At the recent EIT Education and Skills Day event, EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative Pledger, the University of Barcelona was named University Trainer of the Year. We spoke to them about their journey to embed deep tech within university education.
“From the lab to industry, people want to be part of the next wave of innovation, and we want to help make that possible.”
Deep Tech isn’t just another trend, It is transforming industries, research, and even the way we think about social impact. However, there’s a clear mismatch between how fast new technologies evolve and how slowly traditional university programs keep up, and the University saw an opportunity to bridge that gap.
Its goal is to make deep tech a core part of the university experience, taught by leading innovators and researchers who are shaping these fields in real time. And its commitment stems from the growing hunger for cutting-edge STEM applications across research, industry, and clinical translation.
“Deep tech training can create bridges, not just knowledge, but opportunity.”
One example of how the University’s training has directly benefitted the ‘learners’ is from its ‘Deep Tech Brain’ programme. Many of the participants were already CEOs of tech companies and leaders in their own right, but they joined the programme to explore new technologies and connect with researchers outside their usual fields. Some went on to form collaborations that opened entirely new markets or innovation pathways for their companies.
“Make it official.”
Based on the University’s experience, to create real engagement and lasting change, it’s important to integrate programmes into the academic structure, which means accreditation. However, getting university micro-credential status, which allows students to earn ECTS credits, isn’t easy, but it make programmes more attractive, more useful, and ultimately more sustainable.
“Our ambition is to help raise a generation of professionals who don’t just keep up with technology — they shape it.”
Having already delivered several fully accredited deep tech programmes, the University’s next big step is to embed them directly into the core curriculum of established degrees like medicine, physics, and psychology. The University is also expanding its collaborations with industry and research institutes so students can work on real-world innovation challenges from day one.
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