CajaCanarias-Cabildo de Tenerife Chair of Economics and Mobility, University of La Laguna
Activities 2026
September 21, 2026
“The Leadership Gap” Seminar”
Seminar by Dr. Pedro Rey Biel entitled “The Leadership Gap”. Dr. Pedro Rey Biel is a Professor of Behavioral Economics in the Department of Economics, Accounting and Finance at ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University.
September 16, 17 and 21, 2026
Celebrating European Mobility Week by promoting car sharing
The chair collaborates with the Vice-Rectorate for Sustainability and Infrastructure of the ULL in the celebration of the European Mobility Week, promoting the shared use of vehicles.
During the days of September 16, 17 and 21, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., a certain number of parking spaces were reserved exclusively for High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV), that is, vehicles occupied by 2 or more people.
Specifically during the following days:
- September 16th: Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism
- September 17th: Higher School of Engineering and Technology
- September 21st: Faculty of Pharmacy
September 10, 2026
Seminar: «Child Sex and Parental Life Satisfaction: Causal Evidence from the Swiss Household Panel»
Seminar: "Child Sex and Parental Life Satisfaction: Causal Evidence from the Swiss Household Panel." Taught by Daniel Hernández, researcher at the European University Institute in Florence (Italy), where he is completing his doctoral thesis in the field of applied microeconomics using survey data, following his previous work at the Household Survey Unit of the Bank of Spain.
September 4, 2026
Conference: "Smart and Sustainable Urban Logistics using Agile Optimization"«
Conference: "Smart and Sustainable Urban Logistics using Agile Optimization", given by Francisco Javier Faulín Fajardo, professor of the Department of Statistics, Computer Science and Mathematics of the Public University of Navarra.
This conference illustrated how, within the field of sustainable urban distribution in complex, dynamic, and uncertain environments, agile optimization can improve the mobility of goods and people in a broad context. It also presented the methodological evolution of agile optimization, from heuristics and metaheuristics to biased randomized heuristics, symheuristics, and other approaches capable of generating fast, robust, and adaptive solutions. Furthermore, it highlighted the application of this methodology to problems of routing, location, drone fleets, and last-mile logistics.
Similarly, a case study on collaborative goods delivery (crowdshipping) was presented, examining actors, typologies, incentives, impacts, and operational constraints. Finally, an agile algorithm was proposed to integrate traditional fleets and occasional drivers, achieving near-optimal solutions in real time and pointing to future lines of research for more resilient cities.
September 4, 2026
Conference: "Artificial Intelligence and Optimization in Urban Mobility"«
Conference: "Artificial Intelligence and Optimization in Urban Mobility", which was given by Ángel Alejandro Juan Pérez, Professor of Statistics and Operations Research at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
This presentation offered an overview of the research lines developed by the inter-university group ICSO Meta in this field, with special attention to the integration of artificial intelligence, optimization, simulation and data analytics to support decision-making in urban transport and logistics.
The main objectives and methodological approaches of several ongoing research projects were presented, including projects funded by the Ministry, the Valencian Regional Government, and the Barcelona City Council. Key objectives of these projects include the development of hybrid models that combine metaheuristic algorithms with machine learning and large language models to solve complex optimization problems; the construction of predictive frameworks to improve urban mobility management and support data-driven governance; the design of sustainable solutions for last-mile logistics; and the application of simulation and optimization techniques to reduce energy consumption and emissions associated with transportation.
The presentation demonstrated how combining these technologies allows for addressing real-world mobility challenges with an integrated approach, capable of balancing operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, and service quality. The main scientific and technological challenges, as well as the opportunities that AI offers for advancing transportation and mobility systems, will also be discussed.
July 16, 2026
Seminar: “Of Sons and Daughters: High Hopes, Uneven Disappointment»
Seminar entitled “Of Sons and Daughters: High Hopes, Uneven Disappointment». It took place on July 16th in the Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism.
Taught by Dr. Daniel Santos, postdoctoral researcher of the Department of Economics, Accounting and Finance of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism.
July 9, 2026
Seminar: "The roads of the future: innovative materials for a sustainable and resilient infrastructure"«
Seminar entitled 'The roads of the future: innovative materials for a sustainable and resilient infrastructure'. It took place on July 9th at 12:00 pm in the Lecture Hall of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism.
Taught by Dr. Ana María Rodríguez Alloza, Full Professor at the University of La Laguna. Civil Engineer, specializing in Roads, Canals and Ports; Graduate in Environmental Sciences. Principal Investigator of the INFRACAN Research Group (Resilient Infrastructures of the Canary Islands)
June 19, 2026
Seminar: "Shared urban mobility options: synergies, threats and opportunities"«
The session was given by Andrés Monzón de Cáceres, professor of the Department of Transport Engineering, Urban Planning and Territorial Management of the Polytechnic University of Madrid, researcher at the TRANSyT Transport Research Centre and vice-president of the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC).
The seminar addressed the impact of new shared mobility services in cities, from ride-hailing platforms to shared car, motorcycle, bicycle, and scooter systems. The conference analyzed how these alternatives are transforming urban travel patterns, which groups benefit from them, and their relationship to traditional modes of transportation.
The presentation also offered a reflection on the challenges and opportunities that these models present for moving towards more sustainable, accessible and integrated mobility systems, capable of responding to the needs of all citizens.
May 26, 2026
Conference: «Optimizing for Social Impact: Enhancing Efficiency and Equity»
Conference: «Optimizing for Social Impact: Enhancing Efficiency and Equity», given by Dr. Da. Helena Ramalhinho Dias Lourenço (University Professor, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, Department of Economics and Business, Pompeu Fabra University).
