The Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) is a unique institution through and through. From an unparalleled support team that guides you every step of the way to state-of-the-art virtual resources, OPIT redefines online learning. This institution also proves that online education can be as enriching as its traditional counterpart. Better yet, it can outperform it in numerous aspects.
This fact alone begs the question – how did it all begin?
To answer this question, we’ll go straight to the source – the founder of OPIT, Riccardo Ocleppo.
In this article, Riccardo will walk us through his journey of envisioning (and building) OPIT and transforming online education in the process.
The Pre-OPIT Years: Where It All Began
To understand how Riccardo came up with the idea for OPIT, we must travel back to the year 2006. That’s when Riccardo graduated from Politecnico di Torino with a bachelor’s in electronics engineering.
This institution is arguably the most prestigious in Italy (and one of the most reputable in Europe). So, it shouldn’t be surprising that Riccardo chose to continue his education here, pursuing a master’s degree.
He completed the master’s program in 2008 and did so with honors.
Yet, Riccardo couldn’t shake the impression that it was all in vain. In his words, “When I left the university, I had the impression that I could do very little, and I knew very little that could help me in my professional endeavors.”
But Riccardo decided not to sit idly by.
He saw it this way – it might be too late for him, as he was done with his studies. But it’s certainly not too late for future students who deserve a better education. That’s why, only two years later, in 2010, he founded Docsity.
Docsity is an online social learning network with over 20 million registered students. Thanks to this network, over 250 universities worldwide received help in improving their study programs (and finding students).
Docsity also gave Riccardo a chance to fully immerse himself into the education sector for over a decade, finding new ways to reform it from within.
OPIT’s Inception: From Vision to Reality
With the knowledge (and the resources) from Docsity, Riccardo started working on a platform designed to provide the kind of education he wished he had received. The platform in question was, of course, the Open Institute of Technology.
The primary goal of OPIT was to bridge the gap between “what students expect, what companies need, and what higher-level institutions actually deliver in terms of training and education.”
From Riccardo’s experience, this gap was pretty huge. Remember that even with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in electronics engineering, he felt he had little to offer to companies.
This perceived shortcoming primarily comes from the fact he received a lot of theory at the university but very little practice. And that’s not to mention how outdated the curriculum was, as well as laser-focused on electronics engineering. In other words, bid farewell to “competencies on the most recent technologies and project management methodologies.”
This perspective made him determined to create a holistic educational solution. Or, as Riccardo puts it, “When designing OPIT’s degree programs to address the skills in high demand today, we chose to start from scratch to go beyond the limits of traditional higher education.”
At OPIT, you’ll receive valuable knowledge beyond theory. Essentially, OPIT equips you with everything you need to enter the job market, ready to excel in your field from day one (or day zero, as Riccardo calls it!).
Tailored for Triumph: OPIT’s Unique Programs
Designing any online curriculum is no easy task. However, the computer science field comes with its unique set of challenges. Why?
This field is constantly evolving. That’s what makes it difficult for most traditional higher education institutions to keep up. As Riccardo puts it, “[These institutions] are very slow to adapt to this wave of new technologies and new trends within the educational sector.” Of course, thanks to Docsity, Riccardo speaks from extensive experience, as he’s seen “multiple times how difficult it is to help these institutions update their study curriculum.”
Companies have it no easier.
Riccardo says, “A company needs one to two years to make people that should be trained on today’s technologies and on today’s skills effectively enter the job market and be productive when they enter these companies.”
Again, Riccardo speaks from personal experience. As a founder of a tech company (and a manager in others), he was tasked with creating and managing big tech teams on several occasions. However, despite interviewing hundreds of candidates, he couldn’t find those trained in today’s technologies, not those from 20 years ago.
With this in mind, he designed OPIT’s curriculum to effectively “train the next generation of leaders and managers in the field of computer science.” Many people helped him in this endeavor, chief among them Professor Francesco Profumo, current head of institution at OPIT and former Minister of Education in Italy.
This unique approach makes OPIT’s programs different in terms of how they’ve been conceived and how they’ll be delivered.
Take the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Modern Computer Science program as an example.
Riccardo says that to be a great programmer, “you cannot just dive into programming itself.” First, you must understand how a computer is built and how its various units operate and communicate. This way, you’ll have no issues debugging a code in the future since you’ll understand the underlying mechanisms.
