Javier Esparcia Pérez is a Full Professor ( Catedrático de Universidad ) in the Department of Geography at the University of Valencia, within the Faculty of Geography and History. He is the director of the UDERVAL (Unit for Rural Development and Evaluation of Public Policies), a recognized research group integrated into the Inter-university Institute for Local Development (IIDL). His academic and research profile is deeply rooted in regional and rural geography, with a strong focus on territorial development, social capital, and public policy evaluation, particularly in the context of European rural development programs such as LEADER. His research interests are centered on the socio-economic transformation of rural areas, the role of social networks and leadership in territorial governance, and the evaluation of rural development policies. He has extensively explored the dynamics of local action groups, social innovation, and the application of Social Network Analysis (SNA) to understand capital formation and governance structures in rural settings. His recent work addresses pressing issues such as rural depopulation, rural-urban synergies, and the sustainability of local development models. His publication record over the past five years reveals a clear trend towards analyzing depopulation, civil society engagement, media narratives on rural decline, and the application of network analysis in both rural development and healthcare. His work spans interdisciplinary domains, including geography, sociology, political science, and public policy. He has made significant contributions to understanding innovation diffusion in organic farming and the structure of public-private partnerships in maternal healthcare, showcasing the versatility of his methodological approach. President of the University Teaching Accreditation Commission (E-19), ANECA (2016–present) Area Coordinator for Scientific Journal Evaluation, FECYT (2016) Member and former President of CNEAI (2013–2015) Spanish Representative in the European Science Foundation's Social Sciences Standing Committee (2007–2013) European Commission Research Evaluator (since 1998) He has supervised several doctoral students, including J. Serrano and J. Escribano, and has directed master's programs in local development. He has led and participated in numerous competitive research projects funded by the European Commission and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. His leadership extends to editorial roles, such as Sub-director of AGER-Revista de Estudios sobre Despoblación y Desarrollo Rural , and active participation in the peer review process for high-impact journals in rural studies and geography. He has also contributed to academic reform, particularly in the design and implementation of Geography degrees in Spanish universities in the context of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
