The most international edition of the Indra Future Minds Competition for university students begins

Indra, one of the top consulting and technology multinationals in Europe and Latin America, has launched the third edition of the international competition for university students, the Indra Future Minds Competition, which is based on multiculturalism and the new work methods available to us thanks to information technologies.

It is the most international edition to be held so far, as it includes students from 11 countries: Brazil, Colombia, Chile, the Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, the Philippines, Spain and Turkey. Moreover, the final will be held at the multinational's Brazilian headquarters in São Paulo.

In the Indra Future Minds Competition the participating students will have to face the current challenges of the business world, such as working with collaborative tools and in virtual environments, and developing non-technical skills like team work – all within a multicultural scenario.

In total there are 16 teams, each formed by three students and a reserve chosen by each university from its final year students based on their academic records and skills. These teams will be required to solve various problems, based on actual Indra projects, ranging from the design of a new health system for a country or an advanced free-flow electronic tolling solution to sustainable building projects, business analytics or the communication of events to the public.

The final prize consists of incorporation into the subsidiary of the consultancy and technology multinational in the country chosen by each member of the team, upon completion of their studies. The students will be able to develop a global profile with international experience from the very start of their professional careers.

International collaboration in the virtual phase

The first phase, which is virtual, will take place from 11 to 29 March in a collaborative technological platform, which will allow the students to communicate with each other, work as a team, share information and contact the Indra personnel responsible for the problem. In this phase, the participants of two teams from different countries, forming international units, will have to collaborate in the resolution of a problem. Accordingly, the students will have the opportunity to experience new relationship modes in the business environment, using latest generation technology and collaborating in real time with people from different countries, just like today's global companies.

The students will have to submit a presentation with their proposal for the resolution of the problem, additional documentation and a 90-second video presenting their group, explaining the corresponding problem, how their solution contributes innovation and added value, and what it is that makes both the idea and the team special. These videos will be published on Indra's website www.indracompany.com and the group that receives the most votes will win a digital multimedia player. To foster participation social networks will also be used by means of the spaces created by Indra on Facebook and Twitter (#IndraFutureMinds).

Final in Brazil

Two of these multinational teams will qualify for the final phase, which will take place on 25 and 26 April in São Paulo, Brazil. There, they will compete in person and be separated into their original university teams. This final phase will combine fun activities and knowledge of Indra with problem solving. All the students of the four teams that have reached this phase will receive an electronic tablet.

This third edition of the Indra Future Minds Competition will include the participation of Mackenzie Presbyterian University, the São Paulo State Technological Colleges and the University of São Paulo (Brazil); the Julio Garavito Colombian School of Engineering and the National University of Colombia (Colombia); the Andrés Bello National University (Chile); the Technical University of Madrid and the UPC-BarcelonaTech (Spain); De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines Diliman (the Philippines); the University of Salerno (Italy); the Technological University of Mexico (Mexico); Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (Peru); the Science Faculty of the University of Lisbon (Portugal); the Czech Technical University in Prague (the Czech Republic); and Yildiz Technical University (Turkey).

Talent management at Indra

As a technological, innovative and global company, with this contest Indra's aim is to offer students an international experience through virtual work tools. Multicultural experience, familiarity with different projects and global vision are precisely the aspects most appreciated by the students who participated in the previous editions.

Recruiting, developing and retaining talent is a fundamental area for Indra's sustainability, making it a strategic priority. The company has relationships with more than 200 universities and research centres through chairs, agreements and R&D projects, allowing the company to attract professionals and access new technologies.

Indra's good talent management practices have allowed it to become one of the leading companies in the world in terms of sustainability. The company has renewed its presence in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the seventh straight year.

Indra is one of the world's largest consultancy and technology multinationals, a leader in Europe and Latin America and is expanding in other emerging economies. Innovation is the cornerstone of its business, which is highly focussed on the customer and on sustainability. The multinational is one of the leaders in its sector in Europe in terms of investment in R&D and innovation, having invested more than €550M in the last three years. With sales approaching €3,000 million, it employs 42,000 professional and has customers in 128 countries.