Centers, Chairs & Observatories

This center hosts a number of cutting-edge, transdisciplinary research programs designed to broaden our understanding of some of the most pressing challenges of our time – and to generate the right policies to tackle them. The center also offers training programs for leadership teams in private companies as well as international organizations and governments who want to understand, anticipate, and manage technological change.

The Center for Innovation in Global Politics and Economics (CIGPE) is IE University’s new hub for applied research on policy and economics. It offers programs and initiatives focused on the European Union and wider Europe, transatlantic relations, Latin America, and global affairs in general. The center offers a community and space for ongoing research in the field.

The LawAhead Center on the Legal Profession is a research and dissemination hub focused on the relevance of the legal sector and the different players within it. It aims to bring together legal professionals to make a long-term positive impact on society through the core values of advocacy.

The Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for Law and Automation (Lawtomation) is a focal point of competence and knowledge on the impact of automation on law. Promoting excellence in teaching and research, Lawtomation develops synergies between legal experts and data scientists, policymakers, civil servants, practitioners, and society at large.

The center’s main goal is to equip students, faculty, and IE University alumni with the essential skills needed to excel in their studies, careers, and personal lives. Embracing a scientifically supported and comprehensive methodology, the center focuses on improving performance and well-being through straightforward, applicable, and long-lasting educational initiatives.

As a founding member of Spain’s Global Compact Network, the Center for Social Innovation & Sustainability drives impact through knowledge generation and partnerships. With the end goal of promoting the UN SDGs, we conduct academic research, create opportunities for knowledge exchange, and develop results-oriented impact initiatives, among other activities.

The Center for Families in Business is an active community of academics and experts who generate cutting-edge and practical knowledge for the benefit of families in business, their stakeholders, and society at large. Through research, training programs, and outreach activities, we aim to create value over generations of business owners.

IE University was created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. It’s part of our DNA and we’re proud of the entrepreneurial spirit that defines us. To that end, the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center promotes the development and consolidation of startups founded and led by IE students and alumni.

The Center for Transport Economics & Infrastructure Management aims to be a leader in the analysis of transportation, especially railway transport, mobility, logistics, and infrastructure management. The center acts as an independent academic ecosystem for the generation of research and knowledge in the field.

The Center for Sustainable Cities brings together diverse disciplines and insights associated with city planning and building. We strive to better understand urban spaces and the impact that any action or event has on them in terms of sustainability. The center embraces the UN SDGs and seeks to further their implementation through research, education, and outreach activities.

Climate change is one of the most complex societal dilemmas of our times. It is a global crisis felt on a local scale that will be around for decades to come, even if it is adequately tackled at an international level. The center provides specialized knowledge and talent to respond to environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss or water security, taking into account the multidimensional approach needed to overcome this crisis.

The Center for Water and Climate Adaptation strives to become a worldwide leader in providing cutting-edge training in sustainable resource management for long-term water security and adaptation to climate change. The center provides this development of skills to both the private and public sector as well as civil society

The Africa Center aims to revolutionize the way that the next generation of global executives understand African innovation. The center partners with African innovators, subject-matter experts, and thought leaders to generate knowledge and to bring the African perspective to global conversations on humanities, education, and social innovation.

Based in Madrid, the China Center aims to showcase China’s best practices and business models, carry out joint research projects with China’s key academic and business players, and foster close relationships between China and Europe’s academic and professional communities.

As a joint venture between Saudi Arabia and Spain, the center serves as a platform for scholars, experts, and industry professionals to explore the principles and practices of Islamic finance. With a focus on innovation and sustainable economic development, the center plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge and understanding in this specialized area of study.

The Center for Diversity in Global Management was created in September 2002, and has since become an invaluable resource for the IE Community. The center’s objectives are achieved via training, applied research, and awareness-raising activities, as well as through networking events designed to foster international debate.

The Metaverse Center is a cutting-edge hub dedicated to exploring and advancing the realm of the metaverse. As the concept of the metaverse continues to evolve, this center serves as a catalyst for innovation, research, and collaboration. Through a multidisciplinary approach, it brings together experts, students, and industry leaders to push the boundaries of VR, AR, AI, blockchain, and immersive technologies.

The term C-Centricity acknowledges the distinctively different meanings ascribed to “customer” and “consumer” – despite the clear overlaps in some sectors – when putting customers at the heart of business. The Center for C-Centricity aims to drive the practice of customer, consumer, and citizen centricity to promote satisfying human experiences and sustainable business growth.

