Categoría Knowledge
ALC moderated the conference on Digital Innovation and International Cooperation at the Palau Macaya
Yesterday, October 8, 2025, the conference “Can digital innovation stimulate more transformative development cooperation? Emerging technologies to respond to complex challenges” took place at the Palau Macaya in Barcelona, organized by the “la Caixa” Foundation and UNESCO as part of the annual Work4Progress program conference.
The session brought together professionals from the public, private, and academic sectors to reflect on the role of emerging technologies in international cooperation, exploring ethical, inclusive, and collaborative approaches capable of responding to major global challenges through digital transformation.
The meeting was attended by José Moisés Martín Carretero, director of the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI); Mercè Crosas, director of Social Sciences and Computational Humanities at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center; Kasia Odrozek, coordinator of the Business Council for Ethics of AI, Bioethics and Ethics of Science in the Social and Human Sciences Sector at UNESCO; and Shrashtant Patara, executive director of Development Alternatives and executive vice president of DA Group (Delhi, India). It was moderated by Gorka Espiau, director of the Agirre Lehendakaria Center.
ALC Joins Columbia, MIT, and Harvard to Explore the Cultural Dimension of Data, AI, and Social Innovation
Through Social Digital Twins, ALC advances research on data, AI, and collective intelligence with top knowledge centers in the US, highlighting the need to ground technology in cultural understanding and systemic social innovation.
From September 22 to 30, the Agirre Lehendakaria Center (ALC) carried out an intensive series of meetings and exchanges in New York and Boston to reinforce its collaboration with Columbia University and advance the research on the conceptualization of Social Digital Twins (SDTs).
The program was closely connected with ALC’s long-standing work on narrative analysis, peacebuilding, and anticipatory governance, reinforcing the idea that technology must always be grounded in social and cultural understanding. A central focus of the visit was the potential of Social Digital Twins (SDTs) as an emerging paradigm. Unlike traditional digital twins that replicate physical assets, SDTs aim to represent evolving social systems—capturing narratives, perceptions, and relationships in real time. This capacity makes it possible to anticipate risks, explore scenarios, and co-create responses in ways that are more adaptive and culturally sensitive.
ALC’s agenda included sessions with several departments across Columbia University, spanning business, engineering, and data sciences. These conversations focused on how adaptive governance, collective intelligence, and artificial intelligence can converge to support innovation portfolios addressing complex social missions. The exchanges in New York also extended to leading research hubs such as Google Research and Microsoft Research Lab, where discussions revolved around ethical AI, data infrastructures, inclusive design, and included a lecture on complex social issues at the School of Engineering.
In Boston, the agenda extended to the MIT Media Lab, with visits to the City Science Lab and the Center for Constructive Communication (CCC), as well as exchanges with the Harvard Sociology Department, among others. These discussions highlighted opportunities to connect advanced computational approaches with community-based experimentation and systemic social innovation.
End of the Learning Community with Argia Fundazioa: exploring the figure of Lokarria together
With the third and final session held at Argia Fundazioa, we have concluded a shared training process focused on listening, collective interpretation, and the co-creation of community roles.
During these three sessions, we worked together with activists and professionals from Argia, exploring new ways of mapping, listening to, and interpreting the environment, and co-creating the figure of the “Lokarria” or community connector as a key element in strengthening networks and collaboration.
Argia emphasizes that this journey has been “a very interesting experience in mapping, listening, and interpreting, but above all in understanding each other from the same place.” In addition, they highlight three shared lessons:
- The learning: getting to know an environment.
- The opportunity: recognizing that there is an environment.
- The challenge: becoming an environment.
This conclusion does not mean an end, but rather a starting point for new forms of collaboration, based on social innovation and with a view to continuing to build community.
Second session of the Systemic Change Workshop with Rethink Ireland: Scaling Up and Investing
On September 18, we held the second online session of the Systemic Change Workshop at Rethink Ireland. This time, the meeting focused on a key step in the process: how to scale up and invest collaboratively in the mental health portfolio in Ireland.
