UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA
Polibienestar is the Research Institute on Social Welfare Policy of the University of Valencia and constitutes a consolidated academic centre of excellence in the field of welfare systems, public policy and social innovation. Its primary institutional purpose is the generation of advanced, interdisciplinary knowledge to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of social policies at local, national and European levels, with a particular emphasis on analytical rigour, methodological robustness and transferability of results to practice.
The Institute is characterised by the integration of diverse disciplinary perspectives, bringing together researchers trained in social and political sciences, economics, law, health sciences, urban and territorial studies, information and communication technologies and environmental studies. This multidisciplinarity enables a comprehensive approach to complex societal challenges, including demographic change and ageing, social exclusion and vulnerability, gender inequalities, governance and participation, and the socio‑environmental dimensions of welfare and sustainability. In the field of competitive research, Polibienestar has a broad and consistent trajectory in international and national funding programmes, such as Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, EU Health and state and regional R&D calls.
The Institute regularly participates in and, where appropriate, assumes leadership roles within large transnational consortia, in which it contributes to the formulation of conceptual frameworks, the development of mixed‑methods research designs, the implementation of empirical studies, and the elaboration of evaluative and prospective analyses oriented towards evidence‑informed public decision‑making. Thematic lines recurrently addressed by Polibienestar’s projects include: active and healthy ageing; long‑term care and integration of health and social services; urban governance, smart and inclusive cities; poverty and social exclusion; prevention and response to gender‑based and economic violence; and the social implications of climate and environmental policies, including aspects of justice, vulnerability and adaptation.
In all these domains, the Institute places particular emphasis on the design and validation of social technologies, participatory and co‑creation methodologies with stakeholders, and tools for monitoring, assessment and impact evaluation. Beyond research, Polibienestar develops an intense activity in training, technical assistance and knowledge transfer aimed at public administrations, third‑sector organisations and other institutional actors, thus contributing to the refinement of governance arrangements and to the improvement of welfare‑policy performance. Through seminars, specialised courses, advisory reports and dissemination actions at national and European level, the Institute consolidates its role as an academic reference in the field of social welfare policy and as a bridge between scientific evidence and public action.
