Innovation speeds up the start-up of ValER in Castelló and will begin the refurbishment project in January

The Regional Ministry for Innovation, Universities, Science and the Digital Society is to speed up the start-up of the Valencian Community Foundation for Research Excellence (ValER) in Castelló.

January marks the one-year anniversary of the purchase of the Correos de Castelló building by the Generalitat and, as planned, from that date the technical team of the Regional Ministry of Innovation will begin to review the facilities with the aim of speeding up the drafting of the corresponding refurbishment project for the unique building and adapting it to the needs of the ValER Foundation.

Correos asked the Regional Ministry of Finance to extend the deadline for vacating the building to March 2022. Bearing in mind that the request was made by a public entity such as the Post Office, which must guarantee and prioritise service to citizens at all times, the Regional Ministry of Finance, based on the report drawn up by Innovation, has authorised the gradual vacating of the building until March, provided that this does not mean a delay in the project’s execution deadlines, and that access by Generalitat staff is guaranteed in January to carry out the technical work prior to the building’s refurbishment.

The Department of Innovation is working to ensure that the refurbishment project, which will transform this emblematic building into the headquarters of ValER, is adapted to the new needs, but always guaranteeing that the essence and identity of the building is maintained so as not to lose its historical and architectural value.

ValER is the response of the Generalitat to contribute to the impulse, promotion and development of scientific, humanistic and technological research and knowledge for the benefit of society, universities, research centres and the scientific community in general.

The councillor for Innovation, Carolina Pascual, explained that “we are taking another step forward in the policy of attracting and retaining top-level research talent in the region and to this end we are speeding up the setting up of the Excellence Research Foundation (ValER) to go one step further towards achieving a fully-fledged knowledge society and placing ourselves at the forefront. The aim is for research to be developed and transferred to the productive fabric. From the Generalitat we are clear: there is no better investment than that of talent because its benefits last over time and have a multiplying power that reaches all corners of society”.