Choose a engineering school at the university It's one of those decisions that can shape your professional and personal future. In Spain, the options are enormous: public and private schools, generalist and highly specialized, urban campuses and locations almost integrated into technology hubs. With so much variety, it's no wonder that someone considering university... study engineering have the feeling of being a little lost.
Based on the information they offer some of the top-ranked schools and universities In the field of engineering in Spain, we'll review what they offer, how they're organized, what research and career opportunities they provide, and what practical details (contacts, location, schedules, etc.) are useful to have on hand. The idea is that you can make informed comparisons, using concrete data and avoiding empty technical jargon.
What is a university engineering school and how does it work?
When we talk about a engineering school at the university We are referring to a center that brings together the teaching of different undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees related to engineering, coordinates the teaching staff, centralizes secretarial and concierge services, and is usually also an important focus of research and relations with companies.
A good example is in the Bilbao School of EngineeringIt comprises approximately 4.700 students and over 550 teaching staff, in addition to 139 administrative and service professionals and more than 130 researchers. These types of centers offer multiple qualifications concurrently: in this specific case, 12 undergraduate degrees, 4 professional master's degrees, and 13 specialized university master's degrees, which gives an idea of the breadth and academic depth that a school of this kind can achieve.
These schools not only teach classes, but also coordinate secretaries, concierges and directors to serve students and faculty. Thus, it is common to find separate telephone numbers for each building and for different administrative services, which are the direct way to manage registrations, degrees, external internships or resolve day-to-day bureaucratic queries.
Engineering schools and contact information: student services
A key aspect when evaluating a university engineering school is the student support and internal organizationThe user experience on campus often begins with a call to the reception desk or the secretary's office, or with an email to the center's address.
In some schools, especially those spread across several buildings or campuses, information points are clearly differentiated. For example, a school with several buildings might have different reception desk phones: one for the Torres Quevedo building, another for the Betancourt building, and another for the Ada Byron building, each with its own specific number in both full format and internal extension (842032, 842188, 842333, etc.). In addition, there are usually several phone lines... academic secretariat and management secretariat with differentiated numbers (such as 876 555 194, 876 555 017, 876 555 033 or 976 762 180), which allows for better routing of student inquiries.
In other locations, especially in smaller cities, the information is more concise but equally relevant. A typical example would be a school located in Avda. Fernando Ballesteros, 37700 Béjar (Salamanca)with a centralized telephone number, such as 923 408 080, and clearly defined opening hours: from 9:00 a.m. to 14:00 p.m. on weekdays. In this case, the name of the person in charge is also usually indicated, such as a director named José Alejandro Reveriego Martín, so that the students know who leads the center.
Along with purely academic information, modern universities also pay attention to aspects such as the use of web technologies and data protection. It is common for the The university website uses its own and third-party cookies To analyze traffic, measure page usage, and enable the proper functioning of elements such as social media buttons. Students can typically configure these cookies using a "Customize cookies" button and access these settings at any time via a link in the footer, as well as consult a detailed Cookie Policy.
Academic offerings and the importance of industrial engineering
Within the range of engineering schools, the Industrial engineering and its various branches They have a very significant presence in Spain. Many schools bring together most of the industrial qualifications, from bachelor's degrees to doctorates, in a single center, and maintain a close relationship with the business community in their area.
A representative case is the School of Industrial Engineering of the University of MalagaLocated in an A-rated energy-efficient building on the Teatinos Campus extension, this center educates over 4.000 students and offers eight undergraduate degrees, three double degrees, seven master's degrees, and several doctoral programs. This range of offerings allows students to plan a complete academic pathway, from the basic formation up to specialization and research.
The eight undergraduate degrees offered by this school cover virtually all relevant branches of industrial engineering: Industrial Design and Product Development Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Technologies Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Robotics and Mechatronics, Industrial Organization Engineering and Energy EngineeringFurthermore, these degrees have obtained the EURO-ACE international quality label, awarded by the European agency ENAEE, which implies external recognition of the quality of the studies, something that increasingly matters in the employability and international mobility of students.
The close connection with local businesses and institutions is another added value. In this type of school, the following is encouraged: job placement of graduates Thanks to curricular and extracurricular internships, final degree projects in collaboration with companies, and a job placement service that benefits from the center's good reputation, it is no coincidence that many of these schools publish an information dossier (even in an English version, such as the "Informative Dossier. School of Industrial Engineering") to introduce themselves to international partners, foreign students, and collaborating entities.
