UB School of Economics Researchers join new Council for Productivity and Economic Leadership in Catalonia

Three researchers from the UB School of Economics are part of the new Council for Productivity and Economic Leadership in Catalonia, a body created by the Government of the Generalitat and made up of sixteen renowned economists from academic, business, and trade-union fields. Among its members are Dirk Foremny, Núria Rodríguez Planas, and Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela, researchers at the UB School of Economics.

The Council is created with the mission of advising the Government and proposing measures that help improve competitiveness and strengthen Catalonia’s economic leadership. Its creation is part of the Catalunya Lidera Plan, which aims to position the country among the leading regions in Europe in terms of prosperity, innovation, and sustainable development.

The academic careers of Dirk Foremny, focused on public finance; Núria Rodríguez Planas, specialized in labour economics and the gender gap; and Jennifer Ruiz-Valenzuela, focused on labour and public economics, provide the Council with a rigorous and complementary perspective. Their expertise reinforces the role of the University of Barcelona as a key agent in the analysis, assessment, and orientation of the country’s economic policies.

The members of the Council will meet quarterly and produce periodic reports analysing the state of productivity in Catalonia. This work will include monitoring key indicators, evaluating economic policies, and formulating evidence-based recommendations, as well as promoting dialogue with economic, social, and academic stakeholders.

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