THE INSTITUTE

The Barcelona Institute of Regional and Metropolitan Studies (Institut d'Estudis Regionals i Metropolitans de Barcelona) is a research consortium for the study of economic, social and territorial questions in urban, metropolitan and regional environments, in all areas where the interests of the University, public administration and of institutions that promote the economic development overlap.

The IERMB consortium was born in 1984 in the form of an agreement between the Metropolitan Corporation of Barcelona (Corporació Metropolitana de Barcelona), the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Barcelona (Cambra de Comerç, Indústria i Navegació de Barcelona). Over the years, the territorial base of the Institute has expanded, as well as its institutional base. At present, the Consortium comprises

Universities

• Autonomous University of Barcelona (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
• University of Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona)
• Technical University of Catalonia (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)
• University Pompeu Fabra (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)

Public Administration

• Generalitat of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya)
• Association of Municipalities of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (Mancomunitat de Municipis de l'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona)
• Barcelona Provincial Council (Diputació de Barcelona)
• Barcelona City Council (Ajuntament de Barcelona)
• Federation of Municipalities of Catalonia (Federació de Municipis de Catalunya)

Institutions of economic development

• Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation of Barcelona (Cambra Oficial de Comerç, Indústria i Navegació de Barcelona)
• Zona Franca Consortium (Consorci de la Zona Franca)

All these institutions are integrated within a Governing Council, which is the body in charge of approving the programme of activities and the budget of IERMB.