- University professors will be posted to Cepsa’s San Roque and Palos sites to carry out their projects there
- Benito Navarrete, Director of the Academic Chair of Fundación Cepsa at the University of Seville, underscored their firm commitment to “high-level” research
The University of Seville, acting through the Academic Chair of Fundación Cepsa, intends to carry out R&D+i projects at Cepsa’s industrial facilities in both San Roque and Palos, as part of a new era in which the parties wish to deepen their partnership in research through academic chairs.
The professors from the University of Seville who are to head and steer the innovation projects that will benefit both parties will initially be stationed at the sites, affording them first-hand experience of Cepsa’s industrial facilities in Andalusia, where they will get to know the workers and the field they are to work in from their laboratories in Seville. This posting will provide the university professors with additional hands-on training in a real working environment.
Benito Navarrete, Director of the Academic Chair of Fundación Cepsa at the University of Seville, paid a visit to the Gibraltar-San Roque and La Rábida (Palos) refineries, where he claimed that, by having the professors stay on site, we are bringing the university closer to Cepsa’s industrial centers in Andalusia. After their initial posting, there will be further weekly or fortnightly contact so as to ensure that the research work can be carried out in Seville, but with the regular support of Cepsa professionals.
“We have noticed that the professors who have put their name forward for this venture specialize in the same fields as us, and this could be of great interest to the refineries and yield positive results”, claimed the Director of the Academic Chair of Fundación Cepsa at the University of Seville, adding that “while all our chairs have always done a good job at responding to training needs by ensuring that students from the different universities receive additional training in oil and petrochemical refining, perhaps we have fallen short when it comes to the research and development opportunities that the university departments were able to offer Cepsa through academic chairs. After all, high-level research can resolve problems or bring innovation and development to bear at oil refineries. That is now our objective for this year and following years”.
Cepsa Chairs in Andalusia
Cepsa is forging ever-closer relationships with universities. The academic chairs now run by Fundación Cepsa at the Universities of Huelva, Seville and Cadiz are continuing to grow, thanks to the ongoing support and commitment of employees from both organizations in helping to improve training, innovation and research.
In Andalusia, these initiatives have allowed thousands of students to gain first-hand experience of a real working environment, while bringing university lecturers closer to the reality of industry in the region. The exchange of technicians and professors has allowed both to hone their skills and bring their new expertise to bear on their daily work. All of this makes Cepsa a valuable supporter of universities in Andalusia.