INTA-Nebrija Agreement 2026: industrial doctorate in aerospace sector

Key data

The agreement between the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) and Universidad Antonio de Nebrija creates a formal legal framework for researchers to conduct their doctoral thesis with industrial doctorate designation in the aerospace field. Resolution 420/38240/2026, published in the BOE on May 11, 2026, formalizes a collaboration that connects public research with real industrial application.

For researchers seeking a career with industrial projection—and not exclusively academic—this type of agreement represents a concrete opportunity: developing the thesis in a reference institutional environment like INTA, with the academic backing of Universidad Nebrija and a scheme of co-financing and joint monitoring.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement regulates the terms of collaboration between INTA and Universidad Nebrija for the direction and conduct of doctoral theses with industrial doctorate designation. The key elements established by the agreement are:

• Legal framework for co-financing: The agreement defines the basis for both institutions to share the costs associated with conducting industrial doctoral theses. Specific amounts are not detailed in the published resolution.
• Joint supervision: Doctoral candidates will have supervisors from both INTA and Universidad Nebrija, ensuring guidance from both the research perspective and industrial application.
• Monitoring of doctoral candidates: The agreement establishes mechanisms for monitoring the progress of researchers during the development of their theses.
• Industrial doctorate designation: This modality allows the thesis to be developed in a business or institutional environment—in this case, INTA—combining research with practical application in aerospace technology.
• Knowledge transfer: The agreement promotes knowledge transfer between the public research sector and the university, with a focus on innovation applied to the aerospace sector.

The industrial doctorate is a recognized figure in the Spanish university system that allows research activity to be developed in non-exclusively academic contexts, with direct implications for the employability and professional projection of the doctoral candidate.

Economic and operational impact

From an operational perspective, this agreement has implications for several parties:

• For INTA: It gains access to doctoral researchers who develop projects aligned with its technological needs, with university co-financing and formal academic backing. It strengthens its innovation capacity without assuming the full cost of doctoral training.
• For Universidad Nebrija: It expands its industrial doctorate offering toward the aerospace sector, an area of high specialization and growing demand. It strengthens its positioning in applied research.
• For doctoral candidates: They obtain a thesis with industrial designation, which improves their employability in the private aerospace sector and in public research organizations. They combine income or funding with high-level doctoral training.
• For the aerospace sector: The agreement contributes to generating doctors with an industrial profile, a scarce and highly demanded profile in technology and defense companies.

No specific co-financing amounts have been published in the BOE resolution. To learn about the specific economic conditions, it is necessary to consult the full text of the agreement or contact the signing institutions directly.

Who does it affect?

• Researchers and graduates interested in developing a doctoral career in the aerospace sector with industrial projection.
• Current or future doctoral candidates seeking industrial doctorate designation in aerospace technology.
• INTA as the receiving institution for doctoral candidates and co-financier of the program.
• Universidad Antonio de Nebrija as the academic institution responsible for thesis direction and supervision.
• Aerospace sector companies that can indirectly benefit from the generation of doctors with industrial profile and experience at INTA.
• R&D departments of organizations linked to aerospace technology, defense and related sectors.

Practical example

A researcher with a degree in aeronautical engineering or physics who wants to conduct their doctorate can benefit from this agreement to develop their thesis at INTA facilities, working on an applied research project in aerospace technology.

Instead of conducting a purely academic thesis at the university, this researcher would combine their activity at INTA—with access to infrastructure, equipment and real projects of the organization—with academic direction from Universidad Nebrija. Upon completion, they would obtain the doctoral degree with the industrial doctorate designation, a distinction that certifies the practical application of research and has differential value in the labor market of the aerospace and defense sector.

The co-financing scheme between both institutions allows the doctoral candidate to have economic support during the research period, although specific conditions must be consulted directly with INTA or Universidad Nebrija, as they are not detailed in the published resolution.

What should companies do now?

1. If you are a researcher or doctoral candidate: Contact INTA or Universidad Antonio de Nebrija directly to learn about calls and access conditions for the industrial doctorate program covered by this agreement.
2. If you manage an R&D department in the aerospace sector: Assess whether your organization can establish similar agreements with universities to attract doctoral talent with industrial profile, following the INTA-Nebrija model.
3. If you are responsible for HR in an aerospace company: Identify these types of profiles—doctors with industrial designation—as high-value candidates for positions in applied research and technological development.
4. If you manage training or innovation programs: Review the possibilities offered by the industrial doctorate figure in Spain to channel research talent toward concrete industrial applications in your sector.
5. Consult the full text of the agreement: To learn about the economic conditions, deadlines and specific requirements, access the complete resolution on the BOE.