Regarding location and contact, there is usually a clear physical address (for example, C/ Dr. Ortiz Ramos s/n, Campus de Teatinos, 29071 Málaga) and separate telephone numbers for reception and administration (such as (+34) 951 952 350 / 951 952 302 for reception, and (+34) 951 952 484 / 951 952 300 for administration), as well as specific email addresses, such as secretaria.eii@uma.es for secretarial and direccion.eii@uma.es for the center's management.
Research in engineering schools: groups, lines and specialization
Beyond the classroom, a leading university engineering school is characterized by an intense research activity structured in groups who work in very diverse areas. This not only drives scientific progress, but also enriches the training of students, who can participate in projects, undergraduate theses, master's theses or doctorates linked to cutting-edge research.
An interesting case is that of a Higher School of Engineering, Science and Technology with more than 50 researchers distributed across five well-defined research groups. Each group has its own name, acronym, principal investigator (PI), potential co-principal investigator (Co-PI), number of university researchers and external collaborators, as well as clear lines of research.
The first group is the AStronomy Group for Academic Research and Dissemination (ASGARD)ASGARD, focused on promoting and consolidating research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, is led by Principal Investigator Dr. Néstor Sánchez Doreste and co-directed by Dr. Elisa Nespoli. The group comprises 11 researchers affiliated with the university and has no external research staff. Its research areas encompass the study of galaxies, stars and star clusters, the interstellar medium, and exoplanets, covering the full spectrum of wavelengths from radio waves to X-rays.
The second group is Energetic and Environmental Analyzes and Studies (ENAS)Led by Dr. Miguel Ángel Piqueras García as Principal Investigator and Dr. Israel Francisco Benítez Pina as Co-Principal Investigator, ENAS, with five internal researchers and no external collaborators, focuses its research on three main lines: the analysis of electrical power generation systems, the study of the electrical system as a whole with special attention to the increasing penetration of renewable sources, and the science and technology associated with controlled nuclear fusion, a field with enormous future potential.
The third group, Green Infrastructure for Urban Sustainability (GREENIUS)GREENIUS is focused on the study of green infrastructure for urban sustainability. Its principal investigator is Dr. Daniel Jato Espino, it has no co-investigator, and it brings together six researchers from the university and three external researchers. GREENIUS is structured around four main lines of research, aligned with urban ecosystem services: provisioning services, regulating services, habitat-supporting services, and cultural services. The underlying idea is to analyze how green infrastructure in cities can improve quality of life and resilience to climate change.
Another prominent group is the Data Science Research Group (GRID)GRID, which focuses its work on the management and analysis of large volumes of information, is led by Dr. Yudith C. Cardinale as Principal Investigator and Dr. Roger Clotet Martínez as Co-Investigator. GRID comprises 11 researchers affiliated with the university and 5 external researchers. Its activities include analyzing and evaluating different strategies and techniques for managing massive datasets, proposing new algorithms, tools, and frameworks, applying Big Data techniques to fields such as astronomy, bioengineering, and industry, and generating knowledge in data science and high-performance computing. In addition, the group researches and applies technologies in Internet of Things In different scientific areas, it provides support in software platforms for massive data processing and studies the use of emerging technologies in education from the perspective of data engineering.
Finally, the Bioengineering Group (iBIO) It was created with the aim of fostering collaborations in the field of bioengineering. Led by Dr. Juan Francisco Gómez García as Principal Investigator and Dr. Pedro Gomis Román as Co-Principal Investigator, this group comprises 12 researchers from the university and 1 external researcher. Its approach is clearly interdisciplinary, situated at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and life sciences, with projects ranging from the development of biomedical devices to the analysis of physiological signals.
Where to study engineering in Spain: universities that stand out
In Spain, the range of engineering studies is particularly broad: Spanish universities offer more than 60 different degrees related to engineeringThis makes choosing a university and major a complex decision. Rankings that compare universities based on various performance indicators are very useful for guidance.
One of the references is the CYD RankingThe study analyzes, among other things, seven major engineering fields: Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Engineering. When examining which universities have the highest concentration of high-performance indicators in these seven areas, interesting patterns emerge: several institutions appear repeatedly in the top rankings.
Among the most outstanding universities is the Polytechnic University of Catalonia – BarcelonaTech (UPC)which appears in the top 3 of almost all the engineering disciplines analyzed (with the exception of Industrial Engineering). Furthermore, the Carlos III University of Madrid, the University of Navarra, and the Comillas Pontifical University repeatedly emerge as leaders in several of these disciplines, achieving strong results in various fields.
