University Carlos III of Madrid

What University Carlos III of Madrid does

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is a public research university founded in 1989, chartered by the Comunidad de Madrid and operating across four campuses (Getafe, Leganés, Colmenarejo, and Madrid-Puerta de Toledo). It delivers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and lifelong learning programs to a student body of which more than 20% are international, with 77% of bachelor's programmes taught in English or bilingually. UC3M is ranked 1st among Spanish public universities and 2nd overall in Spain (CyD 2026), 115th globally in GEURS 2026 employability, and reports a 94.8% graduate employment rate aligned to field of study.

The university's core technology and research infrastructure centers on 5G/6G experimental platforms (ADVANCE-6G, TEST-6G, INES projects funded by NextGenerationEU), quantum technologies (including Spain's first Bachelor's in Quantum Technology Engineering launched 2026), robotics (ADAM autonomous dual-arm assistive robot, voice biometrics user recognition systems), AI (LLM-based grading frameworks evaluating GPT-4o, DeepSeek-R1, Llama 3.x), and aerospace engineering (María de Maeztu-accredited Department of Aerospace Engineering). UC3M manages 165 patent families, 140 active research groups, 32 incubated companies and 11 spin-offs.

The business model combines public government funding from the Comunidad de Madrid and national/EU research grants (€183.28M for research alone in 2021-22) with regulated tuition fees (€16.92/ECTS for EU students, €126/ECTS for non-EU students at master's level), corporate dual specialization programs providing paid employment contracts with partners like INDRA, ISDEFE, Airbus, and EXPANSIÓN, and continuing education offerings (e.g., €3,500 Economic Journalism Specialization Diploma). Distribution occurs through the unified Madrid public university admission system for domestic students and the Carlos III International School (C3IS) plus 850+ bilateral university agreements for international recruitment.

Name

University Carlos III of Madrid

Legal name

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Website

https://uc3m.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

UC3M is a public research university in Madrid, Spain, founded 1989, ranked 1st among Spanish public universities (CyD 2026), serving over 20,000 students across four campuses with 77% bilingual/English bachelor's programmes, 4,500+ international students, and €183M in annual research funding across 5G/6G, quantum, AI, and aerospace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF), Research & Lab-Based Short-Term Programs (Undergraduate/Graduate) (EDAIAIAF), Dual/Joint Degree Programs (International) (EDAIABAD)

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• University degree programs
• Academic research services
• Engineering education programs
• Continuing professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Government Funding: As a public university in Spain, UC3M receives primary funding from the Spanish government and the Community of Madrid through public education budgets, research grants, and institutional allocations.
2. Tuition Fees — Official Master's Degrees: National and EU students pay standardised public tuition rates of €16.92 per ECTS credit. Full 60-credit master's programmes cost €1,015.20. Non-EU international students pay higher rates of €126 per ECTS (€7,560 for a 60-credit programme). Additional seat reservation fees of €450 apply.
3. Continuing Education and Professional Programmes: Revenue from lifelong learning programmes including specialist courses, expert programmes, micro-credentials, and professional diplomas. Example: Economic Journalism Specialisation Diploma priced at €3,500 for a six-month programme.
4. Research Grants and Contracts: Research funding from national and European sources. €183.28M dedicated to research funding in 2021-22. Includes funding for specific projects such as the €2.25M María de Maeztu Excellence Unit accreditation for the Department of Aerospace Engineering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

University Carlos III of Madrid is a public research university offering undergraduate (bachelor's), graduate (master's), and doctoral degree programs, as well as lifelong learning specialisation diplomas across engineering, social sciences, humanities, journalism, and health sciences. The university delivers research-integrated teaching across four campuses in the Madrid region, supported by 140 active research groups and an extensive international cooperation network with 478 partner universities in 55 countries.

Product overview

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is a public university offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and lifelong learning levels. The university operates as a platform of educational services with over 70 bachelor's degrees (77% in English or bilingual), specialized master's programs, and research-driven offerings. Key products include pioneering degrees in Quantum Technology Engineering and Neuroscience, the ADAM assistive robot for elderly care, voice biometrics systems for social robots, and advanced 6G research infrastructure. UC3M also provides professional development through specialization diplomas and partners with industry for dual specialization programs combining academic instruction with employment contracts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carlos III International School (C3IS): International school offering programs for incoming international students including Gap Year, International Foundation Program, and Study Abroad
• UC3M Digital
• IMDEA Networks
• T3chFest

