Infrastructure
The new facilities, with an area of 8,700 square meters, complement the existing building, which was opened in July 2008. According to Jaume Casals, rector of UPF, the entire UPF Parc de Recerca "was created with the aim to hold a key position in the map of research and knowledge transfer in the field of social sciences and humanities; that's why it brings together internationally renowned research groups from the University, joint centres and prestigious institutions in a single space".
The University is committed to the creation of this shared physical space that enhances the interaction of this critical mass of the whole knowledge so as to become a benchmark for research in Europe.
Research Laboratory on Behavioral and Experimental Sciences (BES_Lab)
The merging of the Department of Political and Social Sciences Laboratory (DCPIS Lab) and the Experimental Economics Laboratory (LeeX) has given rise to the new Research Laboratory on Behavioral and Experimental Sciences (BES_Lab), founded with the aim of promoting interdisciplinary research in the social, political and economic sciences. The lab will encourage research in all areas related to these fields of knowledge, such as economic and political behaviour, sociology, or political and social psychology. The lab is equipped to enable experimental, qualitative and quantitative research, thereby creating opportunities for synergy between them.
The lab is located in the new Mercè Rodoreda 24 building on the Ciutadella campus and has a comfortable waiting area. Its location enables research involving both students and the population at large. It has 28 cubicles equipped with computers; a room for general meetings, focus group sessions, experiments not involving computers, etc.; and a separate space, equipped with a computer, for the researcher administering the study. All of the computers are Internet-enabled and pre-loaded with specific software for conducting studies and experiments (Qualtrics and Z-tree), as well as the Office suite and all data analysis software available at the university. Any additional software that the Department has can be installed on them by request, provided the necessary authorization has been obtained.
The lab’s equipment makes it possible to carry out a wide variety of studies: in situ and online, individual and in groups (in which participants interact anonymously online), surveys, etc. All studies conducted at the lab must meet the requirements established by the Pompeu Fabra University Ethics Committee. The lab is open to all researchers from the Department of Political and Social Sciences and Department of Economics and Business, as well as any other researchers interested in projects that meet the ethical requirements who have a defined study design and the qualified staff to carry it out.
The lab is also available to all department lecturers interested in using its equipment and software for survey-taking and experiments to teach classes on research methodology. The lecturer must be present at all times during the lab sessions and the students may not access the lab alone.