The University of Oviedo has joined, as a full-fledged member, the Royal Complutense College at Hardvard (RCC), the Spanish center affiliated to the American college that aims to promote academic, scientific, and cultural cooperation between the American institution, and the Spanish system of Higher Education. The Asturian institution thus joins the universities select group composed of, apart from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Hardvard University, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Universidad de Alcalá, Universidad de Sevilla, and Universitat de València. The rector of the Asturian university, Ignacio Villaverde, accompanied by the Internationalization Vice-rector, Daniel Santos, has presented today the collaboration agreement that positions the Asturian academic institution in a vantage point to strengthen partnerships with the university that leads The Academic Ranking of World Universities.

The Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard (RCC) is a non-profit organization with its own legal personality granted by the State of Massachusetts (USA). It was created in 1990 together with the Universidad Complutense and Hardvard University, under the presidency of Derek C. Bok. The Real Colegio has been conceived as a joint institution to encourage and promote the academic, intellectual, and scientific Exchange between Hardvard, the Complutense, and the member universities, to which now Oviedo incorporates.

With the purpose to the extent the possibilities offered by the collaboration between Harvard and the Complutense to the greatest possible number of Spanish professors and researchers, collaborative agreements have been established with various Spanish universities. As part of this expansion project from the original ten-year agreement, RCC has recently incorporated four Partner Universities, namely Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (2013), Universidad de Alcalá (2014), Universidad de Sevilla (2015), Universitat de València (2015), and now, Universidad de Oviedo (2022).

The rector, Ignacio Villaverde, has expressed himself highly satisfied after entering into the collaboration agreement and has highlighted that, thanks to his actions, the teaching and research personnel of the Asturian university would be capable of benefit from an ambitious scholarship program, and research grants, and postgraduate fellowships in the university that leads The Academic Ranking of World Universities. In the same vein, the Vice-rector, Daniel Santos, has stressed that the agreement will favor the realization of teaching and researcher staff, and student stays, that aim at the establishment of contacts in Hardvard that could come to fruition in the development of a project or event, as well as an eventual long-term stay.

The main programs developed by The Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard are the following:

Harvard Graduate Degree Students Scholarships

These scholarships are awarded to those postgraduate students planning to study at Harvard graduate and professional schools, for one or more academic years.

Harvard University Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

This program supports Junior Scholars who have just received their doctorate with honors (or the highest equivalent academic distinction) at member universities, providing funding for research at Harvard University.

A cornerstone of the RCC mission at Harvard is the attraction and support of young talent. Due to the traditional structure of academic careers, Junior Scholars who have just received their doctorate usually find it more difficult to gain access to the most prestigious universities, either for reasons related to curriculum development or lack of funding. Along with this, another problem common to the Junior Scholars is the possibility of making internationalization compatible with the academic career in the universities of their preference.

The program is an extraordinary opportunity that provides funding for research at Harvard University. These grants are addressed to recently minted scholars to deepen their expertise, acquire new skills, work with additional resources, and make connections with others in their field, as well as promote the connection between their home universities and Harvard University at large.

The Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard provides too with grant funding for Postdoctoral Research Fellows with an extraordinary academic records under the framework of the Distinguished Junior Scholars program. his program is directed to candidates who have recently received their Ph.D. with honors to support the development of a research project at any of the Departments, Centers, or Schools at Harvard University in the fields of sciences, humanities, law, medicine, public health, political science, economy, sociology, education, engineering, architecture, or any other field of study available at Harvard University. This is a 2+2 program, which means that if candidates complete two years of research at Harvard, they will have the opportunity of rejoining their home university for an additional two years upon satisfactory performance, and subject to the conditions set by the university of origin.

Harvard University Faculty Research Fellowships

This program offers financial aid for professors to carry out a research project at Harvard University for one academic year. The referred aid is available for carrying out a research project in the field of sciences, humanities, law, medicine, public health, political science and economy, sociology, education, engineering, architecture, or any other field of study at any of the Departments, Schools or Centers at Harvard University.

Awardees may combine these grants with sabbatical or other stipendiary support from their home university for the same purpose. Candidates must be faculty in regular service at one of RCC's member universities and provide acknowledgment of support from Harvard University faculty, Department, Center, or School for the intended short visit.

Harvard University Faculty Grants for Short-Term Funded Visits

The program provides funding opportunities for short-term stays at Harvard University for faculty pursuing to establish collaboration with Harvard faculty as well as maintaining and developing already-established collaborations.

This particular call aims to facilitate the implementation of these long-term stays, the maintenance of the collaborations that have been developed during these long-term stays, and the development of events that may have a major academic impact in the various fields of knowledge.

To strengthen the presence of individuals with a track record of achievements in both the academic and scientific fields at Harvard, RCC offers travel grants for short-term funded visits at Harvard University for purposes. The program aims at reinforcing faculty mobility and academic collaboration with Harvard University faculty, Departments, Centers, and Schools by means of building academic collaboration that can lead to future visiting research fellowships at Harvard. The objective being pursued is also to set up and follow up of Study Groups, joint projects, and Ph.D. theses that are co-directed by faculty from Harvard University and RCC member universities, as well as the preparation of joint applications for competitive research grants either in the United States or in Europe.

Candidates must be current and active full-time faculty at one of RCC's member universities and provide acknowledgment of support from the Harvard University faculty, Department, Center, or School for the intended short visit.

Short-Term Non-Funded Visits

These opportunities are granted to those members of Partner Universities with their own personal or institutional funds. Ideally, these visits should not be superior to one month in duration, and under no circumstance can they be superior to three months. Since they are oriented to establish initial contact with one or more of the Schools, Centers, or Departments at Harvard, complete applications must include an email or letter from a Harvard Faculty Member acknowledging interest to meet with the applicant during their stay on campus.

Events and other programs of interest

The Real Colegio Complutense also collaborates with Hardvard departments in special activities organization, including international meetings with scientists, experts, and worldwide renowned professors. The institution is, as well, a Harvard-organized conference and activity co-sponsor, and serves as headquarters and institutional support to the Harvard Spain Student Association. Moreover, the Real Colegio Complutense welcomes different annual seminars organized by public and private institutions interested in collaboration with the Spanish knowledge system. The Member Universities' teaching and research personnel can also request the establishment of research groups, and activities in collaboration with Harvard. It is the only institution in the world to have its own headquarters at Hardvard University, facilities that from now on will be also utilized by the University of Oviedo staff that travels there under these fellowships.

Throughout its more than 25 years of existence, the RCC has received up to 5,000 Alumni and visitors, endorsing around 1,000 research projects, and programs through 400 fellowships for faculty and graduate students. It has hosted 250 courses, featuring professors from Harvard, and other prestigious universities worldwide. It has also organized more than 2,500 activities in cooperation with the various Schools at Harvard University.