5. Strategic analysis (SWOT)
STRENGTHS
- Uniqueness at national level regarding the focus of the institute (digital society).
- Interdisciplinary nature of the research carried out, balance between social sciences, humanities and engineering.
- Attractive location and flexibility in ways of working (online first).
- Horizontal structure that combines experience and youth.
- Flexibility, agility and a pro-change culture.
- Gender parity.
WEAKNESSES
- Our visibility as an institute could be better (communication policy, identity and brand).
- Difficulties attracting, maintaining and developing teams (temporary contracts, salaries, unequal dedication, attracting students and junior researchers).
- Insufficient support for the promotion of interdisciplinarity and cooperation between research groups.
- Excessive variety of subject areas within research groups.
- Difficulty transferring or giving value to research in some disciplines.
- Lack of tools to support research.
- Few sociability and community creation actions as an institute (new researchers).
- We need to improve attention to diversity and equity.
OPPORTUNITIES
- Strategic and institutional commitment to promoting research at the UOC (funding).
- Potential for development in the IN3's areas: ubiquity of digital technology in our societies.
- Uniqueness in the Catalan and Spanish environments (interdisciplinarity).
- Dynamism and capacity for specialization and adaptation of teams.
- Research with high potential for societal impact, and interrelation and exchange with the immediate environment.
- Several groups work on (and with) feminisms and the gender perspective.
- Very broad contact networks thanks to interdisciplinarity.
- European context conducive to the research model (e.g. Horizon calls).
THREATS
- High competition in the Catalan/Spanish environment making it difficult to attract and retain talent.
- The sustainability of the UOC's research policy, and dependence on the priorities of the university's management.
- Low levels of funding from Spanish/Catalan calls. Little public investment.
- Private nature of the university (no eligibility for certain calls).
- Legislative changes affecting the organization of research (science law, labour reform, etc.).
- Post-pandemic changes.