Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of April 1, 2026, from the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation, publishing the Agreement with the Polytechnic University of Madrid for the implementation of the Rural Campus Program of university internships in rural areas |
|---|---|
| BOE Publication | April 13, 2026 |
| Effective date | April 1, 2026 |
| Affected parties | UPM university students, rural municipalities and rural entities |
| Category | Education |
| Promoting body | General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation and Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) |
| BOE Reference | BOE-A-2026-8201 |
Companies and entities located in rural areas have had since April 1, 2026 a new channel to incorporate university talent: the Rural Campus Program, promoted by the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation in agreement with the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). The resolution publishing this agreement appeared in the BOE on April 13, 2026 with reference BOE-A-2026-8201.
The program responds to a dual objective: to bring university knowledge to rural municipalities and to bring students closer to the reality of the rural environment, with a view to curbing depopulation and promoting possible future settlements of qualified young people.
What does this regulation establish?
The agreement between the Government and UPM creates the legal and institutional framework of the Rural Campus Program. Its main elements are as follows:
- Institutional collaboration framework: regulates how the administration and UPM coordinate program management and financing.
- Social objective: to temporarily attract young university talent to rural areas to provide value with technical and scientific knowledge.
- Direct beneficiaries: rural municipalities and rural entities that can receive interns; and UPM students who carry out their internships in these environments.
- Strategic objective: to contribute to curbing rural depopulation, enabling students to firsthand experience the reality of rural areas and consider a possible future settlement.
The regulation does not detail the number of positions, specific economic amounts or the specific municipalities included in the program. These aspects remain under the operational management of UPM and the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation.
Economic and operational impact
For rural companies and entities, this program represents a concrete operational opportunity: access to UPM university students to cover technical knowledge needs without the costs associated with ordinary hiring.
From an operational perspective, the most relevant impacts are:
- Access to qualified talent: possibility of incorporating students with university technical training (engineering, architecture, applied sciences) to rural projects.
- Cost not specified in the regulation: the agreement does not set direct costs for participating entities. Program financing is managed between the administration and UPM.
- Impact on depopulation: the program seeks for students to experience the rural environment and consider staying, which can generate a positive medium-term effect on the availability of local talent.
- Administrative management: interested entities will need to coordinate with UPM to formalize their participation, although the agreement does not detail the specific procedure.
Who does it affect?
- Companies and entities located in rural areas that want to incorporate UPM university students in internships.
- Rural municipalities seeking to attract young talent and university knowledge for local projects.
- UPM university students interested in carrying out their internships in rural environments.
- Local administrations and rural public entities that can act as program recipients.
- Rural development managers and entities linked to combating depopulation.
Practical example
An agricultural cooperative located in a rural municipality in the Community of Madrid needs technical support to digitize its inventory management and analyze production data. Until now, it could not afford to hire a full-time computer engineer or agronomist.
With the Rural Campus Program, this cooperative can request the incorporation of a UPM student in internship to develop that project during the period established by the program. The student brings updated university knowledge, the cooperative covers a real technical need, and the rural municipality gains the presence of qualified young talent.
The direct cost to the cooperative is not set in the published regulation: it will depend on the specific conditions established by UPM within the framework of the agreement. To learn about those conditions, the cooperative must contact the Polytechnic University of Madrid directly or the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation.
What should companies do now?
- Assess whether your entity is in a rural area and whether it has projects or technical needs that a university student could cover during an internship.
- Contact UPM to learn about the procedure for joining the Rural Campus Program, participation conditions and available student profiles.
- Contact the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation if your entity is a municipality or local administration interested in participating as a program recipient.
- Prepare a specific project or task that a student intern can develop, with clear objectives and an internal follow-up manager.
- Stay informed about the call for positions and application deadlines, as the agreement establishes the framework but operational details will be managed by UPM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UPM Rural Campus Program 2026?
It is a university internship program promoted by the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation and the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Its objective is to bring UPM students to rural municipalities to provide university knowledge and curb depopulation, with the agreement published on April 13, 2026.
Can rural companies incorporate students through the Rural Campus?
Yes. The agreement establishes that companies and rural entities can benefit from the incorporation of interns. The collaboration framework is managed by UPM together with the administration.
When does the Rural Campus Program agreement come into force?
The agreement between the Government and UPM came into force on April 1, 2026, although its publication in the BOE occurred on April 13, 2026.
Which municipalities or areas is the Rural Campus Program aimed at?
The program is aimed at rural areas in general. The regulation does not specify specific municipalities: the agreement establishes the institutional framework between the administration and UPM for program management and financing in rural environments.
What is the cost for a rural company to participate in the Rural Campus Program?
The published regulation does not specify direct costs for participating companies. The agreement regulates the institutional collaboration framework between the administration and UPM, including program management and financing. To learn about specific economic conditions, it is necessary to contact UPM or the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-8201