University research, if it is well done and is the result of rigorous and prolonged work, sooner or later leads to a patent. Not all. The one that is done on the economy, no, reflects the former president of the Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB) Salvador Alemany, which makes it difficult for him to be visible. The Institut has just completed 20 years as a research center in economics with the aim of contributing to the debate and decision-making on economic policy.
Founded in 2001 within the University of Barcelona and recognized by the Generalitat de Catalunya, the IEB received an important boost in 2008 with the constitution of the IEB Foundation, in whose patronage private companies such as La Caixa and Saba, institutions public institutions such as the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the Barcelona City Council, and universities such as Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“The objective of the IEB is that there is a will to transfer this research to economic policy. I think this is the differential. The IEB was born around the issue of fiscal federalism and regional financing”, reflects Martí Parellada, president of the IEB.
Studies on the financing model and regional and state fiscal policy are precisely the most recognized. "Everything related to regional financing has been key for the IEB over the years," says Joaquim Coello, the institution's first president and current honorary president. "This forum has been especially suitable because it has allowed academia, public administrations and companies to unite," he adds.
The change came with the constitution of the foundation and the creation of the board of trustees in 2008. "Public-private collaboration is essential," says José María Durán-Cabré, director of the IEB. Coello adds that “collaboration between companies and universities is difficult. We have no tradition of doing it in Spain. It is important to note that there are no tax incentives to do so.”
For this reason, Durán-Cabré insists that "by not having to create patents, what we create is research that is published in scientific journals." And these works, in the end, also have the will to influence political action to improve society as a whole. It's like getting a patent in the industry that improves existing procedures in factories.
Although strictly the 20th anniversary was celebrated last year, it was decided to delay the celebration due to the covid pandemic. This Tuesday, the IEB will commemorate the anniversary with a conference in which, among others, the Governor of the Bank of Spain, Pablo Hernández de Cos, will participate.
During these years, one of the most complicated moments for an economic research center like the IEB was the independence process in Catalonia, since there were hardly any scientific reports on the scenarios of a secessionist process. From the Institut they claim all the work on fiscal federalism carried out and the research that was used for other organizations such as Carec, or the extensive report presented a few weeks ago precisely on that issue, in which many members of the IEB have participated.
“The theme of 2017 was worked on a lot with the studies on financing from previous years”, indicates Alemany. Precisely one of the great signs of identity of the organism is the rigor in the works. The lack of resources –as it is a center with few researchers– means that they cannot always react as quickly as today sometimes requires.
Durán-Cabré indicates that “we have increasingly assumed that it is important to carry out quality research, but also to make it known. We have to find the balance between maintaining rigor and being able to react quickly with the issues that arise.
Now, in addition to taxation, the IEB is very focused on "health and, by extension, public policies, infrastructure and everything that refers to Europe through the EuropeG group," says Parellada. Durán-Cabré adds issues related to cities, mobility or energy.
These are issues that will gradually increase the portfolio of the IEB, but without patents. For now. Maybe one day there will be one. They have 20 more years ahead of them.