The lessons learned so far with Ktool, the tool that is enabling the mapping of actors, initiatives, and narratives around mental health, were shared. Progress was presented on the mapping and listening modules, and local teams contributed their experiences to identify both the challenges and the elements that add value to this process.
In addition, we opened a space for collective reflection on how to improve the information collected and how to connect the different components of Ktool with the phases of collective interpretation and co-creation. The conversation also opened the door to a new central theme: scaling and financing strategies that will give sustainability and scope to the initiatives in the portfolio.
In working groups, participants began to identify possible areas for co-creation, which will be key to further strengthening the collective dimension of the process.
The session concluded with a common action plan, which includes reviewing and completing profiles and the list of initiatives, sending materials on scaling and financing, and jointly identifying areas of co-creation to be integrated into the portfolio. In the third session, to be held in October in Dublin, LAC members will participate to consolidate a common investment and scaling strategy for mental health in Ireland.
Connecting the Dots: Collaborative Mapping of Ireland’s Mental Health Ecosystem
K-Tool 2.0: AI to support social transitions
K-Tool is evolving in two dimensions: on the one hand, it is improving its management, information loading, comprehension, and usability; on the other, it is incorporating Artificial Intelligence to enhance narrative analysis, automate processes, and support decision-making in complex social ecosystems.
In recent months, K-Tool has entered a new phase of development as a platform for addressing complex social challenges from a collaborative approach. Designed to facilitate ecosystem mapping, deep listening, narrative analysis, and experimentation portfolio management, the tool is progressively integrating Artificial Intelligence capabilities into all its modules.
The incorporation of AI has two main objectives: to automate information loading and organization tasks, and to enhance the deep and segmented narrative analysis that until now was applied manually. This translates into functional improvements such as automatic audio transcription, analysis of relevant images, videos, and texts to better understand existing social dynamics, extraction of significant quotes and detection of narrative patterns, generation of profiles (different positions on the same reality), and the possibility of prompting the dataset using an intelligent assistant, the K-Pilot.
Following the methodological criteria developed by the Agirre Lehendakaria Center and AC4-Columbia University over more than 10 years of experience in narrative analysis and the inclusion of the cultural dimension of social innovation processes - tested in more than 20 countries and at different scales-, it will include a developmental evaluation panel that shows how perceptions evolve over time and whether or not the project portfolio responds (or partially responds, or contradicts) to the different narratives and perceptions.
K-Tool will also make it easier to integrate relevant agents and suggest automatic connections between projects and actors, facilitating the detection of synergies and gaps in ecosystems. All these functionalities will have real-time validation and verification options, constantly feeding the model to ensure that automation acts as a support and not as a substitute for the work carried out so far. Alongside these functions, we are working on improving accessibility and use, with a new, clearer landing page nd more accessible to different audiences and the incorporation of explanatory guides.
These new features, whose development will continue in the coming months, will reinforce the cultural and anticipatory dimension of K-Tool, increasing its usefulness for decision-making in complex contexts. The qualitative datasets identified and generated for the different projects will allow us to capture nuances, diversity, and social changes, enriching the data with socio-cultural context and temporal tracking, necessary for effective narrative analysis.
Looking ahead, the data generated in the various processes will enable us to model and simulate potential impact scenarios: from direct project effects to adjacent impacts (e.g., rising housing prices) or narrative transformations. This will open the door to large-scale assessments of more significant changes in social perceptions.
Lokarriak: Learning Community at Fundación Argia
On September 16, Argia Fundazioa hosted the first session of the Lokarriak Learning Community, in which ALC conducted a workshop aimed at strengthening the role of people who act as a link between the community and social organizations.
This first session focused on sharing community experiences and introducing the basics of systemic mapping, a key tool for understanding the complexity of local contexts and visualizing possible connections between actors, initiatives, and needs.
The learning itinerary will continue with a second session focused on systemic mapping and an introduction to community listening, and will conclude with a third session working on community listening and collective interpretation.
