About us
Who we are?
The Barcelona Institute of Economics (IEB) is a research centre whose goals are to promote and disseminate work in Applied Economics, and to contribute to debate and the decision-making process in Economic Policy.
Founded in 2001 within the University of Barcelona (UB), the IEB enjoys the official recognition of the Catalan Government. In 2008, the Institute received a major boost with the creation of the IEB Foundation, on whose board of trustees sit representatives of private business (“la Caixa” Foundation, Fundación Miquel y Costas and Saba), public institutions (the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and Barcelona City Hall) and the universities (University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona), in what is an excellent example of collaboration between the public/private sectors and academia. In carrying out its work, the IEB works closely with the Institute of Fiscal Studies, the Barcelona Provincial Council, Agbar, Cuatrecasas, Consorci Zona Franca Barcelona, AENA and Fira de Barcelona.
The IEB also hosts the Chair of Energy Sustainability at the UB (funded by the Foundation for Energy and Environmental Sustainability) and the Chair on Urban Economics City of Barcelona at the UB (funded by the Barcelona City Hall).
The research work of the Institute’s members is conducted primarily in the fields of fiscal federalism and public economics; urban economics; transport economics and infrastructure; energy sustainability; tax system analysis; economics of education; health economics; innovation; labour market – immigration and security policies.
As the IEB’s annual report shows, this research, carried out within the framework of competitive national and international projects, is presented at conferences, seminars and workshops, and is published primarily in specialist academic journals. In order to promote and disseminate this research further, the IEB publishes its own series of working papers and organises related activities, including seminars, workshops, and summer schools, among other events.
Similarly, with the aim of bringing its research findings to a wider audience, and of promoting debate and contributing to the policy-making process, the Institute periodically releases the IEB Report and the IEB’s Report on Fiscal Federalism and Public Finance, as well as its newsletter, Info IEB. The Institute also organizes a significant number of educational events, including conferences, meetings, symposia and discussion forums.
Finally, IEB researchers also participate in studies commissioned by entities and institutions interested in the economic analysis of the specific questions and issues in which they specialise.
Thanks to its research excellence and the cooperation established between the university, the public sector and the business world, the IEB is today a leading international research centre.
What do we do?
The Chair of Energy Sustainability at the UB promotes research into the production, supply, and use of the energy needed to maintain social welfare and development, placing special emphasis on economic, environmental, and social aspects.
The Research Program in Cities promotes research in urban economics with a particular focus on understanding the forces shaping cities and the challenges they face. The program examines how housing markets, land use regulations, transportation systems, environmental pressures, and local amenities interact to influence urban growth, spatial inequalities, and economic opportunities.
The program contributes to academic debates while providing evidence relevant for urban policymaking. The program includes the Chair on Urban Economics City of Barcelona at the UB (funded by the Barcelona City Council).
The Research Program in Political Economy investigates how political institutions and actors shape economic and social outcomes. Its research agenda brings together questions on the quality of democratic institutions, the behaviour of voters and politicians, and the political economy of some of the major challenges facing contemporary societies — from migration and climate change to gender inequality, polarization and the erosion of trust in democracy. By combining rigorous empirical methods with policy-relevant questions, the programme aims to produce evidence useful for designing public policies and strengthening democratic institutions.
The mission of the Research Program in Gender, Institutions, and Culture is to generate evidence-based research with the goal to enhance our understanding of gender differences in various domains, including households, education, the labor market, STEM fields, wealth, engagement of risky behaviors, health, public health, political empowerment, victimization, and perpetration. This program is financed with an ERC Advanced Grant entitled, WomEmpower: The Causal Effect of Motherhood, Gender Norms, and Cash Transfers to Women on Intimate Partner Violence (2024- 2029).
The Research Program in Infrastructure and Transport promotes research in this area from an economic viewpoint, in order to generate knowledge that is useful to society and is able to guide public policy. It focuses on the effects of infrastructure investments and transport policies on economic growth and the environment, examines the impact of policies of regional distribution, regulation and competition in the transport sector as well as user charges for infrastructure.
The Research Program in Public Policies mission is to encourage research related to the design and implementation of public sector activities in order to meet social needs. The program revolves around these five themes: economics of education, health economics, labour markets, economics of crime and gender economics.
El Research Programme in Health Economics generates rigorous evidence on the functioning of healthcare systems and their impact on population well-being. Using applied econometric methods and public policy evaluation, it analyzes the efficiency, equity, and quality of healthcare services, with the aim of contributing to the design of more effective and sustainable health policies.
The Development Economics Research Program aims to promote research on the economic, social, and environmental processes that shape development and well-being in low- and middle-income countries. The program examines the factors that influence opportunities and outcomes throughout the life cycle, as well as the design and evaluation of policies and interventions aimed at fostering sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development. Its main research areas include human capital, health and nutrition, labor markets and livelihoods, social and gender norms, the environment and climate change, and other economic and social determinants of development.
Finally, the IEB also includes the Observatory on Fiscal Federalism. Focused on one of the IEB’s main lines of research from the start, the Observatory aims to study the finances and organization of sub-national government systems with a view to channelling and helping to disseminate academic knowledge to a broader audience.
Report of Activities
Structure
Board of Trustees
Management
Personal Technical Personnel
Institutional partners
