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The Technical University of Madrid or sometimes called Polytechnic University of Madrid (, UPM) is a
public university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
, located in
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
,
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. It was founded in 1971 as the result of merging different Technical Schools of Engineering and Architecture, originating mainly in the 18th century. Over 35,000 students attend classes during the year. According to the annual university ranking conducted by '' El Mundo'', the Technical University of Madrid ranks as the top technical university in Spain, and second overall. The majority of its Engineering Schools are consistently ranked as leading academic institutions in Spain in their fields, and among the very best in Europe. The UPM is part of the
TIME Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
network, which groups fifty engineering schools throughout Europe.


History

The Technical University of Madrid (UPM) was founded in 1971, although the majority of its Centres are over hundreds of years old and were founded in the 18th and 19th centuries. Each of them maintained their independence until being grouped together to form the UPM in 1971. It is no exaggeration to state that for over one and a half centuries great part of the history of Spanish technology has been written by the Schools of Architecture and Engineering of the UPM. They have been for many years nearly the only, and in some cases the only school of their type. All of the important personalities in the area of teaching and research passed through their respective centres as students or lecturers. One of the oldest records of technological studies in Spain is the Royal Academy of Mathematics in Madrid, leaving aside the Quatrivium of arithmetics, geometry, astronomy and music, the four liberal arts, that form the base of the technical disciplines, which were studied in the monastic and cathedral schools and later in the medieval and renaissance universities. The Royal Academy of Mathematics was created after the idea and personal initiative of King Philip II after his return from a visit to Portugal in 1582, where he realised that the Portuguese cartographers were more advanced than those in Spain. The Academy did not award qualifications that entitled to exercise a profession. Its prestige was based on the lecturers and subjects taught. Cartographers, pilots, architects and engineers were trained in a way that the latter two started to gain a certain degree of recognition. In 1643 the Academy was closed down. The second relevant record of technological studies was the Corps of Army, Cities, Ports and Frontiers Engineers founded by King Philip V in 1711. This date marked the foundation of the Spanish engineers as an organised profession. In 1716, for their training, the Royal Military School of Mathematics in Barcelona was created, even if it was not opened until 1720 and besides was limited to a strictly military context.


Architecture

Among all the subjects that nowadays form part of the Technical University of Madrid, the first to start specific and concrete lectures and not in a generalised manner, as it was the case of engineering that started with a military background, was architecture, years before the School and the Academy of Fine Arts were created. The Foundation Assembly of the Royal Academy of the Three Noble Arts of Saint Ferdinand was held on 18.07.1744 in the home of G.D. Olivieri, first sculptor to the king since 1741 where he had a private academy and its studies prepared the way for the ones that were officially regulated in the assembly. Twelve lecturers, four for each subject where appointed. The classes of the new School that depended on the Academy of Fine Arts started in the Casa de la Panadería in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid and continued there until 1773 when the Academy moved to its present building. Although the Special School of Fine Arts was founded in 1845 as an independent entity, it was at the beginning under the inspection and monitoring of the Academy. At present the Higher Technical School of Architecture is located in a modern building in the Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid.


School of Naval Architecture

King Charles III ordered on 13.08.1772 the foundation of the School of Naval Architecture for the training of the future members of the Corps of Naval Architects (24.12.1770). The academy was opened in El Ferrol. After several years of teaching a series of difficulties led to the closure of the centre. French naval architects were taken on after intense negotiations and the centre was reopened in the Arsenal de la Carraca in Cadiz in 1848. Today's School of Naval Architects, located in the Ciudad Universitaria, is one out of two UPM schools that started with a military background and is completely civilian nowadays. Several years later the same happened in the School of Aeronautics.


