Humanitarian Engineering in Spain

I ngenieros sin fronteras (ISF), the translation to Spanish of " Engineers Without Borders, " is the most important Span-ish organization related to humanitarian engineering, as well as one of the most important NGOs in Spain overall. ISF started in 1992 and the organization is structured as a federation where regional independent associations are represented by an assembly and a committee. The Association aspires to help integrate cultural, political, social, economical , and environmental contexts into technology, and to use technology for the service of human development. ISF works towards a just and solidarity-based society worldwide. Activities include: development programs, education, social awareness efforts, networking, and institutional relations. The Association is comprised of members, volunteers, and staff. Financial support comes primarily from the Spanish central and regional governments and from city councils, as well as from international organizations, universities, and private donations. History In 1987, Spain became involved in the European Erasmus student exchange program. The Erasmus program has been praised as one of the most successful educational experiences in Europe. The program supports international contact among students as a pathway to shared experiences among its participants. Spain's fi rst Erasmus exchanges were between Spanish engineering schools and other European universities. At the time, France was a popular destination for Spanish students because French was popular as a second language in Spain, and because of the historical cultural references and similarities between the two countries and cultures. Humanitarian engineering in Spain grew out of the experiences of Eras-mus participants. Spanish exchange students in France discovered the French association Ingénieurs sans Frontières. During their time on the exchange program they were involved in projects related to international cooperation, became enthusiastic about the idea, and decided to start a similar initiative at their own universities [1], [2]. The fi rst predecessor groups to Ingenieros sin Fronteras (ISF) began in Madrid, Zaragoza, and Asturias in 1990; Barcelona created its own association in 1992. During the 1990s, other groups were initiated simultaneously in several other communities. These small associations became aware of each other and began travel to Southern hemisphere countries. Over the course of these fi rst trips the students developed understanding of host country environments , and identifi ed needs as well as technical assistance they could contribute. Afterwards, these initial experiences would become integral to development projects. The various regional organizations in Spain also organized conferences and presentations at several schools …