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View from the Top: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
European countries have long been destinations for international graduate students seeking their Masters and PhD programs but another one’s making its mark. View from the Top talks to Professor Alvaro Escribano, Vice Chancellor of International Relations at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, about Spanish universities and the increasing numbers of international graduate students heading their way.
Despite being one of Europe’s newest universities, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid has established an enviable reputation for the quality of teaching and research in a very short space of time. A public university founded in 1989, the University has adopted an innovative approach to the development of its academic portfolio, with strong international and corporate influences. With 20,000 students, 3,000 of whom are studying either a Masters or PhD program, many international students pursue their entire academic program in English with access to Spanish courses for foreign students as part of, or in addition to, their degree-level studies. Seven graduate programs have been developed entirely in English, with more degrees being considered every year. A number of programs, such as the Masters in Economic Analysis and Business Economics and Quantitative Methods, have PhD tracks as well.
"I would like every student to have the same opportunity that I did "
The international element
Professor Escribano’s position as Vice Chancellor of International Relations is central to ensuring that the internationalisation agenda of the university brings together high quality academic programs taught in English and well-qualified international students from around the world. His own international experience, as a PhD candidate at the University of California in the 1980’s, undoubtedly informs his professional attitude to making Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and Spain attractive to international graduate students. “Being a graduate student in the US was fantastic for me both personally and academically. My supervisor won the Nobel Prize for Economics and my contact with him and his teaching changed my life. One of the main aspects was learning in a different country altogether on a very efficient and well organized graduate program. International student mobility in that sense opens your mind to how things work in other cultures and I would like every student to have the same opportunity that I did - and at least for one semester as part of their program.”
Professor Escribano’s mission to support the internationalisation of the university, is helped by a number of factors, not least the academic ranking of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and its location in one of Europe’s most exciting cities. “In terms of rankings we are one of the top 100 universities in the world and this is very important to us in improving the quality of our teaching and research staff and the academic experience for all students. We attract staff that are foreign educated and of very high quality but we are also realistic. As a university of only 20 years old, we occupy a certain position – not all students can go to the best names in the world. We are of a very good quality and offer a competitive experience for students interested in coming here, not least because of our location just 20 minutes from the city centre and the heart of the city’s social life.”
Relationships with employers
As might be expected of a university without centuries of tradition, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid has developed close relationships with potential national and international employers of its graduates to ensure that students have the appropriate skills for the labour market when they leave their programs. The Service, Planning, Guidance and Training (SOPP) section supports students throughout the process of securing employment, from offering guidance to appropriate career opportunities to providing training courses for the development of skills relevant to the workplace, while the International Practice schemes offers students the opportunity to gain work experience through internships as part of their programs.
“We have very good contacts with employers and businesses so that our students can access the right services to make their entry into employment easier"