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree in Quantum Technology Engineering A four-year bachelor's degree program in quantum technology engineering, designed for prospective students seeking a public university qualification in quantum engineering, taught within UC3M's engineering portfolio.
• Bachelor's Degree in Primary Education A bachelor's degree program focused on training future primary education teachers, expanding UC3M's education offering within its social sciences and education portfolio.
• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering with Dual Specialization A bachelor's degree program in electrical engineering that integrates a dual specialization pathway, combining academic study with paid work contracts at partner companies (e.g., INDRA, ISDEFE). Designed for students seeking industry-integrated engineering training.
• Bachelor's Degree in Neuroscience A bachelor's degree program in neuroscience, offered by UC3M as part of its interdisciplinary science and health sciences portfolio.
• Bachelor's Degree in Artificial Intelligence A bachelor's degree program in artificial intelligence, reflecting UC3M's investment in frontier technology education aligned with its 5G/6G and robotics research strengths.
• Bachelor's Degree in Urban Sustainability (YUFE Alliance) A bachelor's degree program in urban sustainability developed through the YUFE Alliance, an international network of young European universities; designed for students interested in sustainability studies across European partner institutions.
• Master's Degree in Teacher Training for Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, Vocational Training, and Language Teaching A master's degree program qualifying graduates to teach at the secondary, baccalaureate, vocational training, and language teaching levels in Spain; targets graduates seeking formal teaching credentials.
• Specialization Diploma in Economic Journalism A specialisation diploma program in economic journalism, aimed at journalists and communications professionals seeking advanced training in economic and financial reporting; offered as part of UC3M's lifelong learning portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94.8% of UC3M graduates secure employment related to their studies
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• INDRAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Leading Spanish technology company partnering with UC3M on the Bachelor's Degree in Quantum Technologies Engineering with dual specialisation. Students take courses directly at INDRA as part of a paid employment contract model combining university teaching with on-the-job training at the company.
• ISDEFE (Instituto Sistemas y Tecnologías de Defensa — Spanish Defense Systems Engineering Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Spanish public defence technology institute partnering with UC3M on the dual specialisation model for the Bachelor's Degree in Quantum Technologies Engineering. Provides on-the-job training components and industry expertise in quantum technologies.
• EXPANSIÓNcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2026Spain's leading economic media outlet collaborated with UC3M to launch a 6-month Specialisation Diploma in Economic Journalism priced at €3,500. The programme combines academic coursework with a paid scholarship for practical training at EXPANSIÓN's newsroom, providing students with hands-on journalism experience alongside theoretical education.
• 9 European Universities in YUFE AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Nine additional European universities within the YUFE alliance partner with UC3M on the joint Bachelor's Degree in Urban Sustainability. Students study at up to 10 European universities, with guaranteed year of mobility and Erasmus+ grant funding. Jointly awarded degree by all participating European universities.
• YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean university alliance in which UC3M is a founding partner. Enables student mobility across 10 European universities, joint degree programmes (e.g., Bachelor's in Urban Sustainability with guaranteed mobility and Erasmus+ funding), and collaborative research. YUFE is a key pillar of UC3M's internationalisation strategy.
• Alliance of 4 Universities (A-4U)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of four Spanish universities (UC3M, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Universidad Pompeu Fabra) working on joint academic initiatives, research collaboration, and student mobility.
• YERUN (Young European Research Universities Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of young European research universities collaborating on research, education, and policy. UC3M participates in YERUN to strengthen its European research profile and collaborate with peer institutions.
• UniversiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIberian American university network bringing together Spanish and Portuguese-speaking universities for collaborative initiatives in education and research.
• IMDEA Networks InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC3M collaborates closely with IMDEA Networks, a research institute also founded by UC3M. Joint projects include ADVANCE-6G, TEST-6G, and INES infrastructure projects expanding 5G/6G research capabilities. UC3M also leads the PAISES-6G European research project with IMDEA Networks as a key partner. The institute positions itself as a leading European reference in cellular network, quantum computing, and distributed computing research.
• AirbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC3M and Airbus reinforced collaboration to promote knowledge transfer between the university and the aerospace company. Airbus collaborates on research projects, technology transfer, and potentially on programmes related to aerospace engineering and sustainable aviation research.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Politécnica de Madrid: Spain's leading technical university, also a public research university in Madrid. Direct competitor in engineering, aerospace, and 5G/6G research; competes for the same faculty, students, and EU research grants within the same metro area.
• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid: Public research university in Madrid and member of the A-4U alliance alongside UC3M. Competes directly in the Madrid unified pre-enrolment system for the same domestic Spanish students in social sciences, sciences, and engineering.
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid: Spain's largest public university and a historic Madrid institution. Competes with UC3M across humanities, social sciences, and sciences via the same unified Madrid admission system, with significantly larger scale and brand recognition.
• Universidad Pompeu Fabra: Barcelona-based public research university also in the A-4U alliance. Direct competitor for top-tier Spanish students and EU research grants, with strong positioning in social sciences, economics, and biomedical sciences.
• Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona: Public research university sharing #1 CyD 2026 ranking with UC3M. Competes for the same international students, Spanish research funding, and rankings; similar emphasis on interdisciplinary programs and international orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad de Navarra: Private Spanish university ranked #1 overall in Spain in CyD 2026. Competes with UC3M for top Spanish and international students, but as a private institution with significantly deeper financial resources and longer history.
• IE University: Private Spanish institution with strong global brand in business and technology education. Competes for international full-fee students and executive education, particularly in master's programmes and lifelong learning where UC3M is expanding.
• Technical University of Munich (TUM): Leading European technical university and YUFE alliance-related peer. Comparable in engineering, quantum, and AI research; serves as a benchmark for UC3M's European positioning and a destination through YUFE mobility.

Regional players

• KTH Royal Institute of Technology: Sweden's leading technical university and YUFE alliance member. Directly comparable as a small, research-intensive European technical university, though operating in a different national market with different funding dynamics.

Others

• IMDEA Networks Institute: Madrid-based research institute founded by UC3M. Although jointly controlled rather than directly competitive, it operates UC3M's 5G/6G experimental platforms and joint projects (ADVANCE-6G, PAISES-6G), making it an ecosystem peer with shared research output and faculty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uc3m
• YouTubeyoutube.com/UC3M
• Facebookfacebook.com/uc3m
• LinkedInes.linkedin.com/school/universidad-carlos-iii-de-madrid
• Instagraminstagram.com/universidadcarlosiiidemadrid
• TikToktiktok.com/@uc3m.uni

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University Carlos III of Madrid