CIVERSITY comprises a team who have a proven track record and extensive research experience.

[1] During the period from 1/01/2009–1/01/2011, I. Zubero, V. Urrutia and P. Campelo participated as researchers, undertaking work on the EXNURB-Exploring New Urban Policies project, which was funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (National RDI programme), where Joan Subirats (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona) acted as main researcher and I. Zubero headed the subgroup research team analysing the Bilbao Metropolitan Area. The main findings of this research have been compiled in the book: M. Iglesias, M. Martí-Costa, J. Subirats and M. Tomàs (eds.), Políticas urbanas en España: Grandes ciudades, actores y gobiernos locales (Urban Policies in Spain: Big cities, Stakeholders and Local Governments) (Icaria, Madrid 2011) .

A new project also funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation has followed from this research. It is called “POLURB 2015. Políticas urbanas en el escenario del 2015" (Urban Policies Against the 2015 Backdrop), and will be undertaken from 2012-2014.

I. Zubero (as main researcher), V. Urrutia and P. Campelo conducted work on the CIVERSITY project, also over a two-year period (2009-2011). This was the result of bringing together the EMUs, whose funding came from the EKO-LURRALDEA project, and its main means for disseminating findings thus far have been:

• The publication of the article “De la ciutat mestissa a la ciutat mestissada: cultura i pràctica de la interculturalitat” (A. Izaola e I. Zubero. Barcelona Societat: Revista d’Informació i Estudis Socials, 2009, no. 16, pp. 42-51).
• The publication of the book Las dimensiones sociales de la ciudad (UPV-EHU Publications Service, 2010), edited by V. Urrutia, I. Zubero, A. de la Peña and A. Izaola, and which includes contributions from the Seminar “Las dimensiones sociales de la ciudad: estado de la cuestión” (The Social Dimensions of the City: State of Affairs) (Bilbao, 28/30 January 2009).
• The guest lecture “Inmigración e identidad: la interculturalidad en serio” (Immigration and Identity: Taking Multiculturalism Seriously), in a session of the Seminar “Políticas migratorias, justicia y ciudadanía” (Migration Policies, Justice and Citizenship) (CSIC, Institute of Philosophy. Madrid, 20-2-2009).
• The organisation, in collaboration with the Basque Association of Sociology and Political Science, of the conference “Identidad, cultura y religión en el espacio público: a propósito del hiyab” (Identity, Culture and Religion in Public Spaces: Discussing the Hijab) (Bilbao, 06-10-2010).
• The publication of the paperConfianza ciudadana y capital social de sociedades multiculturales (Civic Trust and Social Capital in Multicultural Societies) (I. Zubero, Ikuspegi, Bilbao 2010)
• The organisation, together with the Basque Observatory on Immigration, Ikuspegi, of the summer course “Confianza ciudadana y capital social en sociedades multiculturales” (Civic Trust and Social Capital in Multicultural Societies) (UPV/EHU. Bilbao, 10/14-7-2010).

[2] In March 2012 CIVERSITY entered into a research agreement with the Basque Government Department of Open Governance and Communication on the Internet in order to evaluate the Basque Model for Open Governance developed since January 2010.  I. Zubero was involved in the research as the main researcher along with M. Ispizua, C. Lavía, P. Campelo and X. Aierdi.

In line with this public policy evaluation, the various members of the research team have participated in the following research:

• Elaboración y alimentación del sistema de indicadores de integración (SIS) de la población inmigrante de Bilbao(Drawing up and Feeding the System of Integration Indicators in the Immigrant Population in Bilbao), X. Aierdi, with C. Lavia as researcher, funded by the Bilbao City Council.
• Evaluación intermedia del Plan de Desarrollo Rural Sostenible (PDRS) 2007-2013 (Interim Assessment of the Sustainable Rural Development Programme) - P. Campelo.
• Evaluación de los programas y acciones del Departamento de Promoción Económica de la Diputación Foral de Bizkaia dirigidos a la generación de riqueza en el Territorio Histórico de Bizkaia(2012-2013) (Assessment of Programmes and Initiatives by the Department of Economic Development of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia Aimed at Generating Wealth in the Historical Territory of Bizkaia), I. Zubero and J. Mondragon (main researchers), P. Campelo, A. Izaola, A. de la Peña.

