2001 can be considered by this department as the end of a highly productive period, initiated in 1990 under Professor José A. Martínez Serrano. During this stage new lecturers who joined the department were involved in their academic and professional improvement undertaking postgraduates studies (M.Sc. or Ph.D. or both) in internationally recognised UK universities (London School of Economics, University of Warwick, University College London and Queen Mary University). 2001 has been the final year of this extraordinary period as the last two members of this project have achieved their Ph.D. degree. In particular Francisco Requena, with the thesis dissertation: “The micro foundations of export behaviour: empirical investigations”, at the London School of Economics, defended in July, and Silviano Esteve, with the thesis dissertation: “Three essays on strategic competition and exit”, at University of Warwick, who defended in December.

This departmental policy turned out to be a highly profitable bet as allowed both to increase the convergence with respect to the performance level of internationally well-known universities and to establish contacts and relationships with world experts on new topics of knowledge and research in Economics and Social Sciences in general. Also, we should mention that the rate of return was quite successful as 10 out of 12 people who were involved in this international adventure -leaving apart short period visits abroad- are currently staff in this Department.

We should mention others indicators that signal the effort made to improve the quality of the teaching activities and the excellent level of research by members of this department. The average matk of the Department in the teaching assement was 3.s out of 5. The Department is also involved in postgraduate teaching, offering since 2000 a doctoral programme (Diploma de Estudios Avanzados, DEA), under the direction of Professor Aurelio Martínez. Since January 2001 weekly seminars are organised during term times (18 were organised during 2001 during two terms). There were several academic activities (seminars, visits, etc.) organised under the Jean Monet Chair.

Members of the Department published 12 journal articles (four of them in international journals and 12 articles as book chapters. As regards to participation in meetings, workshops and conferences, we account 30 presentations made by members of the Department. We should mention the participation in invited sessions or the lectures given in several institutions and conferences. The Department has been also quite successful in terms of research projects and research contracts. Currently our members are involved in two contracts and in 10 publicly financed research projects. There are also other external activities organised by members of this Department or in which the staff is involved, mainly teaching given in other Universities or institutions or the organisation of a M.Sc. in Environmental Management. It is worth to note that the growth in the academic activity of the Department has occurred parallel to a shift of some staff members to new research institutes.

As a new Head of Department, together with the invaluable assistance of the Secretary (Dr. Francesc Hernández), the members of the Department in the Steering Council (Junta Permanente) and members in charge of other areas, I feel committed to continue the achievements reached by the preceding chairman, Professor Ernest Reig, in office until June 2001. I would also like to thank to the Associate Lecturers who have been involved in the Department activities during the previous period for their help and generosity.

Finally, I would like to stress the important cohesion inside this Department although the diversity that can be observed in terms of tradition and cultural academic background. This fact helps to improve the professional environment and contributes to increase the research productivity, which in turn is a goal that justifies our existence in the Academia and in the Valencian society. In this new stage of the Department, the recruitment policy will be driven by the standard academic requirements used in high qualified economic departments all over the world opening new positions to the job market.

DR. VICENT SOLER
Head of Department, december 2001.