becas gsi

The Intelligent Systems Group was founded by Professors Gregorio Fernández, Mercedes Garijo and Fernando Sáez-Vacas in 1985, addressing issues of intelligent systems and complexity, creating a school of researchers and professionals. These grants are intended to continue their work in the training of researchers in these areas.

The Intelligent Systems Group of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid publishes the first call for grants for students of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid to carry out research work in the Intelligent Systems Group during the academic year 2021-2022.

Gregorio Fernández Fernández is Telecommunications Engineer (UPM, 1969), Ingénieur en Automatique (Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, 1971), Doctor in Telecommunications Engineering (UPM, 1975), University Professor in the Department of Telematic Systems Engineering since 1983. He has designed, coordinated and taught undergraduate courses related to computer science and telematics. He has also taught postgraduate courses on Medical Informatics, Logic Programming, Expert Systems, Deductive Databases, Machine Learning, Data Mining and Intelligent Agents, in several European and Latin American companies and universities. His research activity is developed in the areas of bioengineering and artificial intelligence, having directed or participated as a researcher or advisor in a number of R&D projects and directed six doctoral theses. He is the author of seven books, co-author of five, co-editor of two and translator of four, as well as author or co-author of twenty book chapters and articles in scientific journals and numerous communications to conferences.
Mercedes Garijo holds a PhD in Telecommunications Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and is a Professor in the Department of Telematic Systems Engineering at the same university. She teaches at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación in undergraduate, doctorate and postgraduate courses related to telematic services engineering and intelligent systems. In recent years his R&D activity is focused on the definition of methodologies and the analysis and development of intelligent systems (especially ontologies, machine learning and intelligent agents) and software engineering applicable to the development of new telematic services with methodologies that facilitate these developments. He has been a member of several research (projects) and teaching (degrees) quality evaluation committees. He has published more than 30 research articles in books, journals and international conferences, and has participated in more than 40 R&D projects in competitive, European and national calls, mostly as principal investigator.
Professor Mercedes Garijo is one of the pioneering women in Telecommunication Engineering in Spain and a great promoter of intelligent systems. The grant that bears her name will especially promote the incorporation of female students to research in these systems, also valuing their leadership capacity, having priority in the case of equal merit.
Fernando Sáez-Vacas is Full Professor at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Department of Telematic Systems Engineering, area of knowledge Computer Architecture and Technology, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación.
He has directed the design and implementation of all the computer science subjects of the corresponding specialty of the 1964M curriculum (1977) at the ETSI de Telecomunicación de Madrid and personally taught the new subjects of Structured Programming, Systems Theory, Theoretical Computer Science and the even newer ones related to the study of Complexity, to which were later added, within the School, in addition to several doctoral courses, the subjects of the latest curriculum (in force in 2009, date of his retirement) Software Engineering and Technological Innovation.
He has introduced in Spain and promoted programming and analysis methodologies, including LCP and LCS, since 1969. He has directed their implementation in some very important companies. In the technical field and in non-educational aspects, he specializes in studies on computer technology in general, software engineering (particularly, software ethics and management), socio-technical design, systemic methodology and analysis and design of complex systems, information socio-technology and technological innovation.

The Intelligent Systems Group was founded by Professors Gregorio Fernández, Mercedes Garijo and Fernando Sáez-Vacas in 1985, addressing issues of intelligent systems and complexity, creating a school of researchers and professionals. These grants are intended to continue their work in the training of researchers in these areas.

The Intelligent Systems Group of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid publishes the first call for scholarships for students of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid to carry out their Final Degree and Master's Degree Projects in the Intelligent Systems Group during the academic year 2021-2022.

1.Bases of the scholarships

The purpose of the grants is to support and defray, totally or partially, the expenses required for the completion of the Final Degree Project (hereinafter "TFG") or the Final Master's Project (hereinafter "TFM") of students who are starting their research at the Intelligent Systems Group (hereinafter "GSI") of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (hereinafter "UPM"), as well as to finance students who have completed their TFG work in the academic year 2020-2021 to extend it and publish the results obtained.
2. Endowment of the scholarships

2. Endowment of the scholarships

Three scholarships of 3,850 euros each are announced for the academic year 2021-2022 from November to May.

