6.2. For students: Process of completing an external academic placement

6.2.1. WHAT ARE THEY? Objective

One aim of work placements is to provide students with an opportunity to spend time working in a company so that they can gain professional experience that complements their academic training. Collaboration with external partners is also an excellent way to ensure that the training provided is aligned with the needs of companies.

EXCEPTIONS: Activities that are not related to the course of study, such as administrative support tasks and teaching support work, may not be considered work placements.

This activity is regulated by Royal Decree 592/2014, which regulates external academic placements for university students. Students must sign an educational cooperation agreement that sets out the commitments undertaken by the parties involved (the student, the company and the university). The student’s individual training plan forms part of this agreement.

One essential condition is that the student must fulfil the academic requirements for their degree.

The FOOT is responsible for the administrative management of educational cooperation agreements.

 After enrolling, and before starting a placement, the student concerned must submit the agreement, the individual training plan and a record of induction to the secretary.

 Supervised placements and University Vision Centre shifts are assigned at the same times as the bachelor's thesis. Assignment of these activities is based on a student's academic record.

 Placements must be completed no later than 15 days before the thesis deposit date published on the academic calendar.

6.2.2. REQUIREMENTS. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HOURS

Bachelor’s degree students may undertake external placements from the sixth term on, provided that they have passed a minimum of 120 ECTS credits and the first-year curricular assessment. Master's degree students are exempt from this requirement.

External academic placements, whether curricular or extracurricular, must not adversely affect a student’s academic performance. Based on a student's performance, schools may set specific limits or decide not to authorise any extracurricular academic placements.

All students enrolled in a UPC school are entitled to participate in educational cooperation agreements.

Based on a student's performance, schools may set specific limits or decide not to authorise any extracurricular academic placements.

Extracurricular placements may not be recognised as curricular placements. Students must decide this point when they request a placement.

6.2.3. PLACEMENT TYPES: CURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR PLACEMENTS

Curricular placements are academic activities that are an integral part of the curriculum. This means that students must enrol for them in advance and have a tutor, and that they are assessed and graded.

The work placements completed by a student must be sufficient to earn all of the credits stipulated in the curriculum for their degree.

The minimum number of optional credits a student must enrol in for external academic placements is 12 ECTS credits (360 hours); the maximum is 18 ECTS credits (540 hours). Students may enrol for these placements in blocks of six ECTS credits (180 hours) until they have earned the total number of credits required.

N.B. Information on placements at the University Vision Centre (CUV) can be found in the “Placements at the University (CUV)” section of the website.

Extracurricular placements

Extracurricular placements may be completed by students voluntarily over their course of study. Unlike curricular placements, they are not part of the curriculum and are not recorded on a student’s academic record; they are, however, included on the Diploma Supplement. Students who complete a placement within the framework of a mobility programme and are not enrolled for that semester or academic year will have to pay the fee for administrative services.

Placement types:

Placements at collaborating entities, including national and international companies, institutions and entities (both public and private), with the exception of centres assigned exclusively to the master's degree: See the list of centres.

Placements at the University (CUV):* The training students receive and the tasks they perform will be integrally related to the knowledge and skills acquired in their course of study. Under no circumstances may the performance of teaching support work be considered an external placement.

Students may take between three and 18 external academic placement credits at the University Vision Centre (though they must enrol for a minimum of 12 credits) in blocks of at least three credits (90 hours).

• Students may undertake placements that focus on optometry and/or management work.
• Students who are interested in completing a placement of either type should contact the CUV reception desk (in person or by e-mail to cuv.info@upc.edu).
• To undertake an optometry placement, students must have completed the Clinical Cases subject, at minimum.
• To undertake a management-related placement, students must have taken the Clinical Cases subject, at minimum, or have previously completed the higher training cycle for opticians (Òptica d’Ullera).

Further information: https://cuv.upc.edu/ca/docencia/grau/practiques-externes-pae/practiques-externes-pae.

International placements, including those completed immediately following an Erasmus mobility at another university, those completed with grant funding from other entities (without the involvement of a foreign university as a partner), and those completed at a company abroad (without the involvement of a foreign university as a partner).

