IK4-TEKNIKER and UPNA form an alliance to facilitate access into the job market for newly graduated engineers

In order to strengthen ties between the academic and business world, the IK4-TEKNIKER technology centre and the Public University of Navarre (UPNA) signed a collaborative framework agreement this morning to jointly address areas of common interest in greater depth and cover issues such as the transition of students into the professional world and the generation of scientific and technological knowledge to be subsequently transferred to the private sector.

The agreement, signed at the technology centre’s headquarters in Eibar, will materialise the implementation of a number of formulas facilitating the introduction of students to different engineering degrees in the professional world.

This will allow grade and postgraduate students from the UPNA Higher Technical School of Industrial and Telecommunications Engineers to do hands-on work and reinforce their academic training at the technology centre’s facilities where research activities are focused, amongst other disciplines, on information and communication technologies (ICTs), advanced manufacturing, surface functionalization or product engineering.

Consequently, students will therefore be able to acquire the skills required to deal a number of professional options. It will also help to enhance their entrepreneurial profile.

The agreement, signed by the director general of IK4-TEKNIKER, Alejandro Bengoa and, Alfonso Carlosena, rector of the UPNA, will intensify the search for pathways enabling young researchers to carry out their doctorate studies, will open the doors to national and international doctoral students at both signatory organisations, and allow IK4-TEKNIKER experts to join UPNA’s doctoral tribunals.

The agreement, moreover, has been designed to set up two-way communication channels between the different stakeholders involved in research work to identify and anticipate new needs.

This also includes cooperation in postgraduate programmes and support for the development of subject matter contents.

Alliances for R&D and doctorate studies

According to the provisions of this framework of this indefinite framework agreement, IK4-TEKNIKER undertakes to provide all the guidance, supervision and monitoring required to develop students’ skills. It will also ensure that students be given whatever resources they may require for their educational activities.

This collaboration also intends to intensify the search for other partners to establish alliances and further reinforce UPNA’s R&D and doctorate strategies.

In a society that is becoming increasingly competitive and far more international in scope, both organisations are fully aware of emerging requirements in fields such as education, training, science and technology. They also know how relevant cooperation is in this context.

This explains why IK4-TEKNIKER and UPNA are committed to searching for synergies to address challenges and anticipate new scenarios.

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