The chair is part of a comprehensive cooperation agreement that initiates a phase of joint research in areas of mutual interest.
The University of Granada and Amazon have signed a general cooperation protocol that opens a phase of collaboration in areas of mutual interest to both institutions. In the area of student education, the protocol provides, among other things, the awarding of scholarships to enable students to complete final or master’s theses and industrial doctorates. In the area of teaching, the protocol proposes the implementation of specialization courses, continuing education, and language accreditation. In the area of research and technology transfer, it includes the development of collaborative projects, the creation of joint units, proofs of concept, and the establishment of funded chairs. Furthermore, the agreement extends to support for infrastructure and cultural heritage, as well as activities in the fields of culture, sports, and social responsibility.
For the Rector of the UGR, this agreement with Amazon represents a strategic milestone, as it reaffirms the University of Granada’s commitment to research excellence and high-quality education in key areas such as artificial intelligence and computer science. Pedro Mercado emphasizes that this public-private collaboration not only promotes knowledge transfer and technological innovation, but also opens up new opportunities for our students and researchers in a global context where technological developments are advancing rapidly. Therefore, alliances like this are crucial to positioning our universities as engines of economic and social development.
Carmen Nestares, VP Prime & Marketing Technology at Amazon, explains: “The signing of this agreement is a transformative step that combines the academic excellence of a historic university with Amazon’s technological innovation. Our commitment to train half a million young people in Spain in digital skills by 2027 aligns perfectly with initiatives like this chair, which not only promote research in artificial intelligence and computer science, but also open up new perspectives for young talent in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers. This is Amazon’s understanding of education: practical, innovative, and with a real impact on society.”
The first two actions to be taken following the signing of this general protocol are the creation of the Amazon Chair and the launch of a research project that will enable doctoral theses on the application of artificial intelligence in marketing.
The Amazon Chair, led by Professors Oscar Cordón from the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence and Nuria Rico from the Institute of Statistics and Operations Research, was established with the aim of promoting academic excellence, innovation, and knowledge transfer, with a focus on research, training, and practical applications in the field of computer science and artificial intelligence. The main objectives of the Chair also include the dissemination of knowledge, promoting job market integration through external internships at Amazon, and supporting female talent in STEM fields. In short, this is a strategic collaboration aimed at combining the academic expertise of the UGR with the technological and innovative strength of Amazon, thus promoting scientific and educational progress with social and economic impact.
The chair is also initiating a project to supervise industrial theses on the application of artificial intelligence in marketing. In the first phase, Amazon is funding two doctoral theses to be developed by two young researchers at the UGR’s DaSCI Institute, the Andalusian Interuniversity Institute in Data Science and Computational Intelligence, a research institute supported by the Universities of Granada, Jaén, and Córdoba.
