Partners

IFISC (Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Physics and Complex Systems) is a joint research Institute of the University of the Balearic Islands ( UIB ) and the Spanish National Research Council ( CSIC ) created in 2007 building upon the former Cross-Disciplinary Physics Department of IMEDEA (Mediterranean Institute for Advance Studies) dating from 1995. Its creation foresees that important avenues of scientific development occur at the borders of established fields. As statement of purpose it aims at developing interdisciplinary and strategic research from the established practices of physicists.

By interdisciplinary research we mean the general attitude of willing to transfer knowledge, concepts and methods across the borders between well established disciplines. By strategic research we mean focusing in advanced studies in fields with strong future potential, avoiding incremental research as well as the “basic-applied” polarization. We therefore search for windows of opportunity in emerging areas beyond the traditional subjects that defined Physics in the twentieth century.

The backbone of our research that unifies, percolates, and is the basis of the rest of our activities is the study of generic phenomena in Nonlinear Physics and Complex Systems, with strong methodological components from Statistical Physics, Dynamical Systems, Computational Methods and Quantum Mechanics. From this source of concepts and ideas, the researchers face the challenge of cooperatively defining and updating specific and projects within a flexible and changing framework.

The UIB (Universitat de les Illes Balears) offers a numerous and wide range of quality studies in many fields of knowledge. Exchange students can enter undergraduate, graduate, first and second cycle studies and also have at their disposition several sets of course groups imparted in English. The UIB also has excellent researchers and the facilities for a high quality workplace. In recent years, our University has consolidated great prestige as a research institution on the national and international scale, with collaborations with international universities and research centres.

The UIB not only prepares good professionals but has also made research its fundamental objective. As a part of this commitment, the UIB has taken a stake as an economic agent and actively participate in the innovation market by promoting and creating "spin-off" companies.

To achieve these objectives, the UIB has excellent researchers and high quality research facilities. In addition to this solid base, it can also provide "know how" as well as scientific and technological services as well as providing a "value added" treatment to businesses and social agents.

Of course, this would not have been possible without FEDER funds, the European Commission, The Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació), The Goverment of the Balearic Islands (Govern de les Illes Balears) and other institutions of support for the financing of research projects as well as the other research and innoations actions taken.

This continuous and collaborative effort has allowed the UIB to achieve great prestige as a research organisation: on the national level, where it ranks as one of the best in scientific production per researcher; as well as the international level, thanks to the many collaborations our researchers maintain with universities and research centres throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

The CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) is the largest public institution dedicated to research in Spain and the third largest in Europe. Belonging to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation, its main objective is to develop and promote research that will help bring about scientific and technological progress, and it is prepared to collaborate with Spanish and foreign entities in order to achieve this aim. According to its Statute (article 4), its mission is to foster, coordinate, develop and promote scientific and technological research, of a multidisciplinary nature, in order to contribute to advancing knowledge and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to train staff and advise public and private entities on this matter.

CSIC plays an important role in scientific and technological policy, since it encompasses an area that takes in everything from basic research to the transfer of knowledge to the productive sector. Its research is driven by its centres and institutes, which are spread across all the autonomous regions, and its more than 15,000 staff, of whom ore than 3,000 are staff researchers and the same number again are doctors and scientists who are still training. CSIC has 6% of all the staff dedicated to Research and Development in Spain, and they generate approximately 20% of all scientific production in the country. It also manages a range of important facilities; the most complete and extensive network of specialist libraries, and also has joint research units.