School of Mining Engineering

The School of Mining Engineering was the first that from the day of its foundation had a civil character. It was established in 1777 by the orders of King Charles III of Spain in
Almadén Almadén () is a town and municipality in the Spanish province of Ciudad Real, within the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The town is located at 4° 49' W and 38° 46' N and is 589 meters (1,932 ft) above sea level. Almadén is approx ...
, Ciudad Real, where already some type of informal teaching existed, in order to make use of a very important element: the mercury mines. Mercury was in those days an irreplaceable material for the amalgamation of silver, which was one of the key sources of wealth in Latin America, especially in Mexico. This school started its activities in a similar historical context to that of other centres such as those in Saxony (Freiberg 1767), Hungary (Schmnitz 1770) and France (Paris 1778). The center was transferred to the Mexican viceroyalty, and it remained there until the end of the Mexican Independence War from Spain. It was then transferred to Madrid where the Interior Minister, Martín de los Heros, inaugurated the premises on 7.01.1835. A new building for the School of Mining Engineering of Madrid was inaugurated in the 1890s.


School of Civil Engineering

At the beginning of the 19th century, in 1802, the School of Civil Engineering, considered the best one in Spain, was founded at the initiative of
Agustín de Betancourt Agustín de Betancourt y Molina (; ; 1 February 1758 – 24 July 1824) was a Spanish engineer, who worked in Spain, France and Russia. His work ranged from steam engines and balloons to structural engineering and urban planning. As an educator, ...
, an outstanding representative of the eloquent restless and inquiring spirit of the Spanish Enlightenment. It was located in the Palacio del Buen Retiro in Madrid until May 1808. At the beginning of the academic year 1889-90, students and professors continued their activity in the new building in Alfonso XII Street, where the School remained until it moved to its current location in the Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid. This school has been classified by El Mundo as the best Civil Engineering School in Spain, and its six-year degree has been certified by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).


School of Forestry Engineering

A Royal Decree created the Special School of Forestry Engineering in 1835, although it did not start its activity until 1848 in Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid. The first graduates of the School of Villaviciosa created the Corps of Forestry Engineers. Its current premises are in the Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid.


School of Industrial Engineering

The industrial engineers' lectures descend from the Patriotic Seminar of Vergara and the activities of the Economic Associations of Friends of the Country. José I in Madrid opened the Arts Conservatory, an imitation of the one in Paris, in 1809. The Royal Decree (18.08.1842) reopened it with the same name but within a short period of time it was again shut down. The Minister of Trade, Seijas Lozano, signed a Royal Decree (4.10.1850) in order to create the Royal Industrial Institute and the degree in Industrial Engineering.


School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering

The Minister of Public Works, Manuel Alonso Martínez, founded the Central Agriculture School on 1 October 1855. At first it was set up on the "La Flamenca" estate on the Royal Property in Aranjuez. It was closed on 3 November 1868 and by another Decree (28.01.1869) immediately moved to Madrid. Ratified by several legal norms, it was given the so-called "La Florida" or "La Moncloa" property, the present University Campus of Madrid, as well as other nearby land. The new building of the Agricultural Institute of Alfonso XII was constructed on the property. Later it was called National Agronomy Institute and today Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering of Madrid. Among other studies, it hosts the Bachelor's Degree in Biotechnology, which has the highest admission grade requirement of the whole university (12.914/14).


School of Telecommunication Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

The General School of Telegraphy was the first of the three Higher Schools to be created in the 20th century. It was founded by a Decree (3.06.1913) with three sections and another Decree (22.04.1920) created the qualification of Telecommunication Engineer. From 1912 to 1935 it was located in a building on Paseo de Recoletos in Madrid, until 1936 on Ferraz Street, then on Conde de Peñalver Street until it was finally transferred to the Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid. It is one of the best reputed telecommunication schools in Spain. In fact, their telecommunications degree has been an ABET accredited program since 2008.


School of Aeronautical Engineering

In 1926 and 1928 the qualification of Aeronautical Engineer and the Higher School of Aeronautical Engineering, located near the airfield of Cuatro Vientos in Madrid, were created almost simultaneously. The Military Academy of Aeronautical Engineering was set up by a Decree (15.10.1939) and by another recovered its civilian character. The Technical Education Organisation Law (20.07.1957) provided it with its current name of Higher Technical School of Aeronautical Engineering. It was established in a modern building in the Ciudad Universitaria in Madrid. Currently with the Bologna plan the degree taught is Aerospace Engineering. The school of engineering is now called ETSIAE (Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos y del Espacio) and is the best institution in Spain to carry out aeronautical studies. Additionally, it is known for being one of the most difficult programs in the Spanish educational system.