[3] Other research:

• Regeneración ambiental y disfrute recreativo en la población de Muskiz(Environmental Regeneration and Recreational Enjoyment in the Town of Muskiz) - M. Ispizua, 31-12-2011 .
• Representaciones sociales y gestión informativa del riesgo medio-ambiental en la CAPV(Social Representations and Information Management of Environmental Risk in the Basque Autonomous Region) (2010), M. Ispizua, main researcher J.I. Lorente.
• In 2010 M. Ispizua worked as the main researcher in the project Estudio y prevención de la violencia en el deporte escolar (Study and Prevention of Violence in School Sports), funded by the Basque Government.
• P. Campelo participated as a researcher in the project Planificación y Gestión de las Políticas de Agricultura (Planning and Management of Agriculture Policy), funded by the Basque Government (2009).
• 2008-2010. X. Aierdi as main researcher and C. Lavia participated in the research project OPENCITIES (Bilbao), funded by Bilbao City Council, IKUSPEGI.
• 2006-2008: V. Urrutia (main researcher) and I. Zubero developed the project Gestión Sostenible del Territorio (Sustainable Management of the Region),funded by the Basque Government Department of Industry – ETORTEK.
• 2008, C. Lavia participated as a researcher in the project PYMES industriales en el sistema regional de innovación: los casos de Euskadi y Navarra (Industrial SMEs in the Regional System of Innovation: The Case of Euskadi and Navarre), funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
• 2007, M. Ispizua was the main researcher in the project Hábitos lectores de los adolescentes en Bilbao (Reading Habits of Teenagers in Bilbao), funded by Alhóndiga Bilbao.
• In 2007 C. Lavia participated as a researcher in the project led by M. Olazarán entitled Políticas y sistemas de ciencia, tecnología e innovación (Policies and Science, Technology and Innovation Systems), funded by the Basque Government.

[3] In addition to those mentioned above, several members of the research group have published the following articles and papers related to the analysis of urban change:

• “Una mirada sobre la cultura urbana: los hábitos y las prácticas culturales en las capitales vascas” (A Look at Urban Culture: Customs and Cultural Practices in the Basque Capitals), I. Zubero. Basque Observatory of Culture, 2010, Kultura 08-09, Basque Government Publication Services, Vitoria-Gasteiz, pp. 5-25.
• “La relación de la urbe moderna con los jóvenes” (The Relationship of the Modern City with Young People), M. Ispizua, in VI Encuentros deportivos en los municipios (VI Sporting Events in Municipalities), 2010, Bilbao City Council.
• “El barrio moderno de Uríbarri” (The Modern Neighbourhood of Uríbarri), V. Urrutia in J.A. Pérez coord., Bilbaoy sus barrios: una mirada desde la historia (Bilbao and its Neighbourhoods: a Look at the History), 2008, Bilbao City Council, pp. 139-173.
• “Sí, podemos. Aprendiendo de la movilización social de ayer” (Yes, We Can. Learning from the Social Mobilization of Yesterday), I. Zubero, in Enseñanzas de la historia. II Jornadas sobre la memoria histórica en Sestao (Teachings from History: II Conference on Historical Memory in Sestao), Errepresaliatuak, Sestao 2010, pp. 207-219.
• “Primero tomaremos Manhattan: regeneración urbana, insurgencias ciudadanas y emergencias culturales en Zorrotzaurre (Bilbao)” (First we take Manhattan: Urban Regeneration, Civic Insurgencies and Cultural Emergences in Zorrotzaurre [Bilbao]), I. Zubero, in Urban, no. 3, 2012, pp. 65-80.

[4] Under the framework of the Basque Observatory for Immigration IKUSPEGI, X. Aierdi has undertaken prominent research and dissemination of findings, including publications such as the following (all in co-authorship):

• Población latinoamericana en la CAPV 2007(Latin American Population in the Basque Autonomous Region 2007), Ikuspegi 2008.
• Población africana en la CAPV 2007(African Population in the Basque Autonomous Region 2007), Ikuspegi 2008.
• Población asiática en la CAPV 2007(Asian Population in the Basque Autonomous Region 2007), Ikuspegi 2008.
• Población europea en la CAPV 2007(European Population in the Basque Autonomous Region 2007), Ikuspegi 2008.
• Barómetro 2007. Percepciones y actitudes hacia la inmigración extranjera (Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Foreign Immigration), Ikuspegi 2008.
• Barómetro 2008. Percepciones y actitudes hacia la inmigración extranjera(Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Foreign Immigration), Ikuspegi 2009.
• Barómetro 2008 Comarcas. Percepciones y actitudes hacia la inmigración extranjera(Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Foreign Immigration), Ikuspegi 2009.

C. Lavía has published several papers on residential segregation, such as “Observación sistemática para el estudio de los espacios sociales: una reflexión metodológica” (Systematic Observation for the Study of Social Spaces: a Methodological Reflection), Inguruak, 2010, pp. 225-229; “Inmigración extranjera en Bilbao: una aproximación a la medida de la segregación residencial” (Foreign Immigration in Bilbao: an Approach to Measuring Residential Segregation), Zerbitzuan, 2009, no. 45, pp. 83-98; and “Residential Segregation of the Foreign Population in Bilbao”, Architecture, City and Environment, no. 8, pp. 65-91.

