Welcome to Bilbao!

The UNIC Center for City Futures (CCF) at the University of Deusto is envisioned as a dynamic and collaborative space that promotes engaged research among the university’s Thematic Lines within the framework of the European UNIC alliance and the Bilbao City Council as its main partner.

The center aspires to establish an effective bridge between academia, public and private institutions, and civil society to facilitate sustainable urban development and generate meaningful impacts in its areas of influence.

Bilbao and UNIC's Centre for City Futures


Our Bilbao team leverages the power of collaboration locally and across the alliance network for the best impact in our City.


Our City Labs activities provide opportunities for diverse groups to connect and co-create. Some of the things we have worked on include:


  • Promote multidirectional, applied, and engaged research
  • Design and implement innovative tools and structured processes
  • Map and showcase the key capacities
  • Strengthen relational networks between the university, local institutions, and citizens by developing dialogue spaces and collaborative opportunities that build mutual trust and co-creation.



  • CityLabs - Connect and Co-Create


    City-Led Challenges that are currently in focus in Bilbao are:


    One-Stop Shop / Hub for Collective Serving

    Emerging coordination hub to streamline city–university collaboration, provide a shared interface for co-creation, and support integrated responses to urban sustainability and wellbeing challenges.


    COST Action “OneHealth4Cities”

    Integration of Bilbao’s Municipal Health Department into a European network on urban health, environment and wellbeing, collaborating through thematic working groups and shared policy insights.


    European proposal on sustainability and climate communication

    Co-development with the City’s Directorate of Sustainability as Associate Partner, including a local diagnostic, training itineraries and a catalogue of specialised courses.



    Contact Us

    Join us in shaping future-proof cities!

    The Centre for City Futures is resourced by our Local Centre for City Futures, with Ekhi Atutxa Ordeñana (ekhi.atutxa@deusto.es), Fernando Villatoro (fernando.villatoro@deusto.es), and Diego Casado (dcasado@deusto.es) as Local Co-Directors.

    For more information or to connect with us, please get in touch with us by email.




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