The HR Center at IE University is an initiative aimed at supporting human resources managers in updating their professional skills. Its main objective is to become a forum for the creation and exchange of knowledge in various areas of this field, with a particular emphasis on emerging topics that may potentially impact their management capabilities in the near future.

We believe that in the digital age, learning and leadership are more important than ever. The Center for Corporate Learning and Talent Management uses innovative techniques to accelerate professional development and equip students with the skills they need to make a lasting impact.

The Creativity Center is an open space dedicated to the exchange of ideas and artistic projects for both IE University students and young people in Segovia. This project leverages the arts, humanities, and entrepreneurship to foster an environment of creativity and collaboration in the community.

The Centro de Negociación y Mediación was created in 1998 with the aim of making negotiation and mediation the leading resources for the resolution of conflicts and for building quality relationships. The center conducts research and training in these areas, always observing ethical values, conceptual rigor, and continuous innovation in teaching techniques.

The Language Center provides a modern language learning experience, emphasizing practicality and flexibility. Using innovative technology and interactive lessons, students apply language skills to real-life situations. With highly qualified professors and exclusive learning platforms, the center ensures a personalized and engaging learning journey, allowing students to progress at their own pace.

The Antiquity & Middle Ages Research Center develops and disseminates interdisciplinary lines of research and provides an open platform for the international scientific community to publish related papers. The center also organizes events, workshops, and trips, among other extracurricular activities.

The Global Corporation Center organizes meetings and discussions with CEOs and other members of the C-suite on topics relevant to their agenda and day-to-day decision making. The center then shares the reflections and ideas generated in these discussions with other thought leaders and influencers in the field.Generate a space for meetings and discussions on relevant topics for the CEO and their Executive Committee, as well as the Board

The goal of the Center for European Studies is to innovate and contribute in the form of research, teaching, and public debate in the field of European integration. The center organizes academic conferences and seminars coupled with open debate aimed at fostering discussions that are both diverse and informed.

The Center for Insurance Research is a result of IE University’s commitment to research and the dissemination of knowledge. Its mission is to foster and contribute to the general public’s understanding of insurance, at both an academic and professional level, through the research and dissemination of our findings.

This is an IE Law School initiative in collaboration with the Elecnor Foundation and the law firm Eversheds Sutherland. The objective is to promote ethical commitment within organizations, especially in small and medium-sized companies where there is less knowledge of regulatory compliance and requirements.

This observatory is an initiative in collaboration with Fundación Mutualidad Abogacía to develop research projects on the savings situation and financial planning of families in the medium and long term. The observatory generates knowledge and disseminates its findings in the form of reports and discussions.

The Observatorio de Derecho Digital IE-ÉCIJA was born with the aim of delving into and researching the various legal dimensions and implications arising from the digital economy. The observatory is a space for cutting-edge legal research and academic dissemination on the new legal framework.

The Observatory of Demography and Generational Diversity was born with the goal of examining fundamental demographic questions and their socioeconomic derivatives. It has produced academic content on the birth rate, senior workers, intergenerational workforces and their potential to spur innovation, and much more.

This observatory is a pioneering initiative in Spain that aims to research, generate, and disseminate knowledge in the areas of internal communication and corporate culture within organizations. Founded in 2001, the observatory analyzes internal communication as a driver for the transmission of values, company culture, and internal brand management.

Over the past two decades, the boundaries between the public sector and institutional investing have been blurring with the growth of sovereign investors. This project aims to generate knowledge, research, and awareness on sovereign investors, representing new forms of long-term and state capitalism in the modern economy.

This observatory generates research and content to promote innovative projects in technology that cause a positive social impact. The observatory compiles and publishes an annual applied-research report that is made available to the public, and the report’s conclusions are translated into initiatives in companies and social-innovation entities.

This chair sees employee health and well-being as a fundamental pillar of any given organization. To that end, its research covers topics such as increased flexibility for remote work, employee mental health, and the effects of workplace safety on employee retention. Its team is made up of multidisciplinary academics in the areas of HR and organizational behavior.

This chair seeks to use the potential of quality academic research to contribute to the transformation of social and environmental problems while maintaining a renewed vision of the business and financial world. The chair features a multidisciplinary team with extensive experience in social entrepreneurship and investing.

The José María Cervelló Chair aims to foster debate and the exchange of legal knowledge, to develop research programs, and to spur dialogue among professionals in the sector. The chair also provides scholarships to students with an excellent academic record who wish to pursue a legal program at IE Law School.

This chair is a joint initiative between IE Law School and Spanish law firm Pérez-Llorca. It is a unique agreement that combines the expert knowledge of a renowned higher education institution with the experience of a professional law firm, generating research and insights in the international context of commercial law.