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
La Polytechnic University of Catalonia – BarcelonaTech (UPC) It is a public university founded in 1971 and specializing in the fields of engineering, architecture, and science. Its structure is organized around 23 schools and faculties spread across eight Catalan cities: Barcelona, Castelldefels, Igualada, Manresa, Mataró, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Terrassa, and Vilanova i la Geltrú, making it a broad territorial network closely connected to the region's industrial and technological fabric.
In terms of student enrollment, the UPC has more than 30.000 undergraduate students, 2.400 master's students and nearly 3.000 doctoral studentsThe university maintains more than 3.300 agreements with companies and develops more than 2.000 international mobility programs, demonstrating a clear commitment to internationalization and direct contact with the professional world.
Its academic offerings exceed 60 Bachelor's degreesWith 19 double degrees and around 60 master's programs, in addition to 48 doctoral programs, including Erasmus Mundus programs and several degrees with a mention of excellence. Within the field of engineering, the UPC offers degrees related to Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Biosystems Engineering and Agri-food Engineering, Telecommunication engineeringIndustrial Engineering, Computer Engineering and Naval Engineering, Marine and Nautical Studies, among others.
In rankings, the UPC occupies highly competitive positions. From a global perspective, it appears among the top Spanish universities in various classifications: it holds prominent positions in webometrics rankings, in the lists of Times Higher Education and in the QS World University Rankings. In the specific field of Engineering and Technology, the UPC is ranked first among Spanish universities according to the QS by Subject and holds privileged positions in the Shanghai Ranking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects in engineering disciplines.
Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) and its Polytechnic School
La Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) It also ranks among the highest-rated institutions. In the seventh edition of the CYD Ranking, UC3M occupies seventh position at the institutional level, considering the number of high-performance indicators, out of a total of 76 universities evaluated. Furthermore, according to the QS Top 50 Under 50, UC3M appears among the best young universities in the world and as one of the top universities in Spain.
In engineering, the leading role is played by the Higher Polytechnic School (EPS)The EPS, which offers degrees in Leganés, Colmenarejo, and the new Puerta de Toledo campus in Madrid, integrates undergraduate and master's programs, coordinating competencies and sharing faculty, thus facilitating a structured and coherent educational continuity for students who wish to pursue postgraduate studies.
The EPS offers 16 degrees and 3 double degrees in areas such as Industrial Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering. This diversity allows very different profiles to find their place within the school, from those who prefer electronics or communications to those who are drawn to the aerospace or health sectors.
UC3M also has a Science and Technology Park It collaborates closely with the EPS (School of Engineering) and various research groups, channeling technology transfer to companies that demand innovation. This park includes a business incubator that supports entrepreneurial initiatives from students and researchers, thus strengthening the connection between education, applied research, and the creation of new technology companies.
La Graduate School of Engineering and Basic Sciences coordinates 38 master's programs (between university and double degree programs), further expanding the possibilities of specialization for those who want to go a step beyond the degree and position themselves better in the labor market or in the research career.
University of Navarra: Tecnun, its School of Engineering
In the Basque Country, the Tecnun School of Engineering, University of Navarra It is another of the leading institutions in the Spanish university system in the field of engineering. Located in the city of San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa), Tecnun was founded in 1961 with the aim of contributing to the professional, scientific, and human development of future engineers, combining teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and service to society.
Currently, Tecnun has two campusesThe company has two locations: its historic headquarters in Ibaeta and another in the Miramón Technology Park. This dual location fosters collaboration with technology companies and research centers concentrated in the park itself or its surroundings, thus promoting joint projects and internship and employment opportunities.
Tecnun's scientific activity is developed in close collaboration with the Gipuzkoa Centre for Technical Studies and Research (CEIT)with which it shares laboratories and a library. In this way, the basic research carried out at the university is complemented by the practical approach of a research center oriented towards serving industry, resulting in projects with a clear impact on the business sector.
In numbers, the school has more than 8.200 alumni Currently, it offers 11 engineering degrees, 3 master's degrees, and a doctoral program to over 1.200 students. This combination of tradition, medium size, and strong ties to industry has helped solidify Tecnun's reputation as one of the strongest options for studying engineering in northern Spain.
Comillas Pontifical University: ICAI and employability
La Universidad Pontificia ComillasThe university, a private institution with a long history, houses the ICAI Higher Technical School of Engineering (Catholic Institute of Arts and Industries), founded in 1908. ICAI offers degrees, master's degrees and doctorates in industrial and telecommunications technologies, with a clear focus on academic quality and connection with the professional environment.
ICAI is structured in six departmentsElectrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Industrial Organization, Telematics and Computing, and Electronics, Automation and Communications. These departments organize the degree programs and research lines, covering virtually the entire spectrum of industrial and telecommunications engineering.
