Introduction
The Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) is a public research university located in Madrid, and one of the oldest universities in the world (founded in 1499). It is located on a sprawling campus that occupies the entirety of the Ciudad Universitaria district of Madrid, with annexes in the district of Somosaguas in the neighbouring city of Pozuelo de Alarcón.
Ciudad Universitaria of Madrid is a large space devoted to Science and Higher Education. With over 10,500 researchers and 10% of the national scientific production of Spain, the “Campus de Moncloa”, which houses two universities and several research centres, is a unique environment, fostering synergies in higher education, research, innovation and social and cultural projection.
The UCM enrols over 80,000 students (10,2% international students), more than 10,500 researchers and over 3,400 administration and service staff. UCM consistently ranks as one of the top universities in Spain. According to the prestigious ranking QS, UCM was in 187th place worldwide in 2026, first among the Spanish universities; it stands out for the employability of its graduates (second Spanish university) and for the quality of the academic training it offers (third place nationwide). ARWU (Shangai) ranks the UCM among the top 5 Spanish universities; standing out for the number of eminent alumni, and also for the number of scholarly articles published. Moreover, the ranking underlines the quality of its educational environment, and its research excellence, as well as its national and international prestige.
The UCM currently offers 74 degrees, 22 double degrees, 168 university master’s degrees, 56 doctoral programmes and 16 international degrees, in 26 faculties and 139 departments.
Research and Education
The UCM is a broad-scoped university in which almost every field of knowledge is envisaged. During 2025, the income for research activities sums up to 48.5M€. The research at UCM is developed through its 26 faculties, 9 associated centres, 27 university institutes and research centres, 6 schools for professional specialization, 15 university clinics and hospitals, and 10 research assistance centres and ICTS.
Both students and researchers benefit from an extensive collection of volumes in any of the 31 UCM libraries (more than 3 million of volumes), as well periodic publications exceeding 22.760 en 2025. The historic collection of UCM’s library reaches 228.000 volumes and there are substantial historic and artistic funds all over the 13 museums and the 16 art, entomological, palaeontological, etc. collections.
More detailed information on R&D and Higher Education activities of the UCM can be found on Facts and Figures.
UCM: support to researchers in mobility programmes
As a Local Contact Point of the EURAXESS Service Network the UCM provides support to foreign researchers moving to the institution to develop R&D projects. Details on the support and the information provided through the EURAXESS Local Contact Point can be found here: EURAXESS Network Local Contact Point.
The UCM is committed to improving its Human Resources policies in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (C&C), which was endorsed in December 2015. In May 2017, the UCM started its Gap Analysis and the development of its Action Plan to align its practices and policies to the principles of the Charter and Code. Finally, in March 2018, the UCM finished this first process and published the Action Plan (HRS4R, Excellence in Research). It was subsequently awarded the distinction “HR Excellence in Research” (known as HRS4R), awarded by the EC to selected institutions to help and support a stimulating and favourable environment for research. HRS4R culminates in the recognition of human resources excellence in research by the EC for institutions that have made progress in adapting their human resources policies to the principles set out in the C&C. The UCM has since continued the implementation of this action plan, moving forward with the scheduled tasks, and mantained the distinction after the interim evaluation in August 2020. UCM has, since then, disseminated the HRS4R excellence award throughout with actions promoted by the Vice-Rectorate for Research and Transfer and the different departments.
All the aspects related to grant proposal preparation and the management of international Fellowships and Grants are dealt at the UCM by the European Office for R&D. This unit provides advice and support throughout the proposal preparation and the negotiation process of the Contracts and Agreements and the following management of the projects. A smooth financial management of the grants is guaranteed by the Economic Management Unit of the FGUCM, which deals regularly with more than 100 active international grants.