A total of 21 students from the University of Seville will participate in the IX edition of the Mentoring of Excellence Program promoted by the Royal Academy of Engineering within the framework of its Women and Engineering initiative, aimed at promoting female talent in STEM disciplines, with special attention to the field of engineering and technology.

The Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Seville (ETSi) hosted the opening ceremony of this third edition, consolidating its role as a leading forum for developing strategic initiatives that strengthen the connection between the university and the productive sector. Organizing these types of activities is part of ETSi's ongoing commitment to providing its students with a comprehensive education aligned with the real demands of the business and industrial environment.

The official ceremony was attended by, on behalf of the University of Seville, the Vice-Rector for Students and University Life, María del Carmen Gallardo Cruz, and the Director of the School of Engineering, Andrés Sáez Pérez. Representing the Royal Academy of Engineering were its President, Jaime Domínguez Abascal, and its Managing Director, Javier Pérez de Vargas.

In this edition, 21 students selected by the ETSi have been identified as young talents with high technical potential and will be mentored by senior professionals from 10 companies linked to the university environment: Hitachi Energy, Emasesa, Ghenova, Ingelectus, Schneider Electric, Grupo COX, Indra, Minsait, Endesa Distribución, and Airbus. This close collaboration fosters direct dialogue between academia and industry, allowing for the identification of key competencies and the integration of emerging needs from the productive sector into university curriculum design.

The program aims to complement students' academic training by developing essential transversal skills and competencies for their professional advancement—leadership, decision-making, strategic vision, and team management—which, while not always explicitly part of the curriculum, are crucial for accessing high-level positions. Through personalized interaction with experienced mentors, participants gain practical knowledge of how organizations operate and current technological challenges.

For students, this initiative represents a unique opportunity to broaden their professional horizons, strengthen their confidence, and consolidate professional networks in highly skilled environments. For companies, it also provides a privileged space to identify emerging talent, actively contribute to its development, and transfer market-driven skills to the university, thus fostering..

that the professional profiles of future graduates of the University of Seville respond more accurately to the challenges of the industrial fabric.

With these types of actions, the ETSi reaffirms its commitment to academic excellence, the employability of its students and the construction of a collaborative ecosystem in which university, business and society advance in a coordinated way towards a more inclusive, innovative engineering model connected with the productive reality.