CEGEA Celebrates 25 Years of Excellence

The Centre for Research in Business Management (CEGEA) at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has celebrated its 25th anniversary. Founded in 1979, CEGEA officially became a recognised research structure within UPV in December 1999.

Over the years, it has established itself as a key reference point for research and education in the cooperative and agri-food sectors—of great economic and social significance.

As CEGEA’s director, Juan Juliá, explains, “The social economy plays a major role in Spain, particularly in the Valencian Community. Two cooperatives—Consum and Anecoop—rank among the five largest companies in the region. Spain is also the fourth-largest agri-food economy in the European Union and the seventh-largest exporter in the world”.

In recent years, CEGEA has expanded its focus to corporate information management, an essential field for improving environmental and economic sustainability and fostering innovative business solutions.

25th Anniversary

To celebrate its 25 years, CEGEA has promoted two major international events: an International Workshop on Corporate Information: Sustainability and Public Interest, featuring participation from prestigious entities and universities, and the International Congress on the Economics and Law of the Agri-Food and Cooperative Business, focused on the challenges and opportunities of the agri-food and cooperative sector.

The celebrations culminated in a special event presided over by the UPV rector, José E. Capilla, where tribute was paid to two distinguished figures: Mª Dolores de Miguel, the first female director of an Agronomic University School in Spain, and Leandro Cañibano, president of the Spanish Association of Accounting and Business Administration.

It is worth noting that the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives under the motto "Cooperatives Build a Better World." In this regard, Juliá highlights that these events have marked the beginning of activities organised at UPV within the framework of this International Year.

Sector Challenges

According to Juan Juliá, the agri-food sector faces challenges to which CEGEA can contribute solutions. "It is necessary to improve competitiveness while ensuring that growth is compatible with environmental and economic sustainability." He emphasises that incorporating and improving corporate information systems will be crucial to achieve this.

CEGEA's director stresses that the necessary increase in competitiveness will require company growth and regulatory simplification in the European Union: "Excessive regulation has led to unfair competition or environmental dumping from countries with fewer restrictions. However, giving up on environmental sustainability is not an option, and the solution is not simple."

Another critical challenge is generational renewal. The need for specialised professionals in the agri-food sector is growing, and CEGEA, along with UPV, aims to help bridge this gap through its academic programs and training initiatives.