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Focus-Abengoa Foundation and the UIMP creates in Seville two university Schools on Technology and Baroque

Seville, September 23th, 2004. Focus-Abengoa Foundation and the International University Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP) has reached a collaboration agreement for the creation of two university Schools, one dedicated to Thecnology, and the other one to Baroque, which will be included in the academic programming of the UIMP in Seville and will take place in the “Hospital de los Venerables” building in Seville, headquarter of the the Foundation Focus-Abengoa.

This academic project of high level between these two prestigious cultural institutions is the result of the Agreement signed last February 12, for which they decided to stimulate jointly the bases of a collaboration in the organization of activities of educational, scientific or cultural character, which generates a fluid current of attraction among a young and university public.

The organization of both Schools promoted by Focus-Abengoa Foundation and the UIMP will develop the formative and academic activities in a period of three years, with continuity, progression and enrichment in both central chosen topics, across an annual course.

Schools with academic excellence

The Schools will develop as university courses with a total duration of 30 hours each one and will count with the specialists' participation of recognized academic prestige. It is foreseen that from November 22 to next November 26, including the autumn programming of the UIMP, celebrates the first edition of the " School of the Baroque Focus-Abengoa Foundation", directed by professor Irving Lavin (Institute for Advanced Study School of Historical Study-Princeton), and professor Vicente Lleó, of the University of Seville, with the title ' The Baroque. Rhetoric and art of the persuasion’.

In the same way, and as part of the Spring programming 2005 of the UIMP, there will take place the first edition of the " School of Technology Focus-Abengoa Foundation", directed by professor Juergen B. Donges, The Director of the Institute of Economic Politics of the University of Cologne, under the title ' Technology, Globalization and Productivity '.

Focus-Abengoa Foundation and the UIMP have created a Mixed Commission in order to supervise everything relative to the academic and organizational development of both joint Schools in order to save, in a permanent way, over the academic excellence and the formative quality.

With the creation of these " School of the Baroque Focus-Abengoa Foundation" and " School of Technology Focus-Abengoa Foundation", we try to offer a meeting forum among out-standing national and international specialists to think about these topics throughout next three years.

Focus-Abengoa Foundation came into being in 1982 as a consequence of the cultural activity initiated by Abengoa in 1972 when the company published the works titled Sevillian Subjects and Iconography of Seville. At the same time, the company created a collection of documents, books and prints on the Kingdom of Seville or by Sevillian authors. This initial cultural activity made Abengoa's senior management realize the importance of revealing itself beyond the restraints of its essential technological functions through an activity that would benefit society as a whole, and thus Fundación Fondo de Cultura de Seville (FOCUS) was established.

The activities of the Foundation have been increasing with time, faithfully complying with its foundational objective of promoting culture in its diverse artistic and scientific manifestations. The main protagonists in the life of Focus-Abengoa have been education, painting, restoration, and music, followed by seminars, the written word and prints.