Xabier Gainza

Xabier Gainza is a member of the Teaching and Research Staff at the Hegoa Institute for Development and International Cooperation Studies, part of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). He holds a degree in Economics (1999) and a PhD in Economics (2008) from UPV/EHU, as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in European Spatial Planning from Newcastle University (UK). His teaching focuses on International Economics, Development Economics, and Regional Economics.

His research explores urban and regional development across four key areas: local economic strategies, urban form's impact on socio-spatial inequalities, urban revitalization, and institutions' role in regional development. He has contributed to studies on ecosocial transitions, territorial governance, and the intersection of global and local dynamics in development.

Gainza has authored or co-authored works on topics ranging from Latin American economic geography to the political economy of public investment. His recent projects include analyses of ecosocial transitions in the Andean region and the electoral impacts of infrastructure projects. His work often bridges theoretical frameworks with empirical studies in Latin America and the Basque Country.