These underlying systems and foundational skills are precisely what is taught during the first term of the modern computer science program. Afterward, you’ll move toward the latest advancements in computer science, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. This way, you’ll have quite a broad perspective on computer science, rarely seen in other educational programs, online or offline.
It also means you won’t have to specialize in a particular field, as you’re forced to do with many other programs. In Riccardo’s opinion, the master’s degree is where you should begin your specialization journey.
OPIT offers as many as four master’s degree programs, but Riccardo focuses on Applied Data Science & AI this time.
In Riccardo’s words, “The whole purpose of this [program] is actually to train people that do not want to pursue a super technical career but actually want to pursue a career at the intersection between the tech and the management of a company.” In other words, individuals who complete this program will acquire all the necessary tech skills. However, they’ll also be able to ensure the tech team is “correctly understood by the management of the company,” thanks to the managerial skills earned during the program.
Of course, this program also covers all the essential theoretical knowledge, from Python to machine learning. But it also has a solid applicative angle, teaching students how to use the most valuable tools available in today’s market. Simply put, you’re training “for what you’ll be doing when you enter your next job.”
Breaking the Mold: What Sets OPIT Apart
The unique curriculum isn’t the only thing that sets OPIT apart from other higher education institutions in the same field. Here’s what Riccardo singles out as OPIT’s most appealing characteristics.
Continuous Assessment
Learning at your own pace can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have all the flexibility and freedom to organize your studies (and life). On the other, you might start procrastinating without a traditional daily commitment of in-classroom learning.
OPIT ensures this unfortunate scenario never happens by doing away with one big final exam you must cram for. Instead, you’ll be continuously assessed throughout the program, allowing you a much better approach to learning and a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
As Riccardo puts it, OPIT will give you “multiple checkpoints,” preventing you from getting “lost” throughout the learning process.
New Learning Resources
According to Riccardo, most of today’s available resources were created for the “oldest wave of education.” That’s why he (and his team) created all OPIT resources and learning materials from scratch, giving you a fresh perspective on the tech world. These resources also come in the form of engaging videos, which are short enough to keep you fully focused yet detailed enough to provide a deep understanding of the topic.
World-Class Professors
Let’s not sugarcoat it – modern resources mean nothing if the professors teaching them still stick to old-school principles and approaches. Luckily, this isn’t the case with OPIT’s faculty.
Every member of this faculty has been carefully selected based on their academic expertise, business experience, and global perspective. These professors aim to “help you learn in a more engaging and interesting way,” as Riccardo puts it.
He also adds that OPIT’s faculty breaks away from the common saying in academics, “Those who can’t do, teach.” In his words, “We didn’t want to have people that can teach because they cannot do,” so that’s the standard he prioritized when bringing people on board.
Future-Proof Your Career
Now that you know the fascinating tale of OPIT’s conception, all that’s left to do is to get in touch with our team of experts and take the first step in future-proofing your career. As you’ve already seen, OPIT will take care of most of the subsequent steps. All you need is a desire to learn and an interest in developing new skills, and success is imminent.
Related posts
The Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) is the perfect place for those looking to master the core skills and gain the fundamental knowledge they need to enter the exciting and dynamic environment of the tech industry. While OPIT’s various degrees and courses unlock the doors to numerous careers, students may not know exactly which line of work they wish to enter, or how, exactly, to take the next steps.
That’s why, as well as providing exceptional online education in fields like Responsible AI, Computer Science, and Digital Business, OPIT also offers an array of career-related services, like the Peer Career Mentoring Program. Designed to provide the expert advice and support students need, this program helps students and alumni gain inspiration and insight to map out their future careers.
Introducing the OPIT Peer Career Mentoring Program
As the name implies, OPIT’s Peer Career Mentoring Program is about connecting students and alumni with experienced peers to provide insights, guidance, and mentorship and support their next steps on both a personal and professional level.
It provides a highly supportive and empowering space in which current and former learners can receive career-related advice and guidance, harnessing the rich and varied experiences of the OPIT community to accelerate growth and development.
Meet the Mentors
Plenty of experienced, expert mentors have already signed up to play their part in the Peer Career Mentoring Program at OPIT. They include managers, analysts, researchers, and more, all ready and eager to share the benefits of their experience and their unique perspectives on the tech industry, careers in tech, and the educational experience at OPIT.
