23 February 2026
- In an increasingly uncertain international context, where strategic intelligence is essential to anticipate global transformations, the Basque Institute of Competitiveness will launch a reflection process aimed at defining a living research agenda to guide its next stage.
- Since its creation in 2006, Orkestra has established itself as an international reference for the analysis of regional competitiveness and the promotion of transformative research processes.
- Over these 20 years, Orkestra has participated in over 700 research projects, producing around 350 academic articles, as well as over 250 books and reports.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Basque Institute of Competitiveness – Orkestra is reaffirming its commitment to being an agent of change through research, promoting competitiveness in the service of wellbeing in the Basque Country. Since its foundation within the University of Deusto in 2006, the Institute has become an international benchmark in regional competitiveness analysis and in fostering transformative research processes based on collaboration with local stakeholders.
Orkestra currently receives stable support from a range of public and private organisations, which provide continuity to the project, including the Basque Government, SPRI, the Provincial Councils of Araba, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa, the City Council of Bilbao, Repsol-Petronor, Iberdrola, the Basque Energy Agency (EVE) and the BBK Banking Foundation.
This anniversary is an opportunity not only to celebrate the journey so far, but also to reflect on the key challenges that will influence the competitiveness and wellbeing of the Basque Country in the years ahead. Throughout 2026, the Institute will promote a strategic reflection process to define a living research agenda for the coming years. The process will engage the research team and collaborating institutions, with the aim of strengthening Orkestra’s ability to anticipate change, develop innovative conceptual and methodological frameworks, and support the territory in addressing complex challenges in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
This commitment aligns with a key finding of the 2025 Basque Country Competitiveness Report, which emphasises the importance of reinforcing strategic intelligence to predict global changes in a context of geopolitical reconfiguration and significant transitions. In this context of uncertainty, Orkestra believes that rigorous knowledge and connection to international networks are key to strengthening the Basque Country’s positioning and guiding short- and long-term decision-making.
20 years promoting a renewed vision of competitiveness
For over two decades, Orkestra has played a key role in establishing a shared language around competitiveness, evolving its analytical framework to encompass vital aspects such as wellbeing, sustainability, and social cohesion. Its annual Basque Country Competitiveness Reports have become a key reference point for institutions and socio-economic stakeholders, offering rigorous analysis and decision-making guidance.
Over the past 20 years, the Institute has participated in over 700 research projects in key areas to the Basque Country's competitiveness and wellbeing, including industrial policy, innovation, energy transition, and collaborative governance. Combining academic rigour with a strong commitment to action research has enabled Orkestra to collaborate closely with territorial stakeholders, supporting transformation processes and transferring knowledge to both policymakers and academia.
This has resulted in around 350 scientific articles, over 250 books and reports, methodological frameworks and diagnostic tools, such as the Regional Competitiveness Observatory. All of the above have helped to create governance and dialogue spaces, which have ultimately strengthened the territory's collective capacity to address complex challenges.
At an international level, Orkestra has reinforced its position as a leading authority on regional competitiveness by participating in numerous networks and over 40 European projects, as well as by sharing the Basque experience at over 400 international forums and conferences.
An example of this international presence will be the conference From analysis to action: Harnessing Local Policies to Boost Productivity, which will take place in Bilbao in April. This event is being organised by the Institute in collaboration with the OECD Trento Centre for Local Development (Italy), The Productivity Institute (United Kingdom), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Supported by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia as an institutional partner, the conference will bring together academic and public policy representatives from different countries to share productivity-related strategies and lessons learned.
Orkestra's 20th anniversary also coincides with the 140th anniversary of the University of Deusto, providing an ideal opportunity to recognise the contributions of both institutions to knowledge generation and regional competitiveness.