May 22, 2026
Conference: "Mobility in tourist destinations: the paradigm shift from private vehicles to mobility as a service"«
Conference: «Mobility in Tourist Destinations: The Paradigm Shift from Private Vehicles to Mobility as a Service,» presented by Dr. Concepción Román García, Professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Dr. Juan Carlos Martín Hernández, Professor at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This conference presents the main findings of the research project entitled: Sustainable Mobility in Tourist Areas: Analysis of Preferences for the Use of Electric Vehicles, funded by the 2021 call for proposals from the CajaCanarias Foundation and the La Caixa Foundation.
May 14, 2026
Seminar: «Capital, Capability, or Confidence: Experimental Evidence on Youth Entrepreneurship in Kenya»
Seminar held on May 14, 2026, entitled «Capital, Capability, or Confidence: Experimental Evidence on Youth Entrepreneurship in Kenya,» co-authored with Yanina Domenella, Julian Jamison, Abla Safir, and Bilal Zia. This work investigates which interventions are most effective in fostering youth entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa, an environment particularly affected by the lack of quality employment opportunities for young people.
May 13, 2026
XL Business Week
The chair participated in the XL Business Week in the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism (FEET), Under the slogan "more connected than ever." Specifically, in the Connect Meeting, The event, which took place on Wednesday, May 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Faculty's main hall, aimed to provide a space for direct interaction between students, the local community, businesses, and those involved in the Faculty's research activities. The Chair set up a stand in the hall to present its work over the past 10 years and to connect with the students.
May 7 and 8, 2026
II Conference on Marine Electric Propulsion Technologies and Port Electrification
The 2nd Conference on Marine Electric Propulsion Technologies and Port Electrification was held on May 7th and 8th, 2026, in the Auditorium of the Physics and Mathematics Building on the Anchieta Campus. The CajaCanarias-Cabildo de Tenerife Chair of Economics and Mobility at the University of La Laguna (ULL) collaborated in this event.
May 8, 2026
Conference: "The Determinants of Profitability in Horizontal Mergers with Cournot Competition"«
Conference held on May 8th offered as a training activity: "The Determinants of Profitability in Horizontal Mergers with Cournot Competition"«
Taught by: Dr. D. Ramón Faulí Oller. Full Professor Department of Fundamentals of Economic Analysis FAE, Universitat d'Alacant
May 7, 2026
Conference: «Divisionalization, vertical integration and downstream entry»
Conference held on May 7th entitled: «Divisionalization, Vertical Integration and Downstream Entry». Presented by: Dr. Ramón Faulí Oller, Professor, Department of Foundations of Economic Analysis, FAE, University of Alicante
April 30, 2026
Presentation of the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy of the Canary Islands (MOVIC)
On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the Canary Islands Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (MOVIC) was presented. The event, organized in part by the CajaCanarias-Tenerife Island Council Chair of Economics and Mobility at the University of La Laguna, was held in the Auditorium of the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism at the University of La Laguna.
The day began with a speech by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Francis González. Following this, María Cuello León, the expert in charge of the project's methodology, discussed key ideas for understanding the methodology used and the project as a whole. Next, the participatory talk 'Keys to Making Sustainable Mobility a Reality' was given by the engineer and speaker. Julian Sastre, president of the Institute of Mobility and specialist in sustainable mobility and transport.
April 21, 2026
Conference: "Order picking in logistics warehouses: state of the art and perspectives"«
This talk provides an overview of order picking in logistics warehouses, with a focus on manual picking systems and order batching policies. It will introduce the operational context and highlight the critical role of order picking as one of the most labor- and cost-intensive activities in the warehouse.
This presentation reviews classic and recent approaches to order batching, including exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic methods, as well as their trade-offs in terms of solution quality and computational effort. Particular attention is paid to integrating batching and routing decisions with other problems, which can be modeled as embedded optimization subproblems. The talk also examines common warehouse layouts and their impact on solution methods, including the use of realistic metrics. Finally, it addresses benchmarking instances, evaluation methodologies, and the importance of reproducibility in computational studies.
Finally, emerging lines of research, hybrid optimization methods, and real-time decision-making in dynamic environments are presented, offering a comprehensive perspective on current challenges and future opportunities in this field.
April 16, 2026
Meeting with the mobility councillor of the Island Council of Tenerife
On April 16th, a meeting was held at the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism with the Councilor for Mobility of the Tenerife Island Council and technical staff from the Council's Roads and Mobility Department. At this meeting, various mobility strategies being developed by the CajaCanarias-Tenerife Island Council-University of La Laguna Chair of Economics and Mobility, in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics, Business, and Tourism, were presented and analyzed. The Dean of the Faculty presented some of the mobility management measures on which we are working and collaborating.
April 10, 2026
Seminar "The Economy of the Canary Islands: Global Keys and Local Effects"«
«"The Economy of the Canary Islands: Global Keys and Local Effects," presented by José Miguel González, Director of Consulting and Commercial Management at Corporación 5, and a graduate in Economics and Business Administration. This seminar was also offered as a training activity for Economics students in the Macroeconomics I course.
From March 2nd to 4th, 2026
Course for young researchers
The CajaCanarias-Cabildo de Tenerife Chair of Economics and Mobility at the ULL, together with the University Institute of Regional Development, has organized a course from March 2nd to 4th, 2026, aimed at young researchers (doctoral students, Master students, etc.) with the objective of completing their training in research skills.
This course was taught by the professor at the University of Oviedo, Dr. Antonio Álvarez Pinilla. It will combine lecture sessions with other activities where the student performs some short tasks and has access to direct interaction with Professor Álvarez Pinilla.