Lokarriak play a fundamental role in promoting local transformation processes, as they facilitate the creation of bridges between individuals, groups, and institutions. Their role not only helps to identify needs and opportunities in the area, but also contributes to building trust, fostering collaboration, and strengthening the sense of belonging within the community.
ALC-TransisLab collaboration to promote social innovation in longevity in rural areas
ALC joins the TransisLab project, a cross-border Living Lab for social innovation in longevity in rural areas, funded by the Interreg POCTEFA program and led by the Basque Government's Department of Welfare, Youth, and Demographic Challenge. The project brings together partners from across the Basque Country, with the aim of developing innovative solutions that improve the lives of frail older people in rural environments.
As part of this collaboration, ALC will contribute to the development of the Cross-Border Agenda for Social Innovation in Longevity, a document that will compile the challenges, opportunities, lessons learned from six pilot experiences, and recommendations for social innovation policies, illustrated through use cases and best practices. The final version of this agenda is expected in the summer of 2026.
The TransisLab project addresses critical challenges in the POCTEFA regions, such as net population loss, the aging of the rural population, the dispersion of local services (health, social, and community), and poorly developed strategies for preventing fragility. Through its six pilot projects, TransisLab seeks to connect local social and healthcare resources to improve the quality of life of 400 fragile older people in the Basque Country, Navarre, New Aquitaine, and Occitanie.
Erasmus+ Youth Pulse: promoting youth participation and social innovation in Europe
Over the next six months, the Agirre Lehendakaria Center and Young Social Innovators (Northern Ireland) will work together on a project under the Erasmus+ programme, which supports international exchanges and projects in the fields of youth, education, and training.
The Youth Pulse project aims to gain a better understanding of young people’s attitudes and perspectives in Ireland and the Basque Country, laying the groundwork for the creation of a European Union youth opinion panel. This panel will help young people better understand inequalities, assets, and shared values within their communities, while promoting active citizenship and social innovation.
The project foresees three key outcomes:
Mapping – gathering young people’s perspectives and experiences.
Panel design – developing a plan for a European Union youth opinion panel.
Green Paper – drafting a consultation document to strengthen youth participation and active citizenship.
Draft report of the listening process in Busturialdea-Urdaibai
This Wednesday, July 23rd, Agirre Lehendakaria Center presented the first report resulting from the listening process developed in the region of Busturialdea-Urdaibai. These are the main conclusions:
Plurality. The first conclusion of this first phase of the listening process is that participation is very plural and active. We have already collected more than 500 narratives and identified another 400 people through the snowball process who will be interviewed in the coming months. Most of these narratives can be read in full on the digital platform set up for this process, anonymously and with the express permission of the participants. We sincerely appreciate the trust these people have placed in the work of the Agirre Lehendakaria Center and deeply respect those who did not wish to participate. Our goal is to try to understand in depth the opinions of both sides and to ensure that their perspectives are reflected in this report.
Methodological bias. The listening process has so far identified five main narratives. Although the sample we are working on is already significant, it is very important to remember that these preliminary results do not mean prevalence. The snowball process allows the opinions of the most interested and active people to be collected in the first phase, which may distort the final result. Over the coming months, we will see whether these perception patterns are confirmed or whether we need to introduce nuances and corrections. In our opinion, we still need to gather more opinions from migrants, better understand the perspectives of younger and older people, and of the main cultural actors in the territory.
Collaborative governance. The five narratives identified agree that there has not been enough information about the project and that the way in which this type of initiative is approached needs to be rethought. Both those in favor and those against, and especially those who do not express a definite opinion, consider that they do not have the necessary information and ask the Basque institutions to share it in real time. They believe that transparency could dispel doubts about the different steps that are already being taken.
This demand suggests a deeper debate on how large-scale strategic projects should be approached. Specifically, there is a need to incorporate a "collaborative governance" approach in which institutions engage in dialogue with social partners, businesses, and knowledge centers throughout the process, not just at the beginning or end. In the same way that new forums for collaborative governance have been opened to discuss the transformation of the Basque healthcare system, the energy model, and security policies, this type of strategic initiative should follow a similar model of action.
