International Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration and Leadership at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Spain
Number of recipients
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
1. Teaching activity (up to 60% of grant activity).
1.1 Entrepreneurship and Innovation training programs:
Teaching at the Master's level:
Under the umbrella of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Training (EIT) Programs, the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) is currently participating in four Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs): Digital, Raw Materials, e-Health, and Climate.
All UPM Master’s programs aim to build a strong entrepreneurial education brand via a disruptive and systemic change to European higher education that will attract top global talent to Europe.
The Scholar will participate in teaching an elective course at the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” minor of the Master in Digital Innovation (5 ECTS).
Other Master’s programs may have introduced this topic, and the Lecturer may be invited to participate. Additionally, seminars of interest may be organized under the umbrella of the Business School.
The Lecturer will have the opportunity to deliver some guest lectures for courses pertaining to the Master’s degrees in his or her area of expertise and/or seminars for Ph.D. students, under the umbrella of the Doctoral International School of the UPM.
Leadership and Business training programs:
Teaching undergraduate and Master-level courses:
UPM believes in the importance of improving engineers’ leadership skills, with an emphasis on strategic leadership and business acumen.
Specific teaching assignments will be agreed upon between the university and the Lecturer, with a particular focus on the following subjects:
Understanding customer needs
Strategic analysis of business decisions
Business development
Organizational change
Leadership styles
Leadership skills: self awareness, emotional intelligence, team building, conflict management, negotiation, communication skills
Agile organizations
All subjects will be taught in undergraduate and Master’s programs or executive education under the umbrella of the Leadership and Technology Center at UPM.
The Lecturer will have the opportunity to teach some guest lectures for courses pertaining to the Master’s degrees in his or her area of expertise and/or seminars for Ph.D. students.
2. Research (up to 40% of grant activity)
The Lecturer will be invited to present his or her research in seminars and to attend research seminars led by UPM’s professors. It is expected that the Lecturer will have opportunities for research collaboration with UPM faculty.
As the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between U.S. citizens and citizens from other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation, the Lecturer will be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and engage with the host community, in addition to their primary research or teaching activities.
Leadership and Technology Center/ CAIT
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Paseo de Juan XXIII nº11 (28040 Madrid)
September to December, 2024, or mid-January to mid-May, 2025.
- Strategic Leadership
- Innovation
- Entrepreneurship
UPM sponsors this award and, in addition to financial benefits, offers logistical assistance in finding housing and school(s) for dependent children, if necessary. A contact will be available to help the scholar adapt to the university.
The Scholar will be granted access to all digital resources available at UPM.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
The UPM strongly recommends that applicants seek more detailed information regarding the award and to seek feedback on the suitability of the potential project prior to submitting the application. Please note, however, that letters of invitation are generally not issued during the application period, and applicants will not be at a disadvantage for not including a letter of invitation.
Contact: Full Prof. Luis Salgado.
Position: UPM Director for North America
E-mail: delegacion.norteamerica@upm.es
Classes will be taught in English, and the Lecturer should expect students to complete all their written and oral assignments in that language.
Some proficiency in Spanish is recommended for daily life. Madrid, where the UPM is located, is the capital city of Spain. Nevertheless, English is not widely spoken, especially among middle-aged and older people.
Rank of Associate or Full Professor.
Host institution general website:
€3,200 per month. This amount covers the monthly stipend, housing and living allowances.
The allowances will be paid by the Spanish Commission as a lump sum once the Grant is formalized (in Euros or in Dollars, at a conversion rate to be determined on April 15, 2025. View conversion rates).
Travel and relocation allowance for scholars: €1,300. Authorized dependents' travel allowance: €750 per person, for up to two dependents.
The allowances will be paid by the Spanish Commission as a lump sum once the Grant is formalized (in Euros or in Dollars, at a conversion rate to be determined on April 15, 2025. View conversion rates).
Scholars accompanied by dependents for at least 80 percent of the grant period will receive a monthly dependent allowance of €150 for one dependent or €300 for two or more dependents.
No tuition allowance will be provided. Both public and private schools in Spain have bilingual or English language instruction available. The UPM offers logistical assistance in finding housing and school(s) for dependent children, if necessary.
Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester in order to qualify for additional dependent benefits. Dependent benefits are not provided to Flex grantees.
UPM sponsors this award and, in addition to financial benefits, offers logistical assistance in finding housing and school(s) for dependent children, if necessary. A contact will be available to help the scholar adapt to the university.
The Scholar will be granted access to all digital resources available at UPM.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
Spain
To learn more about Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards in Spain for 2024-25, please view our archived webinar and slides to hear directly from the Fulbright Commission, IIE staff, and U.S. Scholar alums regarding award details, the scholar experience, and application guidance.
