The Regional Quantitative Analysis Group (UB-AQR) is located in the Department of Econometrics, Statistics and Spanish Economy at the University of Barcelona and is integrated in the Research Institute of Applied Economics (IREA). It also takes part of the Scientific Park of Barcelona. The UB-AQR Group, with more than thirty researchers and twenty years of experience, has been recognized by the regional government of Catalonia as a group of quality and excellence in research in Economics.
Fundació Bosch i Gimpera (FBG) is a third party of the beneficiary Universitat de Barcelona (UB). The involvement of this third party is governed by a prior agreement with UB. FBG is a legal entity created and controlled by the beneficiary, and acts on its behalf for the administrative and financial management of costs engaged by UB in its participation in European projects. FBG does not perform scientific/technical work in the project. FBG won’t charge costs to the project because is a Foundation created and controlled by UB in order to manage the administrative tasks of UB European projects. FBG handles the financial and administrative aspects of the beneficiary UB involvement in research projects, including all issues relating to the employment and payment of additional personnel, purchase of equipment and consumables, etc. The personnel hired for the project by the foundation works on the premises of the University (beneficiary) and under its responsibility, as the foundation does not have the resources to carry out the work.
The main research activity of the group is focused in Applied Economics, with a special emphasis on the analysis of urban and regional issues. Among the main research lines we can mention those of economic growth and convergence, externalities, human capital, labour market, knowledge economy, firm location, firm demography and survival, labour migration and development of synthetic and strategic indicators. Also, UB-AQR work out with public institutions and private enterprises developing projects on topics such as economic impact of public policies, development of indicators of territorial and sectorial activity at local and regional level, strategic plans, mobility studies and surveys among others.
UB-AQR has been involved in the 6th and 7th Framework Programmes for years. The group leads the “Intangible Assets and Regional Economic Growth” project (www.iareg.org) (FP7-SSH-2007-1. 216813) and is an active member of the “European Forecasting Network” (www.efn.eui.eu). Also, UB-AQR leaded the ESF COST Action titled “Small and Medium Enterprises, Economic Development and Regional Convergence in Europe” (http://www.ub.es/dpees/aqr/web_cost/presen.html) (COST 400/94). Also UB-AQR has participated in 8 projects and Reports for the DG ECFIN in the last 10 years.
