Polytechnic University of Madrid: A Legacy of Innovation and Engineering

The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), also known as the Technical University of Madrid, stands as a testament to Spain's rich history in technology and engineering education. While formally established in 1971, its roots extend much deeper, with many of its schools tracing their origins back to the 18th and 19th centuries. This article explores the history and evolution of the UPM, its academic structure, research focus, and its impact on Spanish technology.

Historical Roots: From Royal Academies to a Unified University

Although the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Technical University of Madrid) is a young university, having been founded only in 1971, most of its Schools are over a hundred years old, dating back of the 18th and 19th centuries and existing independently until they were grouped together as the Politécnica.

The origins of the UPM can be traced back to the reign of King Carlos the Third in the eighteenth century, when teaching in the majority of the Centres was established. During these years the Schools were practically the only ones in our country linked to the teaching of Architecture and Engineering. 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. Almost all the leading Spanish educators and researchers have been involved with Politécnica de Madrid either as students, teachers or both.

One of the oldest records of technological studies in Spain is the Royal Academy of Mathematics in Madrid. 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. 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.

Early Schools and Their Contributions

Three Schools were founded in the 18th century. The School of Architecture, the oldest, was founded in 1752. 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. 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).

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The Naval and Mining Engineering Schools were established in 1772 and 1777 respectively. 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, 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. The center was transferred to the Mexican viceroyalty, and it remained there until the end of the Mexican Independence War from Spain.

The Civil Engineering School was the first School to be founded in the 19th century, in the year 1802. 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, an outstanding representative of the eloquent restless and inquiring spirit of the Spanish Enlightenment. Almost half a century later the School of Industrial Engineering was started in 1850.

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. The industrial engineers' lectures descend from the Patriotic Seminar of Vergara and the activities of the Economic Associations of Friends of the Country.

20th Century Expansion and Integration

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. 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. 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. The School of Computer Sciences offers the first Spanish undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Computer Sciences.

The Technical University of Madrid (UPM) was founded in 1971 through the integration of the Higher Technical Schools which up until then made up the Higher Technical Institutes. The University Schools joined the following year.

University Schools of Technical Engineering

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. Traditionally, in Spain there were two levels of technical studies. For engineering studies there was a 3-year degree called Ingeniero Técnico (Technical Engineer, roughly equivalent to a BSc) with all powers and legal authority in their field and a 5- or 6-year degree called Ingeniero (Engineer, roughly equivalent to a MSc). In the case of architecture studies there was a 3-year degree called Arquitecto Técnico (Technical Architect) and a 5-year degree called Arquitecto (Senior Architect). Those degrees disappeared as a result of the Bologna process 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 on top.

Academic Profile and Structure

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) is the oldest and largest Spanish technical university, with more than 4.000 faculty members, around 38.000 undergraduate students and 6.000 postgraduates in 21 Schools of study. UPM benefits from the heritage of its Schools: the most ancient ones founded in the 18th Century. Nowadays UPM’s Schools cover most of engineering disciplines, as well as Architecture and Computer Science.

UPM's Schools are spread all over Madrid, instead of being placed in a unified campus. The concept of “Parque UPM” covers various scientific and technological areas linked with engineering and architecture.

Degree Programs and Internationalization

UPM has changed its educative system to be in accordance with the Higher Education European Space directives and now is providing an education based on a 4 years Bachelor level, followed by a 1 to 2 years Master level and the PhD level. 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. The UPM has Erasmus agreements with most European engineering schools. Moreover, it has many other international agreements. UPM graduates around 5,000 students every year, of which 20% have participated in one of the existing international mobility programs. For cultural and historical reasons, UPM has especially strong relations with European and Latin American universities and, from 2004, started a fruitful and increasing cooperation with Asian universities, especially those from China.

Research and Innovation

UPM has a strong commitment to Research and Innovation. UPM staff has large experience in research projects participation, both at national and international level. The presence of UPM in the international R&D arena is ensured by its consistent participation in various EU programmes. As UPM participation in the 7th Framework Programme is concerned, the University has taken part in more than 150 European R&D projects with more than 40M€ of funding received from the European Commission.

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At the forefront of technical research, it lays claim to a number of specialist research centres of its own, including a solar power institute, a laser centre and institute for automobile research.

Campus Life and Student Services

Located in the Greater Madrid area (Communidad de Madrid), the UPM offers its students an exceptional scientific and intellectual environment. The UPM also promotes sports practice and offers its teachers, researchers, students and administration and service staff the possibility of carrying out multiple activities. It has sports facilities in the Montegancedo Campus and Campus Sur, adapted for those people with limited mobility. Its twenty sports clubs, one for each Centre, stimulates them to participate in sports. Every year the Technical University of Madrid has an outstanding participation in the Spanish University Championships, and is one of those which has the greatest number of successes in medals.

Accommodation and Library Services

UPM-associated accomodation options include Colegios Mayores and Residences, which are university-affiliated accommodations that provide full-board services, including meals, cleaning, and laundry. They also offer cultural activities and sports facilities, fostering a comprehensive student experience. The prices are between 650 and 1,000 euros. The residences are cheaper than the halls of residence. Other options include Private Housing Assistance, an Intergenerational Living Program, other temporary and budget-friendly options, as well as access to online platforms for student accommodation (Erasmus Play, Student.com, Uniplaces, Casita).

The history of our library is much older than the University itself as many of its centres were founded in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Library currently has around 775,000 monographs, 11,800 periodical publication titles, 12.000 units of audiovisual material, as well as a collection of 20.000 titles in electronic format.

Rankings and Accreditation

Several prestigious accreditations underscore UPM´s commitment to academic excellence and international standards:

ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology): Multiple engineering programs at UPM are accredited by ABET, ensuring they meet the quality standards essential for the global engineering profession
NAAB (National Architectural Accrediting Board): UPM's architecture programs have received accreditation from NAAB, reflecting adherence to rigorous educational standards in architectural education
EUR-ACE and EURO-INF Seals: They certify that UPM's engineering and informatics programs meet high European and international education standards, facilitating professional mobility across Europe

University Rankings

QS World University Rankings 334. QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.

Academic Ranking of World Universities 601. ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.

World University Rankings 1001. World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.

Career Prospects

Graduates from UPM enjoy strong career prospects, both in Spain and internationally. UPM has one of the highest graduate employment rates in Spain, especially in engineering, architecture, and IT-related fields. With its strong international reputation and partnerships, UPM opens doors to multinational companies, research institutions, and academic careers abroad. UPM fosters startup culture through innovation hubs and incubators, encouraging graduates to launch their own tech or engineering ventures. The University has close ties with major companies like Airbus, INDRA, Telefónica, IBM, and Siemens, offering internships, joint projects, and direct recruitment channels.

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