Celebrating 25 years of collaboration with EHU to bring engineering closer to industry

The Ormazabal Classroom celebrates a quarter of a century as a benchmark for university-industry collaboration, connecting students with real-world engineering and technology projects

We commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Ormazabal Classroom at an event attended by representatives of EHU (Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea – University of the Basque Country). Since its creation in 2001, this pioneering university-industry collaboration initiative has helped promote practical training, knowledge transfer and the integration of talent into the industrial sector.

The event, held on 30 September at Ormazabal’s headquarters in the Biscay Science and Technology Park in Derio, was attended by EHU’s Vice-Rector for Knowledge Transfer and Internationalisation, Gotzone Barandika; the Director of the Bilbao School of Engineering, Charles Pinto; and other academic representatives involved in the initiative.

Representing Ormazabal were Javier Ormazabal, President of Ormazabal; Jorge González, CEO; Emmanuel Orio, Human Capital Director; and Milagros García, Marketing Director, together with other representatives from the organisation.

From education to attracting talent

Located at EHU’s Bilbao School of Engineering, the Ormazabal Classroom was created to bring students closer to the realities of technology and industry through hands-on projects addressing the company’s real challenges and needs.

Over the past 25 years, the Classroom has become a gateway for qualified talent to join the company, as well as a space for identifying, attracting and developing professionals who now work across different areas of the organisation. This also contributes to strengthening the company’s technological and industrial capabilities. This impact is reflected in the almost 60 students who have joined Ormazabal and the 15 projects launched through the initiative.

At the same time, it has given students the opportunity to gain early experience working on real-world projects, accelerating their professional development and enhancing their employability.

“The Ormazabal Classroom is one of the best examples of how collaboration between universities and companies can generate value for society as a whole. Over these 25 years, we have worked together to advance knowledge, foster interest in technology careers and help talented people find opportunities to develop professionally in our region,” said Javier Ormazabal, President of Ormazabal.

Gotzone Barandika, EHU’s Vice-Rector for Knowledge Transfer and Internationalisation, added:

“The track record of the Ormazabal Classroom demonstrates the enormous potential of cooperation between academia and business to enrich students’ education and jointly address the technological and societal challenges of the future.”

A collaboration with a tangible impact on the region

The history of the Ormazabal Classroom reflects the potential of public-private collaboration to create opportunities and strengthen the innovation ecosystem in the Basque Country. Joint work between faculty members, students and Ormazabal professionals has created an environment for learning and knowledge exchange focused on real-world industrial challenges.

The Classroom develops initiatives across different disciplines of strategic importance to the company, including the development of customised engineering solutions for the electricity grid.

Beyond its academic dimension, the Classroom also serves as a meeting point for different generations of engineers, encouraging knowledge sharing and consolidating the long-standing relationship between EHU and Ormazabal.

Celebrating 25 years of shared knowledge

The event provided an opportunity to recognise the people who have helped establish and strengthen this initiative over the years. It also brought together former students who joined the company after taking part in the Ormazabal Classroom, putting faces to one of the initiative’s greatest achievements: turning knowledge and hands-on experience into long-term career opportunities.