The CIEM is part of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Cantabria, where intensive work is done to promote mathematics among young people of the Autonomous Community through various initiatives.

This is the case of the Program for Early Detection and Stimulus of Mathematics Talent (ESTALMAT, by its Spanish name). This program seeks to detect, guide and encourage mathematical talent of youths from 12 to 13 years. Two groups of 15 students  regularly attend every Saturday at the Faculty of Sciences for two academic courses to participate in novel and exciting math activities.

Each session is designed and conducted by a member of one of the two mathematical departments of the UC: Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science or Applied Mathematics and Computation. Students with interests and mathematical abilities find by themselves (guided by the teachers) the presence of the mathematics in the real life and its various applications in different problems  addressed in the school curricula.

The ESTALMAT program started in Madrid in 1998, and it takes place in Cantabria since 2008. It is organized by the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences in collaboration, in Cantabria, with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports of the Government of Cantabria, the University of Cantabria, the Mathematical Society of Teachers of Cantabria, the CSIC and the FECYT.