School of Computer Sciences Engineering and Mathematics

The newest of the centres is the School of Computer Sciences. Madrid's Institute of Computer Sciences was created in 1969 outside the university framework until the studies in 1976 became part of the University and simultaneously the School of Computer Sciences was set up. From the first day of lectures in October 1977, it was integrated into the UPM. Since 1988 it has been located on the campus of Montegancedo. The School of Computer Sciences offers the first Spanish undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Computer Sciences. The program condenses studies of mathematics and computer sciences into one degree, placing special emphasis on the mathematical foundations of computer science and computer-based tools for mathematics. It combines mathematics and informatics subjects, focusing on fields where the two are most relevant to each other and stressing the interrelationships between the two disciplines to shape a degree course that is being successfully taught at leading world universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, the
University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
in the UK or
Université Pierre et Marie Curie Pierre and Marie Curie University ( , UPMC), also known as Paris VI, was a public research university in Paris, France, from 1971 to 2017. The university was located on the Jussieu Campus in the Latin Quarter of the 5th arrondissement of Paris, ...
in France.


School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (INEF)

Since 14 September 1998 the Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (INEF) was an affiliated centre and on 1 October 2003 was integrated to the University.


Technical Assistants Engineering schools

The University Schools of Technical Engineering were mainly set up at the same time as the Higher Technical Schools to provide training for Assistants or Technicians. However, these names gradually disappeared and gave way to the present names and qualifications.


Education

Traditionally, in Spain there were two levels of technical studies. For engineering studies there was a 3-year degree called (Technical Engineer, roughly equivalent to a BSc) with all powers and legal authority in their field and a 5- or 6-year degree called (Engineer, roughly equivalent to a MSc). In the case of architecture studies there was a 3-year degree called (Technical Architect) and a 5-year degree called (Senior Architect). Those degrees disappeared as a result of the
Bologna process file:Bologna-Prozess-Logo.svg, 96px, alt=Logo with stylized stars, Logo file:Bologna zone.svg, alt=Map of Europe, encompassing the entire Bologna zone, 256px, Bologna zone The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements b ...
and the new structure features 4-year BSc degrees and 1- or 2-year MSc degrees maintaining the same professional and legal responsibilities that previously called technical engineers with
master's degrees A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
on top. Technical University of Madrid access grades rank as the highest in their fields every year.


Campuses

UPM's Schools are spread all over Madrid, instead of being placed in a unified campus. They are: * University City (''Ciudad Universitaria'') or Moncloa Campus *Montegancedo Campus *South Campus (Vallecas's Politechnical Complex) *Downtown Campus (Schools inside Madrid's historical center)


Research

The Scientific and Technological Park of the UPM (“Parque UPM”) represents a significant boost to the University's R&D&i activity through the creation of new R&D&i centres, business incubators, and specialized laboratories, with the backing and participation of public and private institutions. The concept of “Parque UPM” covers various scientific and technological areas linked with engineering and architecture. It is geographically distributed in various sites, all of which are located in the region of Madrid (Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid): South Campus, Montegancedo and Getafe. *
University Institutes and Centers A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
: **Solar Power Institute **Institute of Automobile Research (INSIA), with
hybrid electric vehicle A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a type of hybrid vehicle that couples a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) with one or more electric engines into a hybrid vehicle drivetrain, combined propulsion system. The presence of the electri ...
research. **Microgravity Institute Ignacio da Riva ** Spanish User Support and Operations Centre (E-USOC) **Institute of Optoelectronics and Microtechnology Systems (ISOM) ** Supercomputing and Visualization Center of Madrid (CeSViMa) **Center for the Transport Research (TRANSYT) **Center for Biomedical Technology **Laser Center **Institute of Solar Energy **Institute for Nuclear Fusion **Institute for Automobile Research **Institute for Microgravity **Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology **Integral Domotic Center (CeDInt).


