Who are the faces behind the walls of each EELISA Institution? How are the campuses of the universities that make up the map of our alliance?
Welcome to the fourth episode of #WeAreEELISA, a campaign that aims to give visibility to the EELISA microcosm through interviews with key people from each organization and video tours recorded by students from each University. Today, Marta Olea opens the door for us inside of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, to show us what goes on inside the Spanish institution.
Let’s dive in!
#WeAreEELISA Episode 4
Interviewee’s name: Marta Olea de Cárdenas
University: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
Profession: Teaching Staff
Role within EELISA: WP9 coordinator for UPM
Q. Your university is a member of EELISA. Can you briefly introduce your university to us?
A. Located in Madrid, UPM is the largest technical university in Spain and an influential European higher education institution. It was established in 1971, initially through the integration of the Higher Technical Schools, but the origin of the institution dates back from the eighteenth century.
UPM offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, architecture, computer science, mathematics, fashion and sports. More than 36,000 students are training on our 4 university campuses distributed across the city of Madrid. With more than 200 research groups, UPM boasts also a dynamic research community with a focus on innovation and technological development.
Thanks to the dedication of academic and research staff, administrative staff and alumni worlwide, UPM is acknowledged to be one of the best 55 global universities for engineering and architecture (QS Ranking) and ranks within the world’s top 94 in terms of employability.
Overall, UPM is a highly esteemed institution that attracts exceptional students and faculty from around the world. Its commitment to academic excellence, research, and innovation has established its reputation as a leading technical university in both Spain and Europe.
Q. What is your personal connection to EELISA?
A. My personal connection to EELISA originates from my previous role as Vice Dean for International Relations at the School of Computer Science. As a part of the university’s international team, I actively participated from the outset in the establishment of the alliance.
Q. “Together is better than alone” – Why should in your opinion universities work together in an alliance like EELISA?
A. In today’s globalized and interconnected world, the sharing of knowledge and experiences among European institutions and the ability to offer our students the opportunity to engage in international collaborative work are essential drivers in the strategic plans of any higher education institution.
We are committed to fostering a sense of unity and dedication among all the universities in EELISA so that we can strengthen the connections between engineering and society.
Q. What does EELISA mean for your University? And how does EELISA enrich your university’s community?
A. EELISA enables UPM to enhance its international relationships with renowned universities in Europe that share common goals and believe that together, we can contribute to building a better world. This mission aligns with our vision to educate and train our students.
EELISA provides our students, faculty, and staff with the opportunity to actively participate in this process and make a tangible impact by fostering a more diverse and inclusive society within an interdisciplinary engineering environment.
Q. What would you wish for the future development of EELISA?
A. My wish for EELISA: to achieve significant mobility rates among our students, ensuring inclusivity and leaving no one behind. Additionally, I hope to facilitate collaboration among faculty and staff across institutions, creating a larger international university with 10 different campuses.
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid campus video tour
by Martina and Diego