Summary
Contingent upon the availability of funds, up to 11 All Discipline awards for Postdoctoral Researchers and a variety of co-sponsored awards for Senior Research, Teaching, or Teaching/Research are available. The co-sponsored awards have unique scopes and features, and detailed information can be found in each individual award description.
The U.S.-Spain Fulbright Commission provides extensive support to selected candidates regarding administrative issues, such as the visa and documentation processes, and ample pre-departure and arrival information. However, assistance in establishing contacts at prospective host institutions cannot be provided.
Please note that candidates with dual U.S./Spanish citizenship or candidates who are residing in Spain at the time of application or anytime thereafter are not eligible for the Fulbright Program in Spain.
What is life like for Fulbrighters in Spain?
Although Spain may be known for its nice weather and beautiful beaches, there are many other reasons why Spain has long been held as one of the most desirable destinations for Fulbright grantees. Spain’s higher education and research institutions, technological advancement, cultural opportunities, and modern infrastructure add to the country’s appeal as one of the most popular tourist destinations. Additionally, Spain’s relatively low cost of living makes it very affordable when compared to most other countries in the EU.
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Spain has the highest life expectancy out of all European Union member states, at just above 80 years, and it is the 8th safest country in which to live out of all OECD member states. In fact, 82% of Spanish citizens report that they feel safe walking alone at night (World Gallup Poll).
Spain is comprised of excellent public transportation networks throughout the country. With its metropolitan public transport systems, including metro networks, buses, and trains, it is very easy to get around cities, smaller towns, or even across the country.
If you plan to come to Spain with your family, you will love the child-friendly environment. Although the Commission cannot provide assistance with school placements, rest assured that there are many options for high-quality and bilingual education. In Spain, there are public schools, private schools (religious and international), and semi-private (concertados).
For more detailed information about Spain, please see the OECD's Spain profile.
General Information about Spanish Universities and Research in Spain
There are 76 universities in Spain, 20 of which are private. Spain's universities are increasingly focused on internationalization. By offering degree programs taught partially or entirely in English, they are attracting students from a wide variety of countries, providing viewpoints in studies and discussions that are often unique and enriching for U.S. Scholars. Depending on the award, Scholars will be afforded the opportunity to teach both undergraduate and/or graduate students and/or carry out research, and they are often invited to work with faculty on curriculum development. Research groups are usually multicultural, and English is the language predominantly used in lab settings.
The academic year in Spain broadly runs from September to June, with breaks during the Winter and Spring holidays (approximately December 22-January 6 and coinciding with the weeks surrounding and including Easter). Research activity continues in July, whereas August is a very quiet month, and many academic and research institutions are closed for all or part of the month.
Additionally, there are various national and public research institutions that, together with universities, form the basic core of the Spanish public system of scientific research and technological development in Spain. These include:
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
The Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT)
The Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII)
The Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC)
The National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA).
Researchers are usually fluent in English, although there may be wide variation in students’ English proficiency. For day-to-day life, a working knowledge of Spanish is useful, especially in smaller cities and towns. Language proficiency should be commensurate with the project's scope. Please discuss this point with your host institution in advance.
The friendly and open nature of most Spaniards will help make it easy for you to engage in multidisciplinary research groups and collaborate with your host institution. Many former Fulbright Scholars to Spain maintain and nurture the mutual engagement and joint research they initiated with their Spanish hosts while they enjoyed their Fulbright grant.
Prospective applicants may contact the Spanish Fulbright Commission for further information at: informacion@fulbright.es or by visiting www.fulbright.es
If you wish to hear from previous US Fulbright Scholars and Researchers about their experiences in Spain, check our Fulbright Spain- Alumni Voices reel here.
Enrichment activities: depending on the grant dates, Scholars and Researchers are welcome to participate in enrichment activities. Research seminars are organized during the Fall and Spring semesters. For reference, take a look at the 2023 Mediterranean Research Seminar organized in Alicante: https://fulbright.es/mediterraneanresearchseminar/
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.
Additional Comments:
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) was founded in 1971 through the integration of the Higher Technical Schools, which until that time had been part of the Higher Technical Institutes. The University Schools joined the following year. Fourteen technical schools make up the University, with 56 academic departments and 18 research centers.
Currently it is the largest public technological university in Spain, with more than 40,000 students (Undergraduate, Master and Ph.D. level), more than 3,000 faculty members, 2,000 administrative staff, and 800 researchers.
As set out in its statutes, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid strives for the creation, development, transmission and criticism of science, technology, and culture. To this end, its Institutes and Research Centers are adapting to the changes taking place in our society, while also maintaining the University’s commitment to excellence, which is why it enjoys national and international recognition.
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid holds dual recognition as a Campus of International Excellence, a distinction that refers to the quality of its research and teaching initiatives.