The University of Oviedo and the company Schneider Electric have signed a cooperation agreement through which the Schneider Hall to support students' training as well as opening a park to charge electric vehicles in the Campus of Gijón.

The rector, Vicente Gotor, inaugurated both facilities yesterday accompanied by the counsellor of Education and Universities, Ana Isabel Álvarez; the mayoress of Gijón; the chief manager of Energy and Mining, Javier Menéndez; Schneider Electric head of Marketing and Communications, José Emilio Serra; the ISEF head of Schneider Electric, David Estrada; and the manager of the Polytechnic School of Engineering of Gijón, Hilario López.

The park to charge electric vehicles counts with 15 points, 9 for electric bikes and motorbikes and 5 for cars. This station is located in the campus' public car parks and it can be used for any user who can require it. Furthermore, the Schneider Hall of the Polytechnic School of Engineering is provided with the newest technologies in the areas of electric distribution, control and industrial automation for future professionals. This hall, which is placed in 150 metres squared and a capacity for 52 students, will ease training in the field of electricity and electronics.

The rector stressed that this double agreement with the Schneider Company comprises research, knowledge transfer and support to employability and sustainability. Vicente Gotor reminded that backing clean energies and reducing CO2 emissions are one of the main axes of the Cluster of Energy, Environment and Climate Change of the Campus of International Excellence. Both the counselor of Education and Universities and the mayoress of Gijón congratulated the University of Oviedo for having passed the assessment of its Campus of International Excellence.

According to Schneider's representative, Estrada showed the company's disposal to keep on collaborating with the academic institution and he assured that this is one of "the most advanced" nine Schneider Halls located in Spain. Emilio Serra also added that Gijón's Hall will be "incubator for great projects" and he called for the training of professionals related to electric vehicles that, in his opinion, will play a key role in the new model of sustainable transport.