Universidad Politécnica de Cataluna

What you'll study

The core of the programme is an applied research project developed in the partner entity and culminating in a doctoral thesis. The research must have industrial, commercial, social or cultural relevance to the contracting organisation and a substantial portion of the doctoral work must be carried out within that entity. In exceptional cases where work is done in non‑university public research bodies or hospitals, the thesis content must remain eminently applied.

Entry requirements

To qualify for the Industrial Doctorate mention, the following conditions must be met:

• The thesis is based on a research project of interest to an entity, company or public administration (universities, public research organisations and university hospitals are excluded as sponsoring entities for the mention).
• The direct relationship between the doctoral thesis and the work performed in the entity must be documented in a scientific‑technical report approved by the University.
• A formal agreement (convenio) must be signed between the entity and the University to regulate the academic development of the thesis, including at minimum the parties' obligations and any industrial property rights arising.
• The doctoral candidate must have been employed by the entity for at least one year during the thesis development, and a substantial part of the thesis must have been carried out at the entity.
• University appoints a thesis tutor; the entity appoints a responsible person who may be the thesis director under UPC rules. The entity's responsible person cannot be a member of the thesis evaluation tribunal.

Note: candidates who began prior to the 2023–24 academic year may be assessed under earlier regulations (Real Decreto 99/2011) in which a minimum employment period was not established.

Career prospects

Graduates from Industrial Doctorate programmes are positioned for roles that bridge research and practice: R&D positions inside companies, technology transfer and innovation management posts, specialist technical leadership in industry, and applied research roles in public institutions. Because the thesis responds to an entity's strategic need, candidates typically gain work experience, professional contacts and sector‑specific skills that ease transition to industry careers.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The doctoral candidate is employed by the contracting entity; that employment may be financed directly by the organisation or co‑funded through public support schemes. Examples of public funding sources cited by UPC include the Ministry-level "Doctorados Industriales" calls, the Generalitat de Catalunya Plan de Doctorados Industriales (DI) and European schemes such as Marie Curie ITN/EID actions. UPC also reports its participation statistics in the Generalitat DI programme: 319 UPC projects awarded, 268 UPC supervisors, 247 companies involved and 145 theses completed under that plan.