VI Workshop CREIS-2025
On September 16, 2025, the Graduate Hall at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) hosted the 6th CREIS-UAB Workshop 2025. This annual gathering, organized by the Center for Studies and Research in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CREIS), brought together academic experts and professionals to discuss leadership and talent management in the context of the third sector and public administration.
Rosa Maria Sebastián, Vice-Rector for Innovation, Strategic Projects and Entrepreneurship at UAB, opened the event alongside David Urbano, Director of CREIS. The day featured a keynote presentation by Herman Aguinis, professor at The George Washington University, who from the field of performance management and measurement highlighted the importance of exceptional talent in organizations. Aguinis presented the CORE performance model, applicable at both individual and organizational levels, where performance results from the combination of capacity, opportunity, and relevant exchanges.
The workshop included the presentation of a chapter from the Yearbook of Social Entrepreneurship, Economics and Innovation on long-term care during times of crisis, by Valentina González from Universitat Rovira i Virgili. The SOPACK BCN project was also presented—a pilot project proposal in Ciutat Vella led by Marcela Santiago Moreno, a 2025 graduate of the Master's in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MEINS).
A highlight was the panel discussion on "Talent retention and recruitment in the third sector and public administration," featuring Eloi Serrano, Director of the Social Economy Chair at Tecnocampus-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and Jana Castells, Technical Director of Talent at Suara Cooperativa. Serrano defined talent as collective energy to be nurtured, highlighting three key components: purpose, recognition, and long-term projection. Castells addressed the importance and challenges of developing alternative forms of recognition such as emotional salary and hybrid workspaces, particularly relevant in the social and care sectors.
Àlex Rialp, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, closed the event by emphasizing the relevance of the topics discussed and this reference space for exchanging ideas about social entrepreneurship and innovation.