One of ICAI's strengths is its commitment to Capabilities of studies, faculty and research. The school is part of the TIME (Top Industrial Managers for Europe) network, which allows it to offer double degrees and agreements with internationally renowned engineering schools. This translates into study abroad opportunities, dual degrees, and a valuable network of contacts for students' future careers.
In the area of research and transfer, it stands out Institute of Technological Research (IIT)The IIT is a highly regarded center in areas such as energy and mobility. It collaborates extensively with companies, government agencies, and other organizations, developing projects that have a direct impact on key sectors such as energy and transportation.
The results in rankings support this approach. ICAI occupies the first place in Industrial Engineering and Electrical Engineering in the CYD RankingThis reflects a high level of performance across numerous indicators. Furthermore, the QS Ranking has recognized it as the best university in Spain and seventh in the world for graduate employability, according to the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020. More than 97,5% of engineers trained at ICAI find employment within six months of graduation, a figure that places it among the institutions with the highest employment rates worldwide.
Knowledge transfer and relationship with the company
In the current context, it is not enough to simply teach good classes: the best university engineering schools are distinguished by their ability to transferring knowledge and technology to the economic and social environmentThis dimension, which measures collaboration between universities and companies, administrations or other entities, is one of those analyzed in detail in the CYD Ranking.
The underlying idea is clear: when a university collaborates effectively with its environment, the scientific and technological knowledge generated is transformed into products, processes or services that improve people's lives. This can be seen in joint R&D projects, research contracts, patents, spin-offs, technology licensing, or customized training for companies and institutions.
If we focus on the dimension of Knowledge Transfer In the field of engineering, the University of Valladolid stands out as one of the leading universities, particularly in Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. Furthermore, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) is once again prominent, playing a leading role in five engineering disciplines from this perspective (Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Materials Engineering).
La School of Industrial Engineering of the University of Valladolid It is, in part, the result of an integration process: it was authorized in 2009 by the Ministry of Education of the Junta de Castilla y León, unifying the former Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineers (ETSII), the University Polytechnic School (EUP) and part of the facilities of the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology and Systems and Automation Engineering of the Faculty of Sciences, all of them belonging to the UVa.
Today, this school offers 9 undergraduate degrees, 11 official master's degrees, 3 double degrees and 3 doctoral programs in the field of engineering, which allows it to be a major player in both training and knowledge transfer to companies and administrations, especially in Castilla y León.
Current context: access to university and choice of engineering
Access to engineering studies is conditioned by the entrance exams to collegewhich in recent years have undergone significant changes, especially as a result of the coronavirus crisis. In 2020, for example, the EBAU/EVAU was organized very differently from previous years: the number of exam days was extended (from three to four), the dates were delayed by about a month, and strict health measures were implemented to ensure the tests could be carried out safely.
In that context, near 300.000 students faced an atypical university entrance exam.Already fraught with nerves, the week was made even more tense by the uncertainty generated by the pandemic and the changes in the rules of the academic game. Twelve autonomous communities held the EBAU/EVAU exams in the same week, while others had already taken them, creating a very heterogeneous scenario.
These dates are crucial, because students not only take exams, but they also have to decide which degree to pursue and at which universityIn addition to the entrance grade, other factors come into play: personal interest in certain subjects, the job prospects for each specialty, international mobility options, the prestige of the school, the campus atmosphere, or the city where the university is located.
In the case of engineering, the choice is especially complex because there are very different disciplines: Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, etc. Each of these branches has its own professional profile, with very different tasks, sectors of activity, and skills. Therefore, in addition to consulting rankings, it is advisable to do vocational orientation testFind out about the specific tasks performed by each type of engineer and investigate the labor market situation.
In parallel, universities continue to generate research projects and initiatives that directly address current challenges. One example is the project NextPETDeveloped at the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Environmental Technologies (CRETUS), this project aims to transform the management model for one of the most widely generated types of plastic waste in the world. Initiatives like this illustrate how engineering and university research can contribute to solving global environmental problems, while also offering opportunities for participation to students at various levels.
Taken together, the picture painted by these schools and universities shows that, if you are interested in engineering, in Spain you have access to... leading centers, well connected with industry, with solid research activity and good levels of employabilityThe key is to calmly consider which specialization best suits you, what type of university and city you prefer, and how much weight you give to each factor: prestige, research, internationalization, proximity to home, or cost of living, among others. With all this information at hand, it's much easier to make a conscious decision aligned with your medium- and long-term goals.
