From 13 to 18 July 2026, Universidad Europea de Valencia hosted the first edition of Behavioral Bridge, a summer school dedicated to applied behavioural methods. Organised by the Behavioral Economics Institute with the support of the ChallengeEU Alliance, the event brought together students, doctoral candidates, researchers and practitioners from many countries.
The inaugural edition of Behavioral Bridge: Summer School on Applied Behavioral Methods was combined with the 5th WoBE Research Workshop. This allowed participants to develop their methodological skills, explore the latest research and discuss the practical application of behavioural insights.
The programme included training in applied research methods, research presentations, poster sessions and discussions on contemporary social and economic challenges. Its format was designed to build bridges between research and practice, early-career and established scholars, and European and global cooperation networks.
An International Community in Valencia
The first edition of Behavioral Bridge had a distinctly international character. Participants represented institutions from Spain, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Japan, India and Australia.
The event brought together representatives of institutions including the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, the University of Tsukuba, Ashoka University, LUMSA University, the University of Milan, the University of Potsdam, the University of Göttingen, the University of Technology Sydney and the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kazakhstan.
Valencia became a meeting point for people working in behavioural economics, public administration, management, sustainability, health, finance and political economy. This broad representation confirmed the programme’s potential as a platform supporting academic mobility, partnership development and collaborative research.
Research Addressing Contemporary Challenges
The research programme assembled scientists and scholars affiliated with institutions of
considerable international standing. Contributors included:
- Dr. Tommaso Batistoni of Nuffield College, University of Oxford;
- Professor M. Rodwan Abouharb of University College London;
- Professor Paolo Crosetto of Université Grenoble Alpes, INRAE and CNRS;
- Professor Nikolaos Georgantzis of Burgundy School of Business;
- Professor Esther Blanco, from the University of Innsbruck;
- Enrique Belenguer from BBVA.
All three members of the organizing committee, Professor Enrique Fatas (BEI Director), Dr. Lina Restrepo-Plaza and Dr.Hector Solaz, also presented their research in the Workshop.
The sessions addressed topics including the transition from laboratory to field research, social-preference studies, sustainability, green human resource management, access to social services and justice, fertility norms, human rights and support for victims of fraud.
The programme demonstrated how behavioural science can contribute to finding solutions to challenges related to inequality, institutional trust, public services, financial security and social well-being.
Development Opportunities for Early-Career Researchers
One of the particular strengths of Behavioral Bridge was the environment it created for doctoral candidates, early-career researchers and professionals interested in research.
Participants took part in practical training, presented papers and posters, and received feedback from experienced scholars. The relatively small scale of the event encouraged meaningful conversations and networking, which can be more difficult to achieve at large international conferences.
Direct contact with researchers representing institutions including the University of Oxford, University College London and CNRS-affiliated organisations enabled participants to develop their research projects and establish connections that may lead to joint publications, mobility opportunities and future funding applications.
Research in Dialogue with Practice
The involvement of practitioners and representatives of the private sector was another important element of the programme. A dedicated roundtable focused on the operation of behavioural units within organisations and the practical use of behavioural insights.
Enrique Belenguer from BBVA contributed the perspective of the financial sector. Discussions addressed the application of behavioural economics to financial decision-making, consumer protection, digital service design and the development of responsible customer-oriented solutions.
Exchange between researchers and practitioners was one of the programme’s central principles. Participants represented finance, consulting, healthcare, public administration, non-governmental organisations and private companies.
Strategic Value for ChallengeEU
The first edition of Behavioral Bridge confirmed the programme’s strong potential for further development. Universidad Europea de Valencia demonstrated its ability to attract international researchers, connect academic work with external organisations and create a meeting space for people from different disciplines, institutions and countries.
The event’s themes were closely aligned with the priorities of ChallengeEU and wider European public policy agendas. They included health and well-being, sustainable consumption, organisational transformation, financial inclusion, digitalisation and institutional effectiveness.
The continued development of Behavioral Bridge could broaden its international participant base, increase practitioner engagement and create new training and mobility opportunities for early-career researchers. The inaugural edition demonstrated that the programme has the essential foundations needed to become a lasting European hub for applied behavioural science: academic quality, international reach, institutional cooperation and openness to dialogue with the wider socio-economic environment.