Need for further analysis. As in all social debates that generate conflicting opinions, the narratives collected suggest that there may be some difficulty in expressing public opinions on this issue and that the listening process should make a special effort to identify these possible hidden narratives.
Sustainable Human Development. Despite the differences and nuances, all narratives are built on a commitment to Sustainable Human Development. People who have been working for decades to promote the biosphere reserve believe that there has been a very positive evolution in the region. Previously, the declaration of a biosphere reserve was seen as a possible brake on economic development, and this narrative has evolved positively.
Today, there are opinions for and against the expansion of the museum, but above the different narratives there are common perception patterns and the arguments used to construct these narratives are similar: (1) it is necessary to combine special protection of the environment (due to its nature as a nature reserve) with the socio-economic development of the area, (2) we must commit to a model of tourism that takes into account the negative impacts it generates, especially on the quality of employment, the direct impact on rising housing prices, and the saturation of transportation systems. There is broad consensus on this issue and, to date, it is noteworthy that we have not encountered any narratives that deny climate change or that position themselves outside the framework of values associated with sustainable human development.
The development model. Most of the perception patterns identified share the view that the underlying debate is related to the region's development model. So far, the listening process and the work related to the strategic plan for the region's development have run in parallel, but in the future they could be interconnected.
These voices are calling for a new model of tourism and concrete solutions to the housing and transportation problems generated by the current model. All narratives agree that over the last 10 years, the way Basque society understands the value of tourism has changed, not only in Urdaibai. A decade ago, attracting visitors to a developing region was seen as a positive thing, but today there is a much more critical view of the real impact it has. What was once synonymous with prosperity now raises doubts and resistance because of its direct impact on housing, mobility, services, and social cohesion.
Location as a symbolic element. The possible location of the museum is a central issue. The listening process has shown that there is no outright opposition to the possibility of developing new cultural infrastructure. However, the location in Murueta is challenged by several narrative patterns and has become a symbolic point of friction, charged with environmental, historical, and emotional significance for the community. Rethinking the location, size, and nature of the possible sites for the museum would allow the debate to be restarted.
Added value. The most specialized narratives in the cultural industries demand greater clarity and definition of the art and museum offer. They consider that the building project has been presented, but little has been said about the potential added value and relevance of a new art infrastructure of this kind. Those interviewed so far show a need for the local community to identify with the project and to link it to the Basque identity. In the opinion of these sectors, specialization in art and nature should not be at odds with a greater presence of avant-garde Basque contemporary art.
Contradictions. Naturally, all narratives contain contradictions. We demand environmental commitments that we do not apply in our daily lives. We criticize the tourism model but then benefit from it as much as we can, in our own environment or when we visit other places. This listening process allows us to visualize these contradictions and accept them naturally, with the aim of enabling public discussion to help us accept the truth that exists in the opinions of others and be more self-critical of our own positions.
Feedback. This process is not binding, but it is helping to identify questions and suggestions that are both legitimate and reasonable. It will be up to the institutions to assess them and communicate their impressions and possible future actions. The deep listening approach does not replace decision-making, but it provides a basis for designing public policies that are sustainable over time because they make a special effort to understand the frameworks of meaning of citizens. At a deeper level, this debate allows us to talk about what model of development we want for the region (and for the whole of Euskal Herria) and how collaborative governance processes with a strong community perspective should be activated.
Report
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ALC will participate in the launch of the new State Center of Competence in Social Innovation
On July 16, the Council of Ministers of the Spanish Government approved the creation of the Consortium for the State Center of Competences in Social Innovation (CECIS).
The purpose of the CECIS will be to promote, accompany and articulate social innovation aimed at complex social challenges, providing technical, methodological and strategic support to public administrations, promoting collective learning, experimentation and the connection between scientific and technological knowledge and public action.
The Consortium will have the participation of the General State Administration, through the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Center for Technological Development and Innovation E.P.E. (CDTI), the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and Agirre Lehendakaria Center for Social and Political Studies (University of the Basque Country), which will provide the necessary resources and capabilities for its operation.