International


UPM double degrees

The UPM has signed 87 specific double degree agreements with centres of excellence at various universities worldwide. A double degree allows the best students to study for an international degree by combining studies in two types of engineering, at the same time as it prepares them better for their future career. On completing their studies, students will simultaneously obtain a degree from the UPM in addition to a degree from the foreign university they have attended. A list of the universities that have double degree programs with the UPM is shown above.


France

*
Arts et Métiers ParisTech Arts et Métiers ParisTech () is a French engineering and research institute of higher education. It is a ''grande école'', recognized for leading in the fields of mechanics and industrialization. Founded in 1780, it is among the oldest French i ...
(ENSAM) * École Centrale de Lille * École Centrale de Lyon * École Centrale de Marseille * École Centrale de Nantes * École Centrale Paris (ECP) * École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC) * École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (Ponts ParisTech) * École nationale supérieure de génie industriel * École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et d'Aérotechnique (ENSMA) * École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Douai *
École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Nancy Mines Nancy, officially École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Nancy (; "Nancy School of Mines"), also referred to as ENSMN, École des Mines de Nancy or Mines Nancy, is one of the leading French engineering Grandes Écoles. It is located in ...
* École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Nantes * École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (Mines ParisTech) *
École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Saint-Étienne École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...
* École Nationale Supérieure des Techniques Avancées de Paris (ENSTA) * École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Bretagne * École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Paris * École Nationale Supérieure d'Informatique et de Mathématiques Appliquées (ENSIMAG) *
École Polytechnique (, ; also known as Polytechnique or l'X ) is a ''grande école'' located in Palaiseau, France. It specializes in science and engineering and is a founding member of the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. The school was founded in 1794 by mat ...
* École Supérieure d'Électricité (Supélec) * Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse (INSA Toulouse) *
Institut Supérieur de l'aéronautique et de l'espace The Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (, ISAE-SUPAERO; ) is a French ''grande école'' of engineering, founded in 1909. It is the world's first dedicated institute of aerospace engineering. ISAE-SUPAERO is part of University ...
(ISAE-SUPAERO)


Germany

* Hochschule Hannover * Hochschule Mannheim *
Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin; also known as Berlin Institute of Technology and Technical University of Berlin, although officially the name should not be translated) is a public university, public research university located in Berlin, Germany. It was the first ...
* Technische Universität Darmstadt * Technische Universität München * Universität Stuttgart


Italy

* Politecnico di Milano *
Politecnico di Torino The Polytechnic University of Turin (, abbreviated as PoliTO) is the oldest Italian public technical university. The university offers several courses in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning and Industrial Design, and is consi ...
* Università degli Studi di Trento * Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II


Belgium

* Faculté polytechnique de Mons * UCLouvain *
University of Liège The University of Liège (), or ULiège, is a major public university of the French Community of Belgium founded in 1817 and based in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium. Its official language is French (language), French. History The university was foun ...
** Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech *
Université libre de Bruxelles The (French language, French, ; lit. Free University of Brussels; abbreviated ULB) is a French-speaking research university in Brussels, Belgium. It has three campuses: the ''Solbosch'' campus (in the City of Brussels and Ixelles), the ''Plain ...


Sweden

* Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH) * Lunds Tekniska Högskola


Denmark

* Danmarks Tekniske Universitet


Czech Republic

* Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (FFWS)


United Kingdom

* Cranfield University * North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI)


Austria

* Technische Universität Wien


United States

*
Illinois Institute of Technology The Illinois Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Illinois Tech and IIT, is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Tracing its history to 1890, the present name was adopted upon the m ...
, Chicago


Argentina

* Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral


Peru

* Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú


Others

The UPM has Erasmus agreements with most European engineering schools. Moreover, it has many other international agreements. Here is a summary of the different international agreements: # Erasmus Grants # Athens Program # Magalhães Program # Erasmus Mundus Program # MIT exchangeStudy Abroad , MIT Global Education & Career Development
Web.mit.edu. Retrieved on 2013-10-05. # GE4 Program # Spanish Chinese Exchange Program # Spanish Indian Program # Vulcanus Program # Student Mobility with no Exchange Program # EIT Digital Program


