Indra and the Technical University of Madrid create Energy Classroom

Indra and the Technical University of Madrid have started up the “Indra Energía” Classroom at the E.T.S.I Minas (Higher Technical School of Mining Engineering) of the UPM with the objective of uniting capacities in the field of energy and collaborate in research, training and dissemination activities.

UPM’s Vice-chancellor of PhD and Postgraduate courses Ernestina Menasalvas; Indra’s Director of Innovation, José Luis Angoso and Indra’s Director or University Relations Carlos Fernández signed today the collaboration agreement at a ceremony held during the staff meeting. The event was also attended by the Director of ETSI Minas, Benjamin Calvo and Indra’s Energy Director Santiago Escribano.

The purpose of the creation of the classroom is to collaborate in the teaching and dissemination in the areas of energy, gas and water and to engage in studies or technical analysis through dissertations or theses. Domingo Martín Sánchez, professor and Assistant Director of Quality and Social Responsibility at E.T.S.I Minas Madrid was appointed Director of the Classroom

The Classroom will deal with many attractive subjects among which we should mention the tools for commercial and risk management, analysis and development of predictive maintenance models as well as Smart Grid applications, electric vehicle and charging points.
 
The agreement includes internship in Indra for students with specific training in this area and the selection process has already taken place. The content and development have been defined for two market research projects on technologies and applications related to Smart Grid. The activities will be supervised by experts of Indra and ETSI Minas tutors. The initiatives are proof of the interest both entities share in training and studies of state-of-the-art technologies.

The new agreement is within the framework of the relations between Indra and UPM, after the 30th anniversary of this collaboration held on October 28th. The recently created Energy Classroom joins two previous Chairs of the IT multinational at UPM: The Chair to promote joint R&D activities and programmes in the fields of IT and Defence and Security systems and Indra-Adecco Foundation-UPM Chair for the investigation on accessible technologies with a focus on audiovisuals.

In its commitment to innovation and to the development of state-of-the-art proprietary technology, Indra has always relied on Universities, especially on UPM. The university has participated in significant programmes characterised by theoretical and technological complexity started up by the company. The collaboration has extended to national and international R&D programmes, joint projects and activities along with different schools of the university.

Leading technology in energy and utilities

Indra is a leading company in the utilities and energy industries in Spain and in Latin America. Its technology solutions for utilities have been implemented in more than 140 companies of electricity, water and gas in over 30 countries worldwide. The IT Company’s systems manage more than 100 million clients.

Indra’s leadership is based on the development of state-of-the-art proprietary solutions. The company is currently working on the development of new technologies and solutions in the sustainability and energy effectiveness areas, not only in the generation sector but also in transmission, distribution, industrial and household and transport consumption. The company is currently engaged in several projects related to new smart infrastructures (SMARTGRID) that guarantee a sustainable, safe and economic development.

Indra has broad experience in the analysis of the charging infrastructure requirements for the deployment of the electric car, thus promoting more efficient and less polluting transport means and reduction of consumption of fossil fuel. The Spanish company possesses in-depth knowledge of the new technologies which support the development of the electric car. Besides this, it participates actively in all the work teams the Ministry of Industry has appointed in this segment. The company also collaborates in different initiatives and research projects with a number of entities and firms of the energy sector.

Indra

Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It is ranked as the second European company in its sector according to investment in R&D with over € 500 M during the last three years. In 2010 revenues reached € 2,557 M and the international market already accounts for a 44%. The company employs more than 35,000 professionals and has clients in more than 110 countries.

UPM

The Technical University of Madrid (UPM) is a benchmark in research and teaching in the fields of Architecture and Engineering in Spain. Each year nearly 38,000 students obtain their college degree and 6,000 complete their postgraduate courses (Master Courses and PhD). The university employs 4,000 researchers and two of them hold the International Campus of Excellence (CEI) acknowledgement. The institution is active in the generation of technological and scientific knowledge and promotes the university-enterprise chairs, which amount to nearly 90, as a means to a strategic and long-lasting collaboration with the entrepreneurial sector and thus facilitate knowledge transfer to society. UPM ranks first among Spanish universities in European Union R&D funding, in the participation in projects within the framework of European Union’s VII programme, in projects for the National programme and in collaboration with the entrepreneurial sector.

On the other hand, the Higher Technical School of Mining Engineering is one of the most prestigious education and research centers of the UPM in the filed of Energy. It offers Engineering Degrees in Energy Resources, Fuels and Explosives, etc. It also participates, along with other schools, in the Master course of Energy Engineering. Besides this, its 15 enterprise Chairs of companies like Repsol, Cepsa, CLH, The Nuclear Safety Council are deeply committed to the energy industry. The new agreement will offer outstanding students-for instance, those who pursued the Gaviota course of exploration and production of hydrocarbons- openings in a state-of-the-art, worldwide leading company in energy such as Indra