[5] At present, members of this research group are conducting a total 27 doctoral theses, as noted in the register of the Department of Sociology I. Of these, at least four will be defended in 2012. The rest are in various stages of development. A reasonable assessment of these leads us to suggest that another eight doctoral theses could be defended in the next three years, in addition to the two already mentioned. Thus, CIVERSITY has shaped itself as a major breeding ground for training researchers in the field of social sciences.

[6] CIVERSITY is currently coordinating all university teams that make up the Spanish Network of Urban Sociology (RESU), of which it is a member. These teams are made up of prominent researchers in the field of urban studies from the following universities: The Complutense University of Madrid, University of Barcelona, Carlos III University of Madrid, University of Alicante, Pablo Olavide University of Seville, Public University of Navarra, University of Valencia, University of Salamanca, University of Deusto and University of the Basque Country.

[7] The CIVERSITY research group, along with the HEGOA University Institute and the Institute of Corporative Law and Social Economy GEZKI, is part of the Research and Training Unit (UFI) registered under no. UFI11/40, which was formed following approval at the Governing Council of the UPV/EHU on 26 May 2011.

This offers the proponent research group an interdisciplinary environment formed by researchers from the fields of sociology, economics and law.

[8] P. Campelo and I. Zubero, together with A. Izaola, were awarded second prize at the 10th Francisco Javier de Landaburu Universitas Awards for their project “Capital social, confianza ciudadana y diversidad en Europa” (Social Capital, Civic Trust and Diversity in Europe). This paper has been published, along with other prize-winning papers, in the book: J. Lucas, J. de Lucas, A. Quiñones, P. Campelo, A. Izaola, I. Zubero, Inmigración e integración en la UE: Dos retos para el siglo XXI (Immigration and Integration in the EU: Two Challenges for the 21st Century), Eurobask, Vitoria-Gasteiz 2012.

[9] In 2009 I. Zubero received the Award for Social Sciences at the 10th Fundación Euskoiker Awards, whose aim is to recognise the research work carried out by the professors at the UPV/EHU who manage their projects through the foundation aimed at promoting the University/Company relationship.

[10] CIVERSITY members have maintained close working relationships with an extensive, qualified range of non-university entities and institutions related to research and promotion of knowledge. We intend to promote and further strengthen these links.

·         Basque Association of Sociology and Political Science.  Those people who make up CIVERSITY have historically been strongly linked to this association, the most well-respected of sociology associations in Spain, and several members have held senior positions on the executive boards. Currently two members of the group hold the chairmanship and vice chairmanship of the association. In recent years CIVERSITY has worked in collaboration with the association organising joint conferences, publishing papers in the journal Inguruak and coordinating working groups at the various editions of the Basque Conference on Sociology and Political Science that have been held.  All these activities are useful for disseminating the findings of our research and will naturally continue over the coming years.

·         Ikuspegi, Basque Observatory on Immigration.CIVERSITY also has close ties with Ikuspegi, as can be seen in other sections of this bio.  CIVERSITY members have been instrumental in setting up and developing this observatory, and a considerable amount of work on research, publication and transfer of findings has been undertaken.

·         Innobasque, Basque Agency for Innovation. Some members of CIVERSITY work in partnership with this authority on knowledge generation tasks in the area of "Social Innovation". Throughout the course of this joint effort, members have taken part in meetings, provided discussion papers and acted as speakers at various events.  As noted above, an agreement was also entered into with Innobasque to conduct research on "Education and Values."

·         Eusko Ikaskuntza, Basque Studies Society.In addition to the aforementioned entities, CIVERSITY members are involved in this society of Basque studies and have taken part in Eusko Ikaskuntza initiatives and activities, organising seminars, lecturing and publishing papers.

[11] Throughout their extensive careers in research, CIVERSITY have entered into research agreements and collaboration agreements with public institutions at all levels within the Basque Public Administration (city councils, provincial councils, regional government), including its autonomous bodies and technical agencies. As a result of this level and range of experience they have become leading authorities in the university for these institutions regarding the diagnosis, assessment or analysis of issues in their area of expertise.

[12] Finally, CIVERSITY members can attest to a proven track record in areas of collaboration within the social framework not only in the Basque Country, but the whole of Spain. This track record, which can be attested to when we consider the significant task of science communication and expert participation by CIVERSITY members in training implemented by various social organisations, ensures the provision of an extensive network of contacts with civil society that facilitates both the transfer of knowledge to the social environment and the cooperation of these organisations in gaining access to respondents needed to conduct research.