Examples include:
- Marco Lorenzi: Having graduated from the MSc in Applied Data Science and AI program at OPIT, Marco has since progressed to a role as a Prompt Engineer at RWS Group and is passionate about supporting younger learners as they take their first steps into the workforce or seek career evolution.
- Antonio Amendolagine: Antonio graduated from the OPIT MSc in Applied Data Science and AI and currently works as a Product Marketing and CRM Manager with MER MEC SpA, focusing on international B2B businesses. Like other mentors in the program, he enjoys helping students feel more confident about achieving their future aims.
- Asya Mantovani: Asya took the MSc in Responsible AI program at OPIT before taking the next steps in her career as a Software Engineer with Accenture, one of the largest IT companies in the world, and a trusted partner of the institute. With a firm belief in knowledge-sharing and mutual support, she’s eager to help students progress and succeed.
The Value of the Peer Mentoring Program
The OPIT Peer Career Mentoring Program is an invaluable source of support, inspiration, motivation, and guidance for the many students and graduates of OPIT who feel the need for a helping hand or guiding light to help them find the way or make the right decisions moving forward. It’s a program built around the sharing of wisdom, skills, and insights, designed to empower all who take part.
Every student is different. Some have very clear, fixed, and firm objectives in mind for their futures. Others may have a slightly more vague outline of where they want to go and what they want to do. Others live more in the moment, focusing purely on the here and now, but not thinking too far ahead. All of these different types of people may need guidance and support from time to time, and peer mentoring provides that.
This program is also just one of many ways in which OPIT bridges the gaps between learners around the world, creating a whole community of students and educators, linked together by their shared passions for technology and development. So, even though you may study remotely at OPIT, you never need to feel alone or isolated from your peers.
Additional Career Services Offered by OPIT
The Peer Career Mentoring Program is just one part of the larger array of career services that students enjoy at the Open Institute of Technology.
- Career Coaching and Support: Students can schedule one-to-one sessions with the institute’s experts to receive insightful feedback, flexibly customized to their exact needs and situation. They can request resume audits, hone their interview skills, and develop action plans for the future, all with the help of experienced, expert coaches.
- Resource Hub: Maybe you need help differentiating between various career paths, or seeing where your degree might take you. Or you need a bit of assistance in handling the challenges of the job-hunting process. Either way, the OPIT Resource Hub contains the in-depth guides you need to get ahead and gain practical skills to confidently move forward.
- Career Events: Regularly, OPIT hosts online career event sessions with industry experts and leaders as guest speakers about the topics that most interest today’s tech students and graduates. You can join workshops to sharpen your skills and become a better prospect in the job market, or just listen to the lessons and insights of the pros.
- Internship Opportunities: There are few better ways to begin your professional journey than an internship at a top-tier company. OPIT unlocks the doors to numerous internship roles with trusted institute partners, as well as additional professional and project opportunities where you can get hands-on work experience at a high level.
In addition to the above, OPIT also teams up with an array of leading organizations around the world, including some of the biggest names, including AWS, Accenture, and Hype. Through this network of trust, OPIT facilitates students’ steps into the world of work.
Start Your Study Journey Today
As well as the Peer Career Mentoring Program, OPIT provides numerous other exciting advantages for those who enroll, including progressive assessments, round-the-clock support, affordable rates, and a team of international professors from top universities with real-world experience in technology. In short, it’s the perfect place to push forward and get the knowledge you need to succeed.
So, if you’re eager to become a tech leader of tomorrow, learn more about OPIT today.
The world has entered the age of artificial intelligence (AI), and this exciting new technology is already changing the face of society in an ever-growing number of ways. It’s influencing a plethora of industries and sectors, from healthcare and education to finance and urban planning. This guide explores AI’s impact on three of the core pillars of life: business, education, and sustainability.
AI in Business: Unlocking Unprecedented Opportunities
In the world of business, the number of uses of AI is growing by the day. Whether it’s in sales, marketing, customer relations, operational optimization, cybersecurity, data management, or some other aspect of organizational life, there are so many ways this technology can unlock new opportunities or expedite existing processes.
