The social value of UVic-UCC is 9.5 times greater than the grants it receives

The first social value report of the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), entitled Anàlisi del Valor Social de la UVic-UCC del curs 2017-2018 [Analysis of the Social Value of the UVic-UCC for the 2017-2018 academic year], has studied and monetised the institution's social value during this period. "It is a way of clearly showing and justifying the public funds used by the institution, improving its internal management and placing a value on the relationship with the various stakeholders," explain the authors of the study, Elisenda Tarrats, the director of the Department of Economics and Business Studies in the Faculty of Business and Communication Studies at UVic, and Núria Arimany, a doctor and researcher in the same faculty. The head of Entrepreneurship and New Ideas at UManresa, Marc Bernadich, also worked on the study.

One of the conclusions this first report reaches is that the institution's consolidated social value is 9.5 times greater than the grants it receives, of which the vast majority are allocated to the Vic campus. In specific terms, this social value amounted to 64,268,260 Euros, compared to 6,755,910 Euros received in grants during the academic year studied. The consolidated social value includes the social value generated by the university's economic activity and its specific social value, after deducting duplicate values. The consolidated social value is also greater than both the equity (19,641,033 Euros) and income (50,330,646 Euros). Furthermore, the University's contribution or return to the Government amounted to more than double the grants it received.

The study was presented last Tuesday during an online press conference featuring the two researchers and the rector of UVic-UCC, Josep Eladi Baños, as well as the president of the Balmes University Foundation and Mayor of Vic, Anna Erra. The rector emphasised that "this study confirms that UVic-UCC is a driving force within its area of influence, which we already knew, but we will now be able to show its extent with figures." Meanwhile, Anna Erra highlighted the importance of the universities as an economic engine in the region, as well as describing the study as "a great exercise in transparency and internal self-assessment of the social value that UVic-UCC can bring to society."

"The study shows the institution's good economic and social management”

As well as these indicators, the project calculates three other types of values in addition to the consolidated social value. The first is the social value generated by economic activity, which includes two types of impact: a direct impact due to economic activity of € 37,343,340, and an indirect impact arising from trading suppliers of € 6,466,369 and due to investment suppliers of € 860,347. The return to the Public Administration amounts to € 17,146.74, which is a direct return of € 13,835,134, and there is an indirect return for trading and investment suppliers of € 2,859.23 and € 452,381 respectively.

The third is the specific social value of 51,700,259 Euros, which represents what the institution distributes to the various stakeholders based on value variables. The three most significant of these are the University's contribution to training qualified professionals, research and its impact on the region's urban development and regeneration.

The Analysis of the social value of UVic-UCC report was produced using the integrated social value methodology developed by Dr José Luis Retolaza, which includes a qualitative analysis based on interviews with the University's stakeholders to identify value variables, and a quantitative analysis involving value variables, indicators, proxies (value approximations) and algorithms. The institution's various stakeholders which were identified are society, the government, students and families, alumni, teaching and research staff and administrative and services staff, institutions and businesses, and the social context.

According to the researcher Núria Arimany, "the results of the study not only show that there was a good economic management of the funds received in the 2017-2018 academic year, but enables improvement of the internal management and the relationship with stakeholders." Meanwhile, Elisenda Tarrats says that "an increasing number of institutions are carrying out studies of this type because they are strategic as they identify the perception of value by stakeholders." Both researchers agree on the need to publish the study every three or four years, in order to determine the direction of trends.

Last February, the University presented the second economic impact report of the institution written by the lecturer and researcher of the Faculty of Business and Communication Studies Enric Casulleras. This study, which estimated the institution's contribution to the Catalan economy at 110 million Euros and the jobs created directly and indirectly during the 2017-2018 academic year at 1,942, assessed the impact of the university's work on the Vic campus. The social value analysis includes the two campuses and it therefore focuses not only on one region. In addition to the Osona region, it also includes the Bages region and their areas of influence.