UPC Think Tank

Research activity linked to the CUDU UPC is conducted in close relationship with the Organisation Research Group (GRO), which focuses on the applied study of public, private and hybrid organisations to ensure they are effective, transparent and reliable. The group provides a scientific and academic framework that aligns with the Chair's strategic priorities and addresses key issues related to governance, university management, higher education policies and the social impact of knowledge.

Active projects

Study of the contribution of universities to economic and social development
Fundación Conocimiento y Desarrollo (CYD)
Principal investigator: Jasmina Berbegal Mirabent (UPC)

Collaboration in the preparation of the CYD Report, the benchmark annual report on the Spanish university system that aims to inform public debate and
university policy decision making. The project systematically analyses the contribution of universities to economic and social development across key
dimensions (teaching, research, knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship, international outreach and graduate employment) and includes the design and
validation of composite indicators that enable a comparative, evidence-based analysis of the Spanish university system, aiming to strengthen transparency,
institutional performance and the strategic orientation of higher education policies.

Evaluation of the social return of research in an open science context
Fundación Ramón Areces
Principal investigator: Jasmina Berbegal Mirabent (UPC)

A project aimed at transforming the criteria used to evaluate research. Its goal is to equip scientific systems with rigorous tools to measure the real social
impact of research beyond traditional bibliometric indicators. The project identifies institutional practices and conditions that maximise this impact and
offers empirical evidence to guide evaluation, funding and open science policies. The results contribute to strengthening accountability and social return
on public investment in R&D.

ChallengeED: Empowering Innovation, Environmental Action, and Civic Engagement through Challenge-Based Entrepreneurship Education
European Commission, Education Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (Ref: 2024-1-BE02-KA220-HED-000252761)
Principal investigator: Yolande Berbers (KU Leuven)

A European Erasmus+ project that promotes the transformation of higher education through learning based on real challenges posed by local actors. Its
goal is to strengthen students’ entrepreneurial skills, civic participation and green skills, aligning university education with the priorities of the European
Green Deal. The project develops a replicable teaching model and a rigorous methodology to evaluate the social, institutional and educational impact of
challenge-based learning. ChallengED provides evidence and tools to strengthen the role of universities as drivers of innovation, sustainability and commitment to the territory.

Unite! University Network for Innovation, Technology and Engineering
European Comission, Education Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (Ref: 101089731-ERASMUS-EDU-2022-EUR-UNIV)
Principal investigator: Maria Lourdes Reig Puig (UPC) (01/2023 - 05/2025) i Juan Jesús Pérez González (UPC) (06/2025 - 10/2026)

UNITE! és una aliança d’universitats europees que impulsa una cooperació profunda en educació, recerca i innovació. Forma part de la iniciativa Universitats Europees de la Comissió Europea i promou un model universitari integrat, interdisciplinari i centrat en els reptes socials. L’aliança fomenta la mobilitat, l’aprenentatge innovador i la col·laboració entre estudiants, personal docent i investigador. UNITE! té un fort enfocament en l’enginyeria, la sostenibilitat i la transformació digital, contribuint a construir l’Espai Europeu d’Educació i Recerca.

Ongoing doctoral theses

Dynamics of knowledge coproduction in intersectoral innovation networks
Doctoral candidate: Guillermo Miltos
Supervisors: Jasmina Berbegal Mirabent (UPC) i Ferran Sabaté (UPC)

The thesis analyses collaborations between universities and actors in the knowledge system (productive sector, public administrations, social entities and other institutions) as key instruments of innovation policies. The research examines collaboration networks and identifies success factors to strengthen
knowledge transfer and collaborative innovation.

Libraries and research units: guidelines for scientific development in Peruvian universities
Doctoral candidate: Soledad Alfaro Jimenez
Supervisors: Jasmina Berbegal Mirabent (UPC) i Rocío de la Torre (UPV)

The thesis analyses the strategic role of university libraries as key actors in supporting and promoting research activity. The research examines the interaction between libraries and research units in Peruvian universities, identifying institutional guidelines to strengthen knowledge management, improve scientific output and align university policies with international standards for research evaluation and quality.

Collaboration under the microscope: Who connects, who controls, who benefits?
Doctoral candidate: Cristina Juárez Batlle
Supervisors: Jasmina Berbegal (UPC) i Laia Pagès Giralt (UPC)

Analyses the heterogeneity of collaborative innovation and how its outcomes vary according to organisational architectures, governance mechanisms and partner-matching processes, a key dimension for the governance of university-business-administration relations, applied to the mobility and automotive sector, where these collaborations are particularly crucial for tackling the transition towards connected, electric and sustainable urban mobility.