Transparency and access to information on research projects in Spanish public universities

Abstract

In the framework of Spain´s Transparency Act of 2013, an analysis is conducted of the information on research projects headed or participated in by Spanish public university teaching staff and funded by public institutions and bodies. The aims are to ascertain whether this information is associated with and published on transparency portals and to determine its typology and characteristics. The analysis covers portals and websites, access points and the type of information furnished. Although universities comply with the transparency obligations laid down in the act, the information on research projects freely available is not individualised and only rarely matched to results (such as articles, patents or conference communications), particulars that would not only encourage knowledge sharing, but enhance the credibility of and trust in research funding.