  • Beca Profesor Gregorio Fernández  for initiation to research in machine learning and Big Data.
  • Beca Profesora Mercedes Garijo for initiation to research in agent technology.
  • Beca Profesor Fernando Sáez-Vacas for initiation to research in complexity and social systems.


Professor Mercedes Garijo is one of the pioneering women in Telecommunications Engineering in Spain and a great promoter of intelligent systems. The scholarship that bears her name will especially promote the incorporation of female students to research in these systems, also valuing their leadership capacity, having priority in the case of equal merit.

3. Applicants

Students of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid who are going to present their TFG or TFM in the academic year 2021-2022, or who have presented their TFG in the academic year 2020-2021, carried out at the GSI, may apply for these grants.

3.1  Application form and documentation

The following documents must be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

  • Single page personal CV with recent photograph in PDF format.
  • Academic transcript of the student's degree in PDF format.
  • Introduction letter and interest in carrying out the TFG/TFM in the GSI research group or extending a TFG work already done.

3.2 Deadline for submission of applications

From October 7 to November 9, 2021. [EXTENDED DEADLINE]

4. 4. Selection process

The evaluation and selection of applications is carried out on a competitive basis. The members of the pre-selection and selection committees select the candidates who, in their opinion, have the best merits and abilities, based on their academic record and curriculum merits.

The process comprises three phases:

  1. Eligibility screening. All applications received are examined and those that do not meet the criteria published in the terms and conditions of the call for applications are discarded.
  2. Pre-selection. Each of the eligible applications is sent to a committee composed of researchers who are, or have been, part of the GSI. The highest-ranked applications will move on to the next phase.
  3. Face-to-face evaluation. Candidates who have passed the pre-selection will be called for a face-to-face interview before a committee, composed of GSI faculty and researchers.

Candidates will be informed whether or not they have been shortlisted on November 13, 2021.

The interviews with the selection committee will be held at ETSI Telecomunicación de Madrid, between November 1 and 12. These interviews will be face-to-face, although telematic interviews may exceptionally be considered. The interview will be conducted in Spanish, except for exchange students or international programs (e.g. EIT) in which they could be conducted in English.

5. Appointment of scholarship recipients

5.1. The selection committee shall decide the list of candidates selected as scholarship recipients, as well as the candidates in reserve, if any. This list shall be published, with names and surnames, on the GSI website.

5.2. In the event of resignations, the released scholarships shall be offered to the candidates in reserve, according to the order established in each case.

5.3. The decision of the selection committee is final and not subject to appeal.

5.4. This call for scholarships may be declared void, for some, some or all of the scholarships, if the selection committee so proposes to the GSI.

6. Start

6.1 Start

The grantees must join the research activities of the GSI, where they will carry out the TFG or TFM on the date to be determined, sending a copy of the incorporation to the grant to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

6.2 Obligaciones

The grantees must remain in the project where they will carry out the TFG or TFM, under the supervision of a tutor assigned by the GSI, for a minimum period of one academic year.

6.3 Justification

Scholarship recipients must remain vigilant in submitting the following documentation, without which scholarship payments cannot be made. They must submit:

  •  Proof of incorporation into the project activities during the first month.
  •  Proof of academic achievement (transcript of grades/grading of your TFG/TFM) at the end of the project activities.
  •   Scientific article (accepted or in the submission phase) as a result of the research grant.

6.4 Payment of the grant

The grant will be divided into three payments upon acceptance of the grant and commitment to comply with its conditions. The final payment is subject to passing the TFG or TFM exam, and to the delivery and acceptance of the resulting scientific article.

6.5  Non-compliance

Failure to comply with the obligations established in this call for proposals will result in the loss of the status of beneficiary of the grant and the obligation to reimburse the grant.

6.6 Property rights of the TFG and TFM


The grantee, while maintaining full property rights over his/her work, must expressly authorize the GSI the right of disclosure, in electronic or paper form and in whole or in part, and use the results to continue his/her research work, citing at all times the authorship of the same.