N.B. Students who undertake an international placement must take out travel insurance. Student insurance only provides coverage within the territory of Spain.

6.2.4. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS AND RECOMMENDED HOURLY RATE

Under the regulations in effect, students are entitled to receive payment from the collaborating entity in the form of an educational grant. As a general rule, external academic placements are remunerated.

The minimum hourly rate set by the FOOT is €8/hour; the recommended rate is €8–€20/hour.

6.2.5. FORMALISATION OF PLACEMENTS: EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS

Placements are formalised through the signing of educational cooperation agreements between the student, the university and the host company or institution. Schools are responsible for the administrative management of educational cooperation agreements.

Educational cooperation agreements include an attached individual training plan and a record of the student’s induction. Agreements must be signed by the student, the tutor at the collaborating entity and the academic tutor for the work placement, and must stipulate the educational objectives and the activities to be carried out.

Documents must be typed (handwritten documents will not be accepted) and must be submitted at least one week before the start of the placement.

Students must be covered by student insurance while on placements. Currently, student insurance covers one-year periods from 16 September to 15 September the following year..

Students aged 28 or over must take out private insurance. For these cases, the UPC has concluded an agreement with the insurance brokerage CONFIDE. Contact the secretary’s office for further information.

FAQs

12. I need a placement student. What can I do?
The fastest and most agile way to find a placement student is to post an offer on our job bank: https://footlaboral.upc.edu.

13. Once an offer has been published, what’s the procedure for filling the position?
Once the FOOT manager has approved the offer, it will be made public and will remain active for four months. Interested students can get in touch with the contact person by telephone and/or e-mail.

14. What kind of employers can participate in the Món Laboral biannual job fair?
Private companies, semi-public companies and institutions, and professionals working in the optical and optometry sector.

15. Can an educational cooperation agreement be entered into with a family business?
Students may not enter into educational cooperation agreements with employers to whom they are related (up to the second degree of kinship).

16. What are the advantages of an educational cooperation agreement?
Educational cooperation agreements do not establish a contractual relationship between the company and the student. They are considered academic agreements (Royal Decree 592/2014) and are therefore not subject to labour law.
Companies gain access to individuals with advanced training in various technological fields and can get to know candidates whom they may wish to hire in the future.
The relationship is established by an educational cooperation agreement signed by the company, the student and the University.

An agreement may be terminated, modified or extended (if necessary) at any time.

17. If I'm not satisfied with a placement student, what can I do?
Educational cooperation agreements may be terminated at any time. All you need to do is submit a withdrawal certificate stating the reason for withdrawal, with the date and the signatures of a company representative and the student.

18. What is the maximum number of hours a student can work under educational cooperation agreements?
Bachelor's degrees carrying 240 ECTS credits: maximum 900 hours per academic year
Master's degrees carrying 60 ECTS credits: maximum 600 hours per academic year
The academic year runs from 16 September to 15 September of the following year.

19. What are curricular placements?
Students may obtain recognition for 12 or 18 optional ECTS credits for external placements. (One ECTS credit equates to 30 hours of work.) Students must enrol in advance for these placements, which are considered curricular for all purposes.
The amount of time a student spends on a placement must be compatible with their studies. Work placements complement studies in Optics.

20. What costs does an educational cooperation agreement entail?
In compensation for the work done, and based on the company's interests and its proposal, the company undertakes to directly pay the student a minimum of €8/ hour as an educational grant. This amount is set when an agreement is signed. In addition, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya will bill the company for a management fee equivalent to 15.7% of the total amount to be paid to the student. For the company, the total cost of hosting a placement student is the sum of the educational grant, the management fee (15.7% of the grant amount), and the amount paid in social security contributions.

Companies must apply the minimum income tax withholding rate in effect.

21. What geographical coverage does student insurance provide?
Student insurance only provides coverage within the territory of Spain; no coverage is provided in other countries. For placements outside Spanish territory, students must take out a voluntary policy that provides coverage in the destination country.

22. Is travel by students during a placement covered?
All travel is covered by student insurance, provided that it is related to the purpose of the agreement and is within the territory of Spain.