Take data as an example. Many businesses now collect and use large amounts of data to inform their decisions in areas like product development or marketing strategy. But they have, up to now, been limited in how they can structure, visualize, and analyze their data. AI changes all that, as it can dig into vast databases with ease, extracting insights to drive actionable decisions in no time.
AI also bridges gaps in communications. It has the power to speak in most major languages, translating audio or written text with astonishing accuracy in an instant. In a globalized world, where many businesses buy and sell with partners, suppliers, investors, and other stakeholders from other nations, AI can help them communicate and exchange information more easily and reliably.
AI in Education: Democratizing and Accelerating the Learning Process
In the educational sector, AI is solving problems that have plagued this industry for generations and transforming the ways in which students learn and teachers teach. It can be used, for example, to personalize a student’s learning plan or adapt content to align with each learner’s favored learning style, making it easier for them to soak up and retain information and skills.
AI’s generative capabilities are also proving useful in the education sector. Teachers, for example, can turn to generative AI models to create lesson plans or supplementary content to support their courses, such as tables, charts, infographics, and images. This all helps to make the learning experience more diverse, dynamic, and engaging for every kind of learner.
On a broader level, there’s clear potential for AI to democratize education across the globe, making learning more accessible to all. That includes those in developing nations who may normally lack opportunities to gain knowledge and skills to achieve their ambitions. If harnessed correctly and responsibly, this technology could elevate education to whole new heights.
AI in Sustainability: Smarter Cities and Next-Level Efficiency
Sustainability is one of the sticking points when talking about AI, as many critics of the technology point to the fact that it involves huge amounts of energy and relies heavily on large and costly data centers to operate. At the same time, AI could also solve many of the sustainability crises facing the world today, uncovering solutions and innovations that may have previously taken decades to develop.
It’s already proving its value in this domain. For instance, DeepMind developed an AI system that was actually able to optimize data center energy efficiency, cutting the amount of energy used to cool data center hardware by a whopping 40% and improving energy efficiency in certain centers by 15%. That’s just one example, and it’s only the start of what AI could do from an environmental perspective.
This tech is also making cities smarter, more efficient, and more pleasant in which to live through AI-powered navigation aids or traffic redistribution systems. It also holds potential for future urban planning, city development, and infrastructure construction, provided the correct systems and frameworks can be established to make the best use of AI’s advantages.
The Ethical Challenges and Risks of AI
Despite its almost countless advantages and possible applications, AI is not without its flaws. This technology brings challenges and risks to go along with its opportunities, and five leading examples include:
- Bias: Algorithmic bias is an issue that has already presented itself during the relatively brief existence of AI so far. Some systems, for example, have issued responses or generated content that could be classified as discriminatory or prejudiced, due to the training data they were given.
- Privacy: There are fears among populations and analysts about the amount of data being fed into AI systems and how such data could be misused, potentially violating people’s rights of privacy and falling foul of data privacy regulations, such as GDPR.
- Misuse: Like so many game-changing technologies, AI has the potential to be used for both benevolent and malicious purposes. It may be used to spread misinformation and “fake news,” influence public opinion, or even in cyber-attacks, for instance.
- Over-reliance: AI is so powerful, with the capacity to carry out tasks with remarkable precision and speed, that it will be tempting for organizations to integrate it into many of their workflows and decision-making processes. But AI cannot be treated as a substitute for human judgment.
- Sustainability: There are also fears about the energy costs associated with AI and the data centers needed to power it, plus the fact that some elements of the burgeoning AI industry may exploit workers in poorer nations worldwide.
Solving These Challenges: Regulation and Responsible Use of AI
With the right approach, it is possible to solve all the above challenges, and more, making AI the most valuable and beneficial new technology the world has seen since the advent of the internet. This will require a two-pronged strategy focusing on both regulation and responsible usage.
Europe is already leading the way in the first aspect. It has introduced the AI Act – a world-first regulatory framework related to artificial intelligence, laying out how it should be used to drive innovation without infringing on the fundamental rights of workers and the larger public.
Educational institutions like the OPIT – Open Institute of Technology are also leading the way in the second aspect, educating people around the world on how to work with AI in a responsible, ethical way, through programs like the MSc in Responsible Artificial Intelligence.
By establishing rules and regulations about AI’s usage and educating the tech leaders of tomorrow in how to work with AI in a fair and responsible way, the future is bright for this exciting and extraordinary new technology.
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