Linking Society and Universities: New Missions for Universities
EAIR Forum Valencia 2010, Valencia, Spain, 1-4 September 2010
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia
We train people, we train professionals
The seed of what is today known as the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV) was planted in the academic year 1968-1969, when the Higher Polytechnic Institute of Valencia was created. At that time it comprised four schools: the School of Agricultural Engineering, founded in 1959; the School of Architecture, inaugurated in 1966; the School of Civil Engineering and the School of Industrial Engineering, both of them created in 1968. But it is not until 1971 (as a result of the Order of 11th March, through which the Higher Polytechnic Institute of Valencia is conferred the highest academic status), when this institution becomes the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. .
In the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, cohabitation is part of an educational project where students and teachers alike from their five campus sites (Vera, Blasco Ibáñez, Alcoy, Gandía and Xátiva) actively take part in.
Currently, the UPV community is made up of over 42,000 people. Of these, nearly 37,800 are students, 2,600 are members of the teaching and research staff and 1,700 are administrative and services personnel. UPV is composed of 10 schools, 3 faculties and 2 higher polytechnic schools.
It also has the following associated schools: Ford Spain Technical School of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Business Studies, La Florida University School, and Pax University College, as well as an extension in Xàtiva.
UPV applies strict teaching and research quality control schemes. Likewise, the University encourages and supports its staff in their projects, as well as encouraging national and international co-operation.
UPV pays special attention and give all their support to the incorporation of their graduates into the labour market. They encourage contacts between businesses and students through internships at enterprises and public institutions. Postgraduate studies, both PhD programmes and Master’s degrees, are also very important for UPV.
UPV's international vocation results in an intense presence abroad, with branches in Colombia (COINNOVAR Corporation), in Argentina (Centre for Technical Education), in Mexico (University Centre for Environmental Sciences), in Cuba (Centre for Studies of Advanced Technologies) and in Uruguay (DeCOSUR Foundation), amongst others.
They have been innovators in many of these countries and they continue to make progress, not only to consolidate their programmes, but also to initiate new joint ventures and to strengthen bonds with other South American countries, Japan (where they have already signed cooperation agreements with universities in Mie and Suzuka), the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and the United States of America.
UPV has a specific exchange service for students and teachers, which is leader in the Erasmus Programme. During the past academic year 2,437 students made use of this programme.
For more information: UPV.
EAIR
EAIR - The European Higher Education Society became an independent membership organisation in 1989. Over the years it has expanded considerably and currently has nearly 500 members from 50 different countries all over the world including Africa, South America, Asia and Australasia.
EAIR is a unique association for professionals in the area of higher education management and for academics researching that area. These professionals and academics are working in universities, polytechnics and other higher education institutions, primarily but not exclusively in Europe, both in university administration and in academic departments with particular research interests in management issues.
EAIR is also of relevance to policy makers in government ministries and policy units. EAIR holds its annual forum in August or September and organises seminars on specific topics that are of current interest. EAIR publishes a journal Tertiary Education and Management (TEAM) and a Monograph Series Research, Policy and Practice in Higher Education.
The EAIR Secretariat is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information: EAIR.
