Politeknika Txorierri (TXORIERRI)

Politeknika Txorierri is a subsidized High School for Science and Technology and Vocational Education and Training (both EQF level 4 and 5) in the Spanish Basque Region. Each year the school provides education for over 400 full time students and 1000+ adult part time learners with a staff of 48 people. The center specializes in: Environmental Education, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Robotics, Sales and Commercial Management, Mechanical Design and Mechanical Production and provides 3 Specialisation programs: on Collaborative Robotics, on Smart Manufacturing and on Digital Transformation in Industry.

Txorierri counts with a Career Guidance department that provides our students with educational and professional support. We are also an authorized Employment Agency. Txorierri belongs to the HETEL network of 31 non-profit H/VET schools in the Basque Region providing VET to over 10,000 full time vocational students. The network shares innovation practices, internationalization and mobility organization and technical projects. Anabel Menica (staff member at Politeknika Txorierri) is the coordinator of Erasmus+ mobilities for HETEL. Politeknika Txorierri operates as a Cooperative made up of families, companies and local councils, and staff. We form part of the Mondragon Group with a strong emphasis on community and cooperative ethics. The Mondragon Group is a business group made up of 289 companies and entities and 15 Technology Centres.

Since 2013, Txorierri is also an associated member of the neighboring Science and Technology Park of Bizkaia and has collaboration agreements with key business and industrial clusters in the Basque Country which permits close collaboration between businesses and the college. In the academic year 2015-2016, Txorierri was selected by the Vice-Ministry of VET to create a node of six centers that, together with a group of leading technology companies and centers in advanced manufacturing, will be responsible for deploying the 2017-2020 Industry Plan that meets the new paradigm of Industry 4.0. Txorierri has close collaboration links with local industry through infrastructural and consulting services in the TKgune and Asmaola projects and in apprenticeship (dual system) training opportunities. In 2020 we were nominated by The Association of Professionals for Competitiveness in Machining, ASPROMEC, to their II Awards in the category of Educational Excellence. In this edition of the contest, sponsored by Industry From Needs to Solutions, the work of companies and institutions in the machining sector is highlighted.

Txorierri has a strong embedded QUALITY culture and is ISO9001 certified. The centre was the first VET school in Bizkaia to earn the Golden Q Award for QUALITY management in 2005 based on the EQFM Quality Model. Txorierri has accumulated experience in international project management. Since 1999 the center has participated in several European projects both as a contractor and as a partner.

Txorierri is a member of different European networks: a) INNOTECS, network of Technical VET schools and colleges; b) EfVET (European Federation of VET providers) network. EfVET has over 200 members in almost all the EU member states. It is able to reach out to over 1,500 VET institutions across Europe. This European network also has direct links to other European organizations including Lifelong Learning Platform, EAEA, EUCEN and CSR Europe; c) DLearn (European Digital Learning Network) and d) Chain 5 ‘community of practice for level 5’ for those who are involved in the developments concerning level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework.

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