10annual report20legal status,governance,and managementThe IMDEA Software Institute is a non-profit, independentorganization, constituted as a Foundation. Its structurebrings together the advantages and guarantees offered bya foundation with the flexible and dynamic managementtypical of a private body. This combination is deemednecessary to attain the goals of excellence in research,cooperation with industry, and attraction of talentedresearchers from all over the world, while managing acombination of public and private funds. The Institute wascreated officially on November 23, 2006 at the initiative ofthe Madrid Regional Government, following a design thatwas the result of a collaborative effort between industry andacademia, and started its activities during 2007.The main governing body of the Institute is the Boardof Trustees. The Board includes representatives of theMadrid Regional Government, universities and researchcenters of Madrid, scientists with high internationalreputation in software development science andtechnology, and representatives of companies, togetherwith independent experts.The Board is in charge of guaranteeing the fulfillment ofthe foundational purpose and the correct administrationof the funds and rights that make up the assets of theInstitute, maintaining their appropriate returns and utility.It normally meets twice a year. In the interim, Boardleveldecisions are delegated to the Standing Committee ofthe Board. The Director, who is the CEO of the Institute,is appointed by the board among scientists with awell-established international reputation in softwaredevelopment science and technology. The Directorfosters and supervises the activities of the Institute, andestablishes the distribution and application of the availablefunds among the goals of the Institute, within the patternsand limits decided by the Board of Trustees. The Directoris assisted by the Deputy Director and the General Manager,who take care of the legal, administrative, and financialactivities of the Institute. Together, they supervise thedifferent units in the Institute (administration, IT support,project management, communication, infrastructure, andREDIMadrid) which work closely with and support theResearch units of the Institute. The current structure isdepicted in Figure.The Board of Trustees and the Director are assisted intheir functions by the Scientific Advisory Board, composedof high-level external scientists of international reputationwith expertise in different areas of research covered bythe Institute. The tasks of this advisory board include: toprovide advice on and approve the selection of researchers;to provide advice and supervision in the preparation ofyearly and longer-term strategic plans; to evaluate theperformance with respect to those plans; and to givegeneral advice on matters of relevance to the Institute.
11annual report20ourstructure