The General Research Support Service (SEGAI) of the University of La Laguna offers scientific, technical, and infrastructure support to research projects both from the university itself and from other entities. Quality Department It oversees the management of these services and procedures, ensuring compliance with the high quality standards established by international guidelines and regulations. For its part, the Department of Promotion, Valorization and Marketing It facilitates access to cutting-edge technology available in the various SEGAI services, with the aim of promoting the transfer of knowledge and technology from the institution to society.
Both departments provide cross-functional support to the services, managing and resolving user queries, and adapting and monitoring new procedures and control mechanisms. Staff from these departments combine their duties with their work as technicians in other SEGAI services. In the Quality Department, Antonio Santos Delgado and Nathália Peixoto Nocchi Carneiro are responsible for ensuring the implementation of the general procedures established by the UNE-EN ISO 9001 standard, thus guaranteeing service quality and the reliability of results. This applies to both the twelve certified laboratories and those still undergoing the accreditation process.
The certification process for SEGAI's services began in 2011, when management decided to reinforce its commitment to excellence, transparency, and continuous improvement in the provision of these scientific and technical services. Thus, the 25 services that comprise SEGAI follow the same general procedures of the ISO 9001 management system, regardless of their certification status. “Many of the methods are highly specific and must be carried out correctly, not only to comply with the requirements of ISO 9001 and ISO 17025, but also according to the internal procedures established by SEGAI to guarantee quality,” Santos points out. Furthermore, this department is responsible for reviewing and maintaining SEGAI's facilities and infrastructure.
From the Promotion, Valorization, and Marketing Department, technician Jennifer Corujo Ramos emphasizes that one of the main functions of this service is user management, as well as providing guidance and advice so that users know which service to contact based on the procedures and analyses they need. “Many prospective users arrive with a problem, but they don't know which service can help them. We conduct an initial consultation based on the analyses they require, study the feasibility with specialists, and then redirect them to the most appropriate service or services,” explains Corujo, who works in this department alongside technician Francisco José Marcano Serrano.
Furthermore, the Promotion Department carries out tasks related to managing agreements, billing for procedures, and disseminating information about the work performed in the various SEGAI laboratories. These activities can be geared towards research staff at the University of La Laguna, as well as the Canary Islands business community and younger students. Of particular note in this area is the organization and promotion of school visits and participation in science outreach events. Both departments also collaborate on training SEGAI staff in management systems.
In line with SEGAI's mission to establish itself as a leading R&D&I unit in the Canary Islands, the Quality and Promotion, Valorization, and Commercialization departments ensure the efficient use of the institution's scientific and technological infrastructure, maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability. Furthermore, they promote access to these resources to offer innovative solutions that benefit the business sector and Canarian society as a whole.
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