Notable alumni

* Florentino Pérez,
Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
chairman and ACS CEO * Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, seven times
Prime Minister of Spain The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government (), is the head of government of Spain. The prime minister nominates the Spanish government departments, ministers and chairs the Council of Ministers (Spain), Council of Mini ...
* Francisco Álvarez Cascos, former Deputy Minister of Spain *
Rafael Benítez Rafael Benítez Maudes (born 16 April 1960) is a Spanish professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player. He was most recently the manager of La Liga club RC Celta de Vigo, Celta Vigo. Beníte ...
, football manager *
Josep Borrell Josep Borrell Fontelles (; born 24 April 1947) is a Spanish politician who served as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission from 2019 to 2024. A member of the Spani ...
, politician,
President of the European Parliament The president of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. They also represent the Parliament within the European Union (EU) and internationally. The president's signature is required for Euro ...
and former minister * Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, former Prime Minister of Spain * Ángel Cabrera, president
Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology (commonly referred to as Georgia Tech, GT, and simply Tech or the Institute) is a public university, public research university and Institute of technology (United States), institute of technology in Atlanta, ...
2019-, president
George Mason University George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...
2012-2019 * Jaime Caruana, former Governor for the Bank of Spain from 2000 to 2006 * Francisco Manuel de las Heras y Borrero (1951–2013), Spanish historian * Rafael del Pino, civil engineer, Founder and Former CEO of Ferrovial, 79th wealthiest man in the world according to Forbes *
Pedro Duque Pedro Francisco Duque Duque, Order of Friendship, OF, Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration", OMSE (born Madrid, 14 March 1963) is a Spanish astronaut and aeronautics engineer who served as Ministry of Science (Spain), minister of Science from ...
, astronaut and former Minister of Science * Rafael Moneo, architect *
Leonardo Torres Quevedo Leonardo Torres Quevedo (; 28 December 1852 – 18 December 1936) was a Spanish civil engineer, mathematician and inventor, known for his numerous engineering innovations, including Aerial tramway, aerial trams, airships, catamarans, and remote ...
, inventor (several engineering fields) * Antonio M. Pérez, CEO of
Eastman Kodak The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...
*
Juan Mata Juan Manuel Mata García (born 28 April 1988) is a Spanish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for A-League Men club Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Western Sydney Wanderers. He primarily plays as an attacking ...
, attacking midfielder for English Premier League club
Manchester United FC Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. They compete in the Premier League, t ...
* Antonio Luque, engineer, photovoltaic solar energy pioneer * Alberto Cardenas Jimenez, Mexican politician * Fernando Acevedo Quero, writer, actor and screenwriter


Image gallery

Image:UPM--Flag detail.jpg, UPM Flag Image:UPM-IES--reloj.jpg, Sundial at the Institute of Solar Energy Image:UPM-Rectorado--04.jpg, Entrance of the Rectorate Image:UPM-CeSViMa-SupercomputadorMagerit.jpg, Magerit Supercomputer ( CeSViMa) Image:UPM-ETSIT--Sanz_Mancebo.jpg, ETSIT entrance (Telecommunications Eng.) Image:ETSAM edificio nuevo.JPG, ETSAM insides (Architecture) Image:Maquina vapor Watt ETSIIM.jpg, Watt's steam engine at ETSII (Industrial Eng.) Image:UPM-FI--Bloque-5.jpg, FI building (Computer Science Eng.)


See also

* List of universities in Spain *
List of forestry universities and colleges This is a list of tertiary educational institutions around the world offering Bachelor's degree, bachelor's, Master's degree, master's or Doctor of philosophy, doctoral degrees in forestry, agronomy, animal sciences, or related fields. Where note ...
* List of test pilot schools * Top Industrial Managers for Europe


References


External links

*
Official video channel
{{DEFAULTSORT:Technical University Of Madrid Universities and colleges established in 1971 Public universities Engineering universities and colleges in Spain Forestry in Spain 1971 establishments in Spain