The founding members of the CREB in that year were: (Seniors) Marisol Rodríguez, Samuel Calonge, and Antonio Manresa, the latter as director; (recently PhD.) Carmen Álvarez-Albelo, Juan Carlos Conesa, Carlos Garriga, and Fernando Sánchez Losada; and (Ph.D. candidates) Raquel Andrés and Luis Díaz. The research priorities focused on supporting the completion of the ongoing doctoral theses of the Ph.D. candidates. Over the next two decades, from its inauguration until 2007, several additional young Ph.D. candidates joined CREB while it was located in the Science Park. The long list includes Alexandrina Petrova Stoyanova, Lola Duque, Begoña Domínguez, Mónica Pigem, Abel Lucena, Rosa Vidal Álvarez, and Alejandro Pérez Laborda, as well as researchers with Ph.D. degrees, such as William Nilsen and Gonzalo Bernardos, and visiting professors such as Jesús Ruíz Andújar, Pilar Abad (both from the Complutense University of Madrid), and Timothy Kehoe (University of Minnesota). Also, in 2003, Xavier Raurich (from University of Girona) joined CREB and UB.

CREB also actively hosted conferences, seminars, and workshops, enriching the academic environment for the entire Faculty and fostering collaboration with colleagues from other universities. Distinguished economists like Oded Galor and Jean Tirole gave lectures, with Jean Tirole notably offering a week-long series later reflected in his book "The Theory of Corporate Finance." Additionally, a noteworthy event was the several-month research stay of Theodore Groves, from the University of California, San Diego, in the Department of Economic Theory.

CREB's research areas, as reflected in doctoral theses, were diverse: Health Economics, Economic Growth, Public Economics, Applied General Equilibrium, Micro-econometrics, and Labor Economics. In addition to these, researchers made their own contributions in areas such as Mechanism Design, Housing Economics, Income Inequality and Redistribution, and Environmental Economics.

Funding for current expenses and rent at the Scientific Park came from diverse sources. These included subsidies from UB itself, public research funds (National Plan of the Ministry and FIS, Generalitat, SGR, and research projects founded by Public Administrations), as well as funds from private entities. Among the latter, funds from the BBVA Foundation and the Ramón Areces Foundation, as well as joint projects with companies such as Fincas Forcadell, and the health insurance company DKV, can be mentioned. Other funds came from Public Administrations, like those research projects funded by the Department of Health, and General Directorate of Taxes (Government of Catalonia) stand out. From those, two of them have continued almost to the present day.

A significant contribution came from a funded research project by the General Directorate of Taxes of the Government of Catalonia. CREB was commissioned to build a tax microsimulation model for analyzing tax reforms in personal income tax (IRPF), inheritance and gift tax, and wealth tax. Samuel Calonge and Jordi Arcarons led this project from its start, advising the Government of Catalonia on tax matters until recently.

CREB also took a qualitative leap in the private sphere through its agreement with DKV, one of Spain's three largest health insurers. Led by Marisol Rodríguez, Samuel Calonge, and Alexandrina Stoyanova, this collaboration significantly enhanced CREB's profile in the private sector. Similarly, the collaboration with the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia, again led by Marisol and Alexandrina, further solidified CREB's image in this field. Similarly, Fincas Forcadell sought collaboration to study the housing market in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona and later in Spain. Using real data provided by the company, Luis Díaz (with micro-econometric techniques) and Gonzalo Bernardos (macroeconomic aspects) prepared the annual Forcadell Real Estate Market report. Proudly presented to clients in a bound publication, the report was also showcased at the company's annual conference in a luxury Barcelona hotel. Notably, in 2006, Gonzalo Bernardos forecasted the real estate bubble that would hit in 2008. Despite denial from Fincas Forcadell, the facts confirmed the accuracy of CREB's report, and Gonzalo Bernardos continues to prepare the annual CREB-UB report for Fincas Forcadell to this day.

CREB consistently prioritized research projects that offered solutions to real-world problems. While these projects were selective, they provided sufficient funding to cover the center's expenses.

A cherished memory from CREB is the annual Christmas lunch at the Polo Club, where Carlos Garriga graciously introduced us. Back then, only members like Carlos and their guests could access the exclusive venue. It served as a perfect year-end gathering, celebrating accomplishments and forging plans for the coming year.

CREB's public profile was further strengthened by its weekly collaboration with Diari Avui. The center's column, titled "Economia del Benestar" (The Economics of Wellbeing), garnered significant attention in academic and political circles. This included the interest of Ignasi Farreres, former Minister of Labor for the Government of Catalonia. He visited CREB on several occasions and, impressed by the center's work, established a relationship with the Foundation he led: “Centre d'Estudis Econòmics i Socials.”

The improvement in the academic training of some Junior members of CREB was made possible thanks to the personal generosity of Tim Kehoe. Not only did he teach various subjects in Macroeconomics and International Trade in the Department of Economic Theory, but he also opened the doors of the University of Minnesota to people like Juan Carlos Conesa, Carlos Garriga, Fernando Sánchez Losada, Mónica Pigem, and Alejandro Pérez Laborda. In particular, Juan Carlos Conesa completed a double doctorate in economics, completing the second at the University of Minnesota, where Tim Kehoe was his thesis advisor. Tim Kehoe contributed significantly to CREB, and we want to express our deep gratitude to him. Other members of CREB, such as Mónica Pigem and Alejandro Pérez Laborda, decided to further improve their education at the University of Toulouse, completing the research master's in economics at that university. Alejandro later joined the doctoral program at the University of Alicante.

