The Information and Communication Technology Center (CTIC) will promote, together with the University of Oviedo, two new micro-credentials in quantum computing and advanced computing for the application of artificial intelligence, an innovative training to be launched in 2026 and accessible to both students and other university staff.
These certifications are developed within the framework of the CTIC Chair for Digital Transformation, a stable collaboration space between the technology center and the university that promotes research, capacity building and knowledge transfer in key areas for regional development. The initiative aims to respond to the lack of qualified personnel in strategic technological areas, a need detected by the technology center through its relationship with companies.
The micro-credentials, backed by the European Union, are short-term digital certifications that accredit specific competencies acquired through short training courses of less than 15 ECTS credits. They are integrated as part of the Lifelong Learning offer of the University of Oviedo, within the European Higher Education Area, which guarantees quality standards and international recognition. Its aim is to offer an agile response to the demands of the labor market, improve employability and facilitate lifelong learning.
Leading fields
The offer developed by CTIC will focus on two leading fields, quantum computing and advanced computing oriented to the application of artificial intelligence, with a special focus on technologies such as those developed by NVIDIA.
The announcement was made during the 7th Annual Conference of Corporate and Institutional Chairs, held on January 23rd at the University of Oviedo. In that context, CTIC presented the activities it develops within the framework of the CTIC Chair for Digital Transformation, which will be renewed in this 2026. The current agreement runs until October of that year and work is already underway on a new agreement that will extend its validity for at least four more years, reinforcing an alliance considered strategic for the territory.
During the presentation, Pablo Coca, CEO of CTIC, and Fidel Díez, R&D director of the center, unpacked the objectives and activities of the Chair, underlining the importance of this tandem with the University of Oviedo. "The Chair is a collaboration that allows us to know first-hand what is being researched at the university level and to transfer that knowledge to the practical field, connecting it with the real needs of companies and society."
The Chair acts as a bridge between the university and the technology center, bringing students closer to the reality of applied R&D. Thanks to this connection, students can learn what a technology center does, what technologies are being used and how they are applied in real projects, many of them developed in consortium with companies. Their active participation is also encouraged through initiatives such as hackathons and technological challenges, which allow them to experiment and provide solutions to specific problems.