Friday 30 November 2007

Economic impact of the University of the Basque Country in Vitoria-Gasteiz

Yesterday the local saving bank Caja Vital Kutxa and the University of the Basque Country released the first results of an interesting economic study with remarkable and useful first results.

The authors and teachers of the University, Andrés Araujo de la Mata and Francisco Javier Forcada, revealed that the total amount obtained by the activity of the University in Vitoria-Gasteiz means around 80 million Euros contribution to the local economy. This is the 0,42 % of the total of the economic activities in the Alava region. Another comparison: for each euro of public money invested by the local authorities in the university, 1,67 is returned.

Furthermore this academical activity means 1,700 employments -half of them inside the institution and the other half as indirect employment-, what makes of its presence the 1,17% of the employment in the Alava region.

The campus in Vitoria is the only one that has increased in number of students moving from 7,500 four years ago to 8,500 nowadays. 60% of them are not from Vitoria-Gasteiz.

In the next phase of this study it is expected that more results will be released quantifying quality, research activity and technology transference, as well as students, citizens and institutions opinion.

Further information:

-Local newspapers make echoe (Spanish only).
-The University of the Basque Country in Alava (web page in Spanish and Basque).
-Caja Vital Kuta (institutional web page).

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