The Virtual CREB (1995- present)

In 2007, CREB embarked on a new chapter. It exchanged the Science Park for a modest office in UB's ERE (Espai de Recerca en Economia) within the Faculty of Economics and Business. This shift was driven by several factors. Firstly, many of CREB's early researchers had secured positions at other universities, creating a natural shift in personnel. Additionally, the growing costs of space at the Scientific Park made an independent office less financially viable. While this marked a transition in resources and physical presence, it did not spell the end of CREB. The center's dedication to research excellence continued to attract new talent. Today, just as in its formative years, CREB operates in a virtual format, fostering collaboration and intellectual exchange without the confines of a specific physical space.

Today CREB thrives with a dynamic team of 17 professors and 7 PhD candidates (as listed on their website). They share a commitment to three core objectives: fueling research excellence among members, fostering knowledge dissemination through conference participation, seminars, and two annual workshops (one each for macroeconomics and microeconomics), and actively pursuing knowledge transfer initiatives. Their research interests are diverse and address timely questions, exploring topics like the economic impact of technological advancements, the expanding service sector, information design in economics, and the regulation of the telecommunications industry.

CREB Public Academic Funding (1994- present)

Securing vital academic and training opportunities would not have been possible without the crucial support of institutions like the Generalitat de Catalunya, particularly through its SGR (Research Group Support) grants. These competitive grants recognize the research productivity of applying groups over time, considering factors like published papers, conference presentations, and knowledge transfer. Since the inaugural call in 1995, CREB has maintained its presence under the enduring name “Grup de Recerca en Economia del Benestar: Teoria i Aplicacions,” initially led by Antonio Manresa and followed by Xavier Raurich in 2009. In the most recent 2022 call, Montse Vilalta successfully carried the torch forward.

This enduring 28-year legacy, 25 of which was spent as a dedicated Research Center at UB, speaks volumes about the unwavering academic commitment of CREB's SGR members. Their continued excellence is further reflected in consistently securing National Plan projects from the Ministry. Antonio Manresa led the initial projects in 1994, and since 2009, the baton has been passed to Xavier Raurich. Currently, projects led by Xavier Raurich and Vahagn Jerbashian (2022), and Sergi Basco and Marc Teignier (2023), carry the flag of academic rigor. Additionally, Marisol Rodríguez's leadership in FIS projects (Health Research Fund) under the National Plan further highlights CREB's diverse strengths in the field of Health Economics.

Researchers with Doctoral Theses linked to CREB

CREB was founded with two main objectives: research excellence and the training of new researchers. Regarding the latter goal, we believe it has been a complete success. Therefore, it is important to recognize and appreciate the work of researchers who have been trained thanks to CREB. The following is a list of individuals whose academic training has been linked to CREB until 2023, either because they completed their doctoral thesis at CREB or because their thesis advisor was a CREB member. The list is ordered by the year of the defense of the doctoral thesis.

1.  Carmen Álvarez Albelo (1998). Associate Professor at the University of La Laguna. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

2.  Juan Carlos Conesa (1998, 1999). Professor at Stony Brook University, New York (SUNY). Thesis advisors: Juan Tugores (1998-UB), Tim Kehoe (1999-University of Minnesota).

3.  Carlos Garriga (1999). Senior Vice President and Director of the Research Division at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, USA. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

4.  María Llop Llop (2001). Professor at Rovira i Virgili University. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

5.  Luis Díaz Serrano (2001). Professor at Rovira i Virgili University. Thesis advisor: Samuel Calonge.

6.  Begoña Domínguez Manzano (2002). Professor at the University of Queensland, Australia. Thesis advisor: Jordi Caballé.

7.  Francisco Javier de Miguel Vélez (2003). Associate Professor at the University of Extremadura. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

8.  Raquel Andrés (2004). Economic consultant in NY, USA, and Researcher affiliated with UB. Thesis advisor: Samuel Calonge.

9.  Alexandrina Petrova Stoyanova (2004). Associate Professor at UB. Thesis advisor: Marisol Rodríguez.

10.  Lola Duque Zuloaga (2005). Associate Professor at Carlos III University of Madrid. Thesis advisor: Alberto Maydeu Olivares.

11.  Mónica Pigem Vigo (2006). Associate Professor at UB. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

12.  Cesar Octavio Vargas Téllez (2006). Private sector. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

13.  Xavier Metzger (2006). Private sector. Thesis advisor: Marisol Rodríguez.

14.  Abel Lucena (2007). Associate Professor at the University of the Balearic Islands. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

15.  Alejandro Pérez Laborda (2012). Associate Professor at Rovira i Virgili University. Thesis advisor: Gabriel Pérez Quirós.

16.  Meritxell Solé Juvé (2014). Professor at the EU Business School. Thesis advisor: Marisol Rodríguez.

17.  Asías Ribó Argemí (2016). Associate Lecturer at UB and UAB. Thesis advisor: Antonio Manresa.

18.  Edgard Cruz (2016). Professor at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico. Thesis advisor: Xavier Raurich.

19.  Miguel Ángel Santos (2016). Dean of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. Thesis advisor: Xavier Raurich.

20.  Cesar Francisco Blanco Aguirre (2018). Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, UK. Thesis advisor: Xavier Raurich.

21.  Till Holstein (2018). Private sector. Thesis advisor: Fernando Sánchez.

22.  Niclas Poitiers (2019). Research Fellow at Bruegel, Belgium. Thesis advisors: Concepción Patxot and Xavier Raurich.

23.  Hoang Duong (2020). Private sector. Thesis advisor: Fernando Sánchez.

24.  Dilara Tosu (2020). Private sector. Thesis advisor: Montserrat Vilalta Bufí.

25.  Cynthia Armas (2020). Private sector. Thesis advisor: Fernando Sánchez.

26.  Ariadna Garofalo (2023). Visiting Professor at Carlos III University, Madrid. Thesis advisors: Xavier Raurich and Marc Teignier.

Barcelona, January 22, 2024