UNITECH International Society
Encyclopedia
UNITECH International is a non-profit organization based in Zurich, Switzerland. Its aim, together with leading European universities and companies, is to prepare qualified engineering students for their professional future. Or as it is formulated in the core values statement: “UNITECH is a community that connects corporate and academic talent to develop technical students across borders and cultures to jointly face tomorrow‘s business challenges”. At the core of UNITECH activities is an exchange period for students at a university abroad with management-oriented courses as well as an internship with one of the Corporate Partners. The year is completed with the three UNITECH Joint Modules and focuses on the acquisition of specific business know-how, social competence and the capacity for multicultural understanding. This combination of practical experience, the Joint Modules and study abroad is unique in Europe.
History
Difficulty in finding new staff with a high level of specialist knowledge as well as social competence prompted the Liechtenstein-based company Hilti to contact the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) in 1998. Joint discussions led to the idea of a selective international exchange program for engineering students. However, it quickly became clear that further partners would be needed for this undertaking. Through the involvement of senior-level personalities and the use of existing channels, the search resulted in the joining together of accredited European universities and companies. Full and open discussions about the nature and structure of the programme led to shared trust and agreements. By 2000, the way was paved for the foundation of an international association, which became a reality in Como on 1 September 2000. Its name: UNITECH International. On 6 September 2002, the first UNITECH graduation ceremony was held in the Coronation Hall of the Town Hall of Aachen, Germany. At this occasion, under the Patronage of Mr Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, the first UNITECH graduates received their diploma.Philosophy
From the very beginning, the initiators of UNITECH International planned a selective program for qualified engineering students with a limited number of universities and companies involved. Compared with other programs, the UNITECH approach has clear advantages:- common aims and visions of the participating universities and companies
- mutual trust in one another and a high level of co-operation of all parties involved
- rigorous selection in the admission of participants (full-day Assessment Center)
- unique combination of academic theory and practice abroad with a focus on management and business training
- working experience with Corporate Partners through international internships
- three joint-training modules for all students, each with a strong “networking” nature
- upon completion of the program and the master’s degree at the home university, the student graduates and may carry the title of UNITECH fellow
- a very active and vibrant UNITECH Alumni Association to carry the UNITECH experience beyond the first year.
The long-term goals
The aim of UNITECH over the next few years is healthy growth together with a focused extension of the programme’s content, elements and partners. The long-term goal in terms of involved parties is eight to ten universities, possibly including an Eastern-European university, 30 corporate partners and approximately 100 students a year. All the parties should continue to maintain a lively exchange of ideas. Lastly, a great deal of attention is paid to strengthening the UNITECH Alumni Association. Participants in the UNITECH program will be able to benefit from a powerful network throughout their career.General
- Type of organisation: SocietySocietyA society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
- Date of foundation: 1 September 2000
- President: Karin Markides, President of Chalmers University of TechnologyChalmers University of TechnologyChalmers University of Technology , is a Swedish university located in Gothenburg that focuses on research and education in technology, natural science and architecture.-History:...
- Secretary General / Executive Director: Mr. Martin Frei
- Program Coordinator: Mr. Aleksandar Sibilia
- Students enrolled in the programme: 68 (2009/2010)
- UNITECH Fellows (diploma recipients): 385
- Members of the UNITECH Alumni Association: ± 350
- Universities involved: 9
- Companies involved: 15
Corporate Partners
- Acer
- Agbar GroupGrupo AgbarAgbar is a Spanish company dedicated to services, distribution or treatment of water. The company was founded in 1867 in Liège as Compagnie des Eaux de Barcelone by an investor from France and Catalonia . The group is present in almost all the continents as North America, South America, Asia and...
- Evonik IndustriesEvonik IndustriesEvonik Industries is an industrial corporation in Germany owned by RAG Foundation and one of the world´s leading specialty chemicals companies. It was created on 12 September 2007 as a result of restructuring of the mining and technology group RAG...
- Enel SpA
- Hilti CorporationHiltiHilti Corporation, Hilti Aktiengesellschaft or Hilti AG also known as Hilti Group develops, manufactures, and markets products for the construction and building maintenance industries, primarily to the professional end-user...
- Holcim LtdHolcimHolcim is a Swiss-based global company supplying cement and aggregates . The company also supplies ready-mix concrete and asphalt including associated construction services.-Holcim Group:...
- Infineon TechnologiesInfineon TechnologiesInfineon Technologies AG is a German semiconductor manufacturer and was founded on April 1, 1999, when the semiconductor operations of the parent company Siemens AG were spun off to form a separate legal entity. , Infineon has 25,149 employees worldwide...
- La Seda de Barcelona
- Lhoist Group
- Mapei SpAMapeiMAPEI is an Italian company founded in 1937 by Rodolfo Squinzi in Milan, Italy. It evolved from a small wall paint producer into a worldwide producer of adhesives, thinsets and sealants for buildings ....
- Schindler ElevatorsSchindler Groupthumb|200px|Schindler Test Tower in Ebikon, Lucerne, SwitzerlandSchindler was founded in Switzerland in 1874 and is the largest manufacturer of escalators and the second largest manufacturer of elevators world wide. Schindler produces, installs, maintains and modernizes elevators and escalators in...
- SCHOTT AG
- Siemens AGSiemens AGSiemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
- SKF GroupSKFSKF, Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB , later AB SKF, is a Swedish bearing company founded in 1907, supplying bearings, seals, lubrication and lubrication systems, maintenance products, mechatronics products, power transmission products and related services globally.-History:The company was founded on...
- Voith AG
Academic Partners
- Chalmers University of TechnologyChalmers University of TechnologyChalmers University of Technology , is a Swedish university located in Gothenburg that focuses on research and education in technology, natural science and architecture.-History:...
(Gothenburg), Sweden - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETHEthEth is a letter used in Old English, Icelandic, Faroese , and Elfdalian. It was also used in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages, but was subsequently replaced with dh and later d. The capital eth resembles a D with a line through the vertical stroke...
), Switzerland - École Centrale (Paris), France
- Politecnico di Milano, Italy
- Aachen University of Technology (RWTH),Germany
- Delft University of TechnologyDelft University of TechnologyDelft University of Technology , also known as TU Delft, is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands...
, The Netherlands - Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
- Loughborough UniversityLoughborough UniversityLoughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
, United Kingdom - Trinity College DublinTrinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, Ireland
Former Academic Partners
- Imperial College LondonImperial College LondonImperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, United Kingdom, left the society in 2005 - ParisTechParisTechParisTech the Paris Institute of Technology is one of the collegiate universities in France. It gathers 11 of the best French engineering schools, covering nearly the whole spectrum of engineering science, and 1 business school, aiming to be of comparable status to the most famous universities of...
, France, left the society in 2007