Sika awards the prize for the best academic record on the UPM’s Master’s in Industrial Design Engineering
- The company sponsors these awards, which recognise students’ hard work and academic achievements.
- Sika collaborates with the UPM through initiatives such as the Sika-UPM Chair, the SIKA-ETSIDI Business Classroom, and the organisation and mentoring of the Prontuario Sika Hackathon Awards.
Madrid, 26 February 2026. Attracting young talent to the construction sector involves forging close collaborative ties between the private sector and universities, establishing synergies and building bridges between these spheres.
For several years now, Sika has been working in partnership with the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), contributing its experience and expertise to the development and training of the next generation of engineers through various initiatives, such as the creation of the Sika-UPM Chair, the SIKA-ETSIDI Business Classroom, and the organisation and mentoring of the Prontuario Sika Hackathon Awards.
The company is also a sponsor of the university’s Awards for Excellence in the category of Best Academic Record for the Master’s Degree in Industrial Design Engineering. In the 2024–25 academic year, student María Bardera Hueca received this award from Sika at a ceremony held recently in Madrid.
“For our company, rewarding the academic excellence of students such as María Bardera is not only a recognition of individual effort, but a way of promoting and supporting the training of new generations in our sector,” said Daniel Vallespín, head of Sika’s Industry division and the person responsible for presenting this award. “Collaboration with prestigious institutions such as the UPM allows us to remain at the forefront of knowledge and identify the young talent that will lead the sector’s transformation in the coming years,” he states.
The value of public-private partnership
For several years now, Sika has been working with the UPM on various projects that bridge the gap between the academic world and the workplace. This close partnership led to the company receiving the “Research Collaboration” award in 2017, highlighting the strong alliance between the multinational chemical firm and the academic sector for innovation in construction. The award served to drive the creation of the Sika-UPM Chair, which promotes the advanced study of new materials and construction systems, with a particular focus on sustainability and the refurbishment of structures.
Also in the university sphere, it is worth highlighting the collaboration agreement with the UPM’s Higher Technical School of Engineering and Industrial Design (ETSIDI), which led to the creation of the Sika-ETSIDI Business Classroom. This initiative has driven the development of joint training and research activities and has resulted in specific initiatives such as the Prontuario Sika Hackathon Awards.
“All these joint initiatives not only seek technical excellence but also aim to raise awareness among future professionals in the sector about the existing challenges involved in shaping the city of the future,” concludes Vallespín.
The SIKA Group is a multinational company specialising in chemical products. It supplies the construction sector (building and civil engineering) and industry (transport, automotive, solar and wind power plants, façades, etc.). SIKA is a leading manufacturer of materials for sealing, bonding, waterproofing, repairing, reinforcing and protecting structures. It operates in over 100 countries, with 300 factories and approximately 25,000 employees worldwide.
