The European MERIT project concludes after four years of developing digital talent

The European MERIT project concludes this September after four years of work aimed at training professionals with advanced digital skills and addressing talent needs in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT). One of the educational programmes, delivered at the UPC’s Manresa School of Engineering (EPSEM), has already seen its first 15 students graduate.

Coordinated by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC) and co-funded by the European Union through the Digital Europe Programme, MERIT has brought together universities, SMEs and innovation centres from several European countries. With a total budget of €12.5 million, the project has worked to create a European educational ecosystem connecting universities, technology and industry, and helping to train specialists in some of the most sought-after advanced digital skills.

The project has included a joint master’s programme involving four European universities: the UPC; Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), Lithuania; Riga Technical University (RTU), Latvia; and Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Estonia. Industrial partners and other organisations have also participated: the UPC Innovation and Technology Centre (CIT UPC); Associate Digital Innovation Zone – Zona de Inovare Digitala Ro Partner; Fondazione Bruno Kessler; Asoindel; Sauletekio Slenio Mokslo ANAR Technologiju Parkas LT; and Exacaster UAB.

Through this training, students have been able to address challenges facing European industry, with particular attention to countries with a low Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), such as Romania.

More than 400 students enrolled across five programmes

Within MERIT, five educational programmes have been developed at the participating universities, specialising in different areas of advanced digital technologies: artificial intelligence engineering; artificial intelligence solutions management; industrial engineering and management; machine learning and cybersecurity for internet-connected systems; and management of smart, resilient and interconnected systems.

Together, the five programmes have received nearly 900 applications and recorded more than 400 enrolments, attracting students from both EU and non-EU countries. This academic year, 54 students have graduated from four of these programmes.

Demand for the UPC Manresa master’s degree triples

One of the programmes developed is the Master’s Degree in Machine Learning and Cybersecurity for Internet-Connected Systems, delivered at the UPC’s Manresa School of Engineering (EPSEM). A total of 75 students have enrolled across three cohorts, and 15 students from the first cohort have already graduated.

The master’s degree combines three closely related areas — AI, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things — and has seen demand increase by 229% in two years, from 48 applications in 2024 to 158 in 2026. Over these four years, the programme has therefore become firmly established and will continue beyond the end of the project.

The student profile has also evolved, with an increase in female participation, which now accounts for 30% of enrolments in the current academic year. In terms of geographical background, the master’s degree attracts students from Catalonia and elsewhere in Spain, as well as from numerous European, Asian, African and American countries. The fact that it is taught in English helps foster its international dimension.

Nearly €60,000 in scholarships for students in Manresa

Financial support for students has been another of the measures accompanying the implementation of the MERIT programmes. At UPC Manresa, nearly €60,000 was allocated to student scholarships during the first two academic years, thanks to funding from