WITH INDUSTRIAL RELEVANCE

The Industry-Affiliated Doctoral Program follows the same academic structure as the traditional PhD offered by the Graduate Program in Advanced Technology at CICATA, Querétaro. The key difference lies in the focus of the research project: in this program, each project must respond to a specific need identified by an industry partner.

Students may conduct their experimental work directly at the participating company’s facilities, using available equipment and resources. A company representative also joins the advisory committee to monitor progress and ensure alignment with industry goals. As in the traditional program, students can additionally use the laboratories, infrastructure, and equipment at CICATA and other IPN Centers and Schools.

Program Overview

CICATA-IPN, Querétaro Unit, structures its mission around three core pillars:

• Scientific research and technological development

• Graduate education, including current master’s and doctoral programs

• Industry and societal engagement, connecting with public, social, and private sectors

Inspired by the CICATA-IPN model—where scientific work is tightly connected to real-world technological and industrial needs—the Graduate Program in Advanced Technology (PTA) identified a strong opportunity to prepare highly skilled professionals with both technical expertise and an entrepreneurial mindset.

The Industry-Affiliated Program strengthens this vision by bringing together CICATA’s three fundamental activities: research, teaching, and industry collaboration. This integration enables students not only to contribute to scientific advancement but also to generate practical solutions with direct impact on industry.

A diagram illustrating this integrated model is shown below.  

Objectives

General Objective

To train graduate-level professionals with strong technical and scientific foundations, complemented by essential skills and competencies that enable them to drive innovation, collaboration, and technological development.

Specific Objectives

• Develop strong analytical and technical skills that allow graduates to perform with high efficiency, precision, and reliability.

• Prepare professionals at the graduate level who can propose and develop technological innovations within their areas of specialization.

• Train specialists with a deep understanding of technology development and application, enabling them to enhance the competitiveness of industrial and social sectors, while maintaining a high sense of responsibility and commitment to societal benefit.

• Ensure that acquired knowledge is applied with a holistic perspective, considering technical, ecological, economic, and social factors.