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Written on April 18th 2024
Source here: University 2 Business (full article in Italian)
OPIT – Open Institute of Technology was born with the aim of bridging the gap between what is taught in traditional universities and what the job market requires. Let’s discover the degree courses available.
The job market is undergoing a significant transformation that will accelerate further in the coming years. Driving this transformation is the adoption of transformative technologies such as AI, Big Data and Cloud Computing, with Cybersecurity as the “glue” necessary to guarantee the security of information and data, which increasingly represent the real asset of companies.
According to the World Economic Forum, in its “Future of Jobs 2023” report, the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to create significant job turnover, with forecasts of both growth (50%) and job losses (25%). Employee training on AI and Big Data is a top priority for companies (42%), ranking third overall among professional training needs for the next five years.
As a result, AI and Machine Learning specialists are the fastest growing jobs, driven by the growing use of AI.
A 30-35% increase in demand for data-related professionals, such as analysts and data scientists, is also expected. Additionally, growing cyber threats are driving a 31% increase in demand for cybersecurity analysts, creating approximately 200,000 new jobs over the next 5 years.
Innovation in university programs transforms technology careers
Such a context of strong evolution and discontinuity places emphasis on the need for the traditional university system, especially in the technological field, of a strong update of teaching methodologies and its content, in order to be able to stay “in step with the times” and be able to adequately train new generations of professionals.
However, this poses great organizational complexities, linked to the need to update not only the programs, but also the skills and processes within the various institutions. As well as the timescales required to accredit and include new courses, which are often not aligned with the job market needs. These are problems that are not only related to the Italian market, but more generally, extend globally.
An overview of OPIT
It is in this context that OPIT – Open Institute of Technology is placed, an Academic Institution accredited by the MFHEA (Malta Further and Higher Education Authority) pursuant to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The academic institution was created with the aim of bridging the gap between what is taught in traditional universities and what the job market requires, while at the same time bringing various innovations in content and linked to the pedagogical model.
In an era characterized by an inevitable acceleration towards the most urgent transitions affecting society in the digital age, OPIT’s mission is to focus on quality online education in technology. The starting point is the awareness of the misalignment in the job market, between what is taught in most universities and what companies are looking for today. This so-called misalignment, accelerated by the advent of Artificial Intelligence, is generated by too much theory and an approach that lacks practice. We have identified the skills that will drive this change and have translated them into our innovative degree programs.
OPIT’s educational model stands out in the university education landscape for its emphasis on the needs of quality, flexibility and inclusiveness of the new generations. The focus on technology education allows us to offer high-level career-aligned learning with hands-on courses designed to best prepare students’ future careers: two Bachelor’s degrees in Digital Business and Modern Computer Science and four Master’s degrees in Applied Data Science & AI, Applied Digital Business, Responsible Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Cybersecurity.
Technological careers, AI integrated into every degree path
Artificial Intelligence is a topic addressed, from different angles, in every single degree course we offer, not just in the more technical ones. For example, we teach digital business students how AI is changing the world and how to incorporate this expertise into the products they aspire to create. A fundamental integration to face the challenges of the contemporary world.
Our students have the opportunity to understand in depth the potential and applications of AI, developing a preparation oriented towards technology and innovation. The institution’s hybrid model combines a community of online students with the flexibility to accelerate or extend their academic path, thus responding to the specific needs of each one.
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Source:
- Il Sole 24 Ore, Published on July 29th, 2024 (original article in Italian).
By Filomena Greco
It is called OPIT and it was born from an idea by Riccardo Ocleppo, entrepreneur, director and founder of OPIT and second generation in the company; and Francesco Profumo, former president of Compagnia di Sanpaolo, former Minister of Education and Rector of the Polytechnic University of Turin. “We wanted to create an academic institution focused on Artificial Intelligence and the new formative paths linked to this new technological frontier”.
How did this initiative come about?
