About us
TRAINING, RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
Mondragon Goi Eskola Politeknikoa Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta, S.Coop.(MGEP) is a co-operative integrated into both MONDRAGON Corporation and Mondragón Unibertsitatea (the University of Mondragón) and is the legal owner of Mondragón Unibertsitatea's Faculty Of Engineering. We are the Faculty of Engineering of Mondragon Unibertsitatea (EPS-MU) and we offer a reliable and quality educational proposal, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, technologically advanced and with the ability to anticipate the changes of the future. We are committed to the future of people and have a long-range vision that balances local connection with an international vision. We identify trends to anticipate the challenges of the future through an agile and advanced model. Our main activities are training, research, transfer and entrepreneurship in many areas of technology, thus contributing to improve the competitive position of companies and organizations.
History
The Higher Polytechnic School of Mondragon started its teaching activities in 1943 on the initiative of Father José Maria Arizmendiarrieta, Founder of the Cooperative Experience of Mondragón. Since then it has never stopped growing, and has been the driving force behind the creation of numerous innovative business experiences.
An important landmark in 1956 in the School’s history was the creation by five of its technical engineers of Mondragon’s first industrial cooperative: ULGOR, S.Coop., which is now called FAGOR.
It is also worth pointing out the creation of ALECOP in 1966, an industrial cooperative company which allowed students to combine study and work, and which is a company in the same cooperative.
In 1972 the organisation became more international as the result of exchange programmes with foreign universities. Likewise, the School has also been an active participant since 1986 in numerous international training and research and development projects.
In 1974, the IKERLAN Research Center was created, which currently employs more than 350 people in research and is one of the leading technology centers in Spain.
In 1983, the Gizabidea Private Teaching Foundation was created, the posthumous work of Mr. José Mª Arizmendiarrieta, under whose tutelage the school buildings were transferred.
The school’s active participation has led to other social and business initiatives such as DIARIA, a pioneering industrial design company, founded in 1985, and different education centres over three decades.
In 1995, the Higher Polytechnic School was awarded the ISO ER353/1/95 Quality Certificate, and was the first university in Spain and one of the first in Europe to obtain it.
More recently, in 1996, the company CEI-SAIOLAN was formed as a new business incubator in advances sectors, although this activity has been bearing fruit since 1984.
The constitution of Mondragón Univertsitatea in 1997 is also noteworthy, together with another two universities of the Alto Deba: ETEO S. Coop in Oñati and Irakasle Eskola S. Coop. in Eskoriatza, which are now ENPRESAGINTZA and HUHEZI respectively.
In 2008 it was the first Basque University to adapt its engineering studies to the New European Higher Education Space.
In June 2010, the Mondragón University Higher Polytechnic School (EPS-MU) received a positive score in the AUDIT programme for design and development of Internal Quality Assurance Systems for university education.
September 2010 saw the official opening of EPS-MU’s Centre for Technological Research and Innovation in Electronics and Embedded Systems, located at the Garaia Innovation Park and which combines research and training in the fields of electronics, computer science and telecommunications.
In September 2013, the MU-HPS, in alliance with Orona Ideo, opened the new campus in Donostialdea in the Orona Foundation building.
In July 2014, it achieved the AUDIT Certification after the assessment by UNIBASQ and ANECA.
In 2014-2015, it celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta.
In the academic year 2017-2018, it celebrated the 75th anniversary of the creation of the Higher Polytechnic School of Mondragon Unibertsitatea.
The 2020-2021 academic year will be held in Bilbao at the Zorrotzaurre campus.
Composition of the Higher Polytechnic School
Mondragon Goi Eskola Politeknikoa (MGEP) is a mixed cooperative composed of three types of members in equal numbers:
- Working members
- User members (Pupils)
- Collaborator members (Companies and Administration).
Both the Assembly, its supreme decision-taking body, and the Governing Board, which has the power to establish the cooperative’s general guidelines, are composed in equal parts by the three types of members. This structure enables direct participation by students and companies in the management centre.
Taking into account that the main mission of EPS-MU is train profiles with a markedly professional nature in an industrial environment, the mixed legal cooperative formula, which has integrated to the business world and in our case primarily the cooperative world, has been essential for the constant evolution and adaptation to external demand.
We also live the company from the inside with a training proposal that combines training with personal and professional development. Throughout our development we have promoted dual training through the ALECOP model (work-study) and the realization of final degree and master's degree projects in companies or research projects of the university itself.
It should also be noted that the social and labor status of EPS-MU faculty is equivalent to that of a professional in an industrial cooperative. Specifically, aspects such as work schedule, working hours, remuneration and promotion are equivalent.
As EPS-MU's own activities, which indicate its style and commitment, and which have served as a driving force for educational innovation, the following can be pointed out:
Engineering
Rigor and academic standards, practices in companies through the dual system and the final project, the marked international nature and teamwork are the basis for professional success of EPS- MU engineers. Currently, MGEP has, in the different specialties of Engineering, almost 2,000 undergraduate students, more than 400 Master's students and almost 150 PhD students.
Vocational Training
With an adequate theoretical base, practical learning developed in own workshops, modern machinery and instruments used by leading companies in an industrial setting, students are prepared to move straight into the world of work. MGEP offers 5 degrees of Higher Level Training Cycle, all of them industrially oriented, with more than 250 students in total.
Research and Development
EPS-MU tries to maintain an equal balance between generic research and transfer (R&T) activities, the latter developed mainly in projects under contract with companies.
Our model of investigation allows us to achieve scientific levels of excellence, integrated with the mid- to long-term needs of our companies. We develop a collaborative model with companies, where mutual confidence and objectives multiply the efficiency of resources. In EPS-MU each R&T Group implements training and knowledge generation projects with the aim of anticipating the needs of companies in our environment and area of action, to which, through transfer projects we help to improve their competitive position.
Continuous Training
Continuous Training has played a key role practically since the origin of EPS-MU. It aims to meet the technological requalification needs of technical professionals and covers the path from transversal training to highly specialized and packaged training from pills and short courses to postgraduate programs (masters, experts and advanced courses).
Internationalisation
In Mondragon Unibertsitatea we think that an international experience improves the quality of studies and research, increasing students’ perspectives.
MU participates fully in European programs related to mobility (Sócrates, Erasmus, Lengua, Comenius), to the recognition of studies in foreign universities (European Credit Transfer System, ECTS), collaboration with east countries (Tempus) and Latin America (Alfa). The university participates as well in research programs launched by the European Union. It also participates in research programs launched by the European Union, particularly EIT Raw Materials and EIT Manufacturing.