We are talking to Jan Eeckhout , ICREA researcher and lecturer at the Department of Economics and Business, a specialist in applied theory, game theory and microeconomics, with a special interest in the job market. He studies unemployment, the design of organizations and inequality in the cities.

The Department has become a leader in the fields of Economics and Econometrics, ranked 23 ^rd in the world for this discipline, according to the latest edition of QS Ranking by subject , published last May. Jan Eeckhout reveals how this success has been achieved.

- What is the secret behind UPF coming in 23 ^rd position in the world in the field of Economics and Econometrics?

We have three secrets: excellence, excellence and excellence.

- What aspects do you need to strengthen in order to continue growing in your field?

With regard to teaching, we need to understand that "less is more". We won't be better by having more students but because the students coming to our University are the best prepared.

In respect of the bachelor's degree, this means that the overall strategy should be to concentrate teaching within the University, minimizing external teaching activities, such as satellite campuses. With regard to the postgraduate course, at IDEC-UPF, for example, it would be desirable to reduce the number of students now doing one of the many master's degree courses on offer and build a master's degree programme with highly ambitious standards of access, with the participation of students from all over the world and with an internationally renowned faculty. We are not Harvard, but this is what we should aspire to, because many students want to to go there, but they only select the best.

"We are not Harvard, but this is what we should aspire to, because many students want to to go there, but they only select the best"

- How is excellence encouraged in the fields of teaching and research?

Hiring and promotions within the Department are solely carried out on the basis of the evaluation of the research and the teaching. In addition, we have specific regulations to prevent some of the evils that can currently be found in the Spanish University system, such as a strong endogamy and a sort of feudalism -where a professor's students will be the future lecturers after years of obeisance.

Hiring always takes place in the international market and the hiring of our own PhD students is not permitted. On the other hand, to get access to a promotion, renowned, independent researchers are approached who have no relationship with the candidate. This guarantees an internationally renowned faculty with incentives to conduct cutting edge research in all areas of the economy and management.

"Hiring always takes place in the international market and the hiring of our own PhD students is not permitted"

- Do you notice the "pull factor" due to appearing high up in the international rankings?

Unfortunately, not as much as we'd like concerning the bachelor's degree, since the institutions and funding encourage students not to choose the best university to pursue their studies, but the one closest to home. Conversely, in postgraduate studies an increase of exchange students and, especially, an increase of international students taking master's and doctoral degree programmes has been noticed. In fact, as I said before, less is more. Thanks to our international reputation we have the luxury of being able to select the best students, as many want to come here.

- Therefore, it could be said that they are a good showcase to attract good students to help increase the success of the institution?

It looks like it, they are at least indicators of the model of university that works best at present around the world. Attracting leading researchers helps to attract better students, which in turn helps you get more resources to bring in more and better researchers. This is the virtuous circle of the research university.

"Attracting leading researchers helps to attract better students, which in turn helps you get more resources to bring in more and better researchers"

- Your Department is closely linked with major research and teaching centres (BGSE, CREI, IPEG). Does working together help improve results?

It's amazing how these centres promote innovation, good ideas and the enhancement of good people. And it is important to have them close by and in constant contact. In fact, these institutions are the result of the legal corset in which universities find themselves, with numerous regulations regarding public employees or restrictions on the mobility of teaching staff. The legal corset is very thick and these centres help us to continue to innovate and progress to achieve excellence as a university.