“The general idea was to propose to the market a new model of university education that was, on the one hand, very up-to-date on the topic of skills, curricula and professors, with six degree paths (two three-year Bachelor degrees and four Master degrees) in areas such as Computer Science, AI, Cybersecurity, Digital Business; on the other hand, a very practical approach linked to the needs of the industrial world. We want to bridge a gap between formal education, which is often too theoretical, and the world of work and entrepreneurship.”
What characterizes your didactic proposal?
“Ours is a proprietary teaching model, with 45 teachers recruited from all over the world who have a solid academic background but also experience in many companies. We want to offer a study path that has a strong business orientation, with the aim of immediately bringing added value to the companies. Our teaching is entirely in English, and this is a project created to be international, with the teachers coming from 20 different nationalities. Italian students last year were 35% but overall the reality is very varied.”
Can you tell us your numbers?
“We received tens of thousands of applications for the first year but we tried to be selective. We started the first two classes with a hundred students from 38 countries around the world, Italy, Europe, USA, Canada, Middle East and Africa. We aim to reach 300 students this year. We have accredited OPIT in Malta, which is the only European country other than Ireland to be native English speaking – for us, this is a very important trait. We want to offer high quality teaching but with affordable costs, around 4,500 euros per year, with completely online teaching.”
Read the full article below (in Italian):
![](https://www.opit.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/EFMD-300x186.png )
Source:
- EFMD Global, Published on July 12th, 2024.
By Stephanie Mullins
Many people love to read the stories of successful business school graduates to see what they’ve achieved using the lessons, insights and connections from the programmes they’ve studied. We speak to one alumnus, Riccardo Ocleppo, who studied at top business schools including London Business School (LBS) and INSEAD, about the education institution called OPIT which he created after business school.
Please introduce yourself and your career to date.
I am the founder of OPIT — Open Institute of Technology, a fully accredited Higher Education Institution (HEI) under the European Qualification Framework (EQF) by the MFHEA Authority. OPIT also partners with WES (World Education Services), a trusted non-profit providing verified education credential assessments (ECA) in the US and Canada for foreign degrees and certificates.
Prior to founding OPIT, I established Docsity, a global community boasting 15 million registered university students worldwide and partnerships with over 250 Universities and Business Schools. My academic background includes an MSc in Electronics from Politecnico di Torino and an MSc in Management from London Business School.
Why did you decide to create OPIT Open Institute of Technology?
Higher education has a profound impact on people’s futures. Through quality higher education, people can aspire to a better and more fulfilling future.
The mission behind OPIT is to democratise access to high-quality higher education in the fields that will be in high demand in the coming decades: Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, and Digital Innovation.
Since launching my first company in the education field, I’ve engaged with countless students, partnered with hundreds of universities, and collaborated with professors and companies. Through these interactions, I’ve observed a gap between traditional university curricula and the skills demanded by today’s job market, particularly in Computer Science and Technology.
I founded OPIT to bridge this gap by modernising education, making it affordable, and enhancing the digital learning experience. By collaborating with international professors and forging solid relationships with global companies, we are creating a dynamic online community and developing high-quality digital learning content. This approach ensures our students benefit from a flexible, cutting-edge, and stress-free learning environment.
Why do you think an education in tech is relevant in today’s business landscape?
As depicted by the World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs 2023” report, the demand for skilled tech professionals remains (and will remain) robust across industries, driven by the critical role of advanced technologies in business success.
Today’s companies require individuals who can innovate and execute complex solutions. A degree in fields like computer science, cybersecurity, data science, digital business or AI equips graduates with essential skills to thrive in this dynamic industry.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global tech talent shortage will exceed 85 million workers by 2030. The Korn Ferry Institute warns that this gap could result in hundreds of billions in lost revenue across the US, Europe, and Asia.
To address this challenge, OPIT aims to democratise access to technology education. Our competency-based and applied approach, coupled with a flexible online learning experience, empowers students to progress at their own pace, demonstrating their skills as they advance.
Read the full article below:
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