Volkswagen Navarra and the University of Navarra presented the research projects that the Chair of Business Administration will carry out in the 2016-2017 academic year. The six proposals, which were jointly designed by Volkswagen Navarra and the University of Navarra to provide solutions to the automaker’s specific needs, feature collaborative work teams with members from both the University and Volkswagen Navarra.

The six research projects to be carried out are:

- Minimizing Rework in Assembly Using Big-Data Techniques, coordinated by Stella Salvatierra (University of Navarra) and Jon López and Ana Amatriain (Volkswagen Navarra).

- Gamification at Volkswagen Navarra, coordinated by Javier Santos (University of Navarra) and Daniel Ágreda (Volkswagen Navarra).

- Air Bubbles in FAD – EEMM, coordinated by Elizabeth Viles and Javier Santos (University of Navarra) and Ignacio Olalde (Volkswagen Navarra).

- CO2 Footprint Reduction Through Long-Term Material Supply Route Optimization, coordinated by Victoria Rodríguez, Juan Felipe Bermeo, María Jesús Álvarez and Stella Salvatierra (University of Navarra) and Lucinio Sebastián, Fernando Eslava and Vicente Santamaría (Volkswagen Navarra).

- Design and Development of a Glove That Can Identify Pressure and Impact, coordinated by Mabel Rodríguez (University of Navarra) and Juanma Hernández and Carlos Jiménez (Volkswagen Navarra).

- Changes in Volkswagen Navarra Employees’ Daily Mobility, coordinated by Juan José Pons (University of Navarra) and Ana Moreno (Volkswagen Navarra).

Since its inception in 1998, the Volkswagen Navarra S.A. Chair of Business Administration at the University of Navarra has deepened the business and educational relationship between the company and the University, and has become a true meeting point for research and innovation.

Over the past 18 years, more than 1,500 students have received training through the activities and subjects sponsored by the Chair of Business Administration. Since 2011, the Chair has carried out 13 collaborative research projects (eight from 2011 to 2013 and five from 2014 to 2016) focusing on specific topics such as process quality, exploration of new production systems, and safety and environmental protection measures.

The committee of the Chair is currently made up of 10 members: six from Volkswagen Navarra and four from the University of Navarra. The Navarra factory is represented by Ramón Bultó, Director of the Technical Department, Miguel Ángel Grijalba, Director of Production, Mikel Herrera, HR Development and Strategy Manager, Pablo Mendívil, Production Scheduling and Control Manager, Jesús Zorrilla, Communications and External Relations Manager and Alberto Lalana, Training Technician in Technical and Social Skills. The University is represented by José Antonio Alfaro, from the School of Economics and Business Administration, Javier Santos, from the Technological Campus of the University of Navarra, Javier Arellano, Associate Dean of Students at the School of Economics and Business Administration, and Nicolás Serrano, from the Technological Campus of the University of Navarra.