM-118 Biology of game species and pests
- RNM-175 Biodiversity and Sustainable Development
- RNM-182 Andalusian Nematology Group
- RNM-200 Analysis of Basins and Environmental Geology
- RNM-282 Microgeodesy Jaén
- RNM-296 Forest Ecology and Landscape Dynamic
- RNM-300 Ecology and Biodiversity of Aquatic Systems
- RNM-325 Geological Processes and Resources
- RNM-350 Geobotany and Palynology Applications to the Natural Environment
- RNM-354 Ecology, Evolution and Conservation of Mediterranean Vegetation
- RNM-366 Carbon Materials and Environment
- RNM-370 Seismic Risk and Active Tectonics
- RNM-374 Earth Sciences and Geological Engineering
- RNM-924 Human and Animal Molecular Genetics
- SEJ-142 Applied Economics Jaén
- SEJ-173 Fundamental Rights, Andalusia and EEC
- SEJ-191 Civil and Fiscal Aspects in Private Legal Relations
- SEJ-232 Management and Organization for Competitiveness
- SEJ-289 Information and Management Systems in Andalusian Enterprises
- SEJ-311 Social Challenges in Complex Societies
- SEJ-315 Marketing UJA (MARKUJA)
- SEJ-317 Public Law and the Institutional and Economic Crisis (DEPUCRISIS)
- SEJ-365 Territorial Policies on Employment, Labor Market and Right to Insertion
- SEJ-399 Common European Law and International Studies
- SEJ-421 Finance Law
- SEJ-428 Criminal Law, Criminology, Democracy and Fundamental Rights
- SEJ-484 Gender, Dependency and Social Exclusion (GEDEX)
- SEJ-553 Tourist Analysis and Innovation Laboratory
- SEJ-627 Advances in Operations Management and Technology Management
- SEJ-630 Public Administrations and Citizens: Legal Regime.
- TEP-101 Research & Development in Solar Energy
- TEP-138 Bioprocesses
- TEP-145 Interphase Physics
- TEP-152 Electrical Research and Technology
- TEP-164 Cartographic Engineering
- TEP-180 Graphics Engineering and Industrial Archaeology
- TEP-213 Photogrammetric and Topometric Systems
- TEP-220 Modeling of the Atmosphere and Solar Radiation (MATRAS)
- TEP-222 Materials and Mining Engineering
- TEP-233 Chemical and Environmental Engineering
- TEP-235 Fluid Mechanics Group Jaén
- TEP-237 Robotics, Automatics and Computer Vision Group (GRAV)
- TEP-250 Mechanical and Energy Engineering
- TIC-144 Computer Graphics and Geomatics
- TIC-159 Research & Development in Engineering Graphics, Industrial Design and SIG
- TIC-188 Signal Processing in Telecommunication Systems
- TIC-206 Intelligent Systems Based on Diffuse Decision Analysis (SINBAD)
- TIC-207 Intelligent Systems and Data Mining (SIMIDAT)
- TIC-209 Intelligent Information Access Systems (SINAI)
- TIC-215 Radio Frequency Identification at Jaén University, RFIDUJA
- TIC-220 Telematic System Engineering
Lastly, the range of programs that fund the international consortium-based research managed by the Jaén University International Projects Office is very broad in order to meet the research needs not only of UJA staff but also of the institutions external to the university with which interesting collaborative synergies can be established.