Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid

In this program, researchers in the field of automation are trained. The PhD’s of our area are known for applying techniques of the mentioned field in solving new problems and technological challenges. Nowadays, the field of automation covers a broad spectrum that goes from automation of industrial processing plants up to the designing of automated systems for domestic use or the recognition of models for quality control systems.

The contribution of our work in these research projects starts from the preparation of proposals until their development and posterior exploitation of their results. It is estimated that at least half of the PhD researchers in this program work for universities and the other half in the industry. Currently, there are new lines of work that have arisen for PhD researchers of the program, among which are creating new technological components such as spin-offs and management of research and development activities.

This doctorate program comes from the previous program that has been taught in the Automation and Robotics, Ingeniería Electrónica e Informática de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII) of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) since 2003. These programs, at the same time, come from other previous programs that were based on the 1976 Industrial engineering plan that was taught at the UPM ETSII until 2000. The current PhD program of the Automation and Robotics of  the UPM was awarded with Quality in the first call that was held in 2003 (MCD2006-00375). This award was renewed successively in the following calls, until the most recent call for “Mention towards Excellence” to doctorate programs of Spanish Universities in October 2011, where it was awarded with Excellence (MEE2011-0207).

Currently, the professors and researchers who are part of this program belong to the Centre of Automation and Robotics (CAR UPM-CSIC). This is a mixed centre formed in 2009 under an agreement between the UPM and the CSIC. The members of the program can be found in page 6 where the institution of their affiliation is indicated. All members are part of the CAR UPM-CSIC organization. This collaboration is also mentioned in the Master’s program of the

UPM Automation and Robotics. Members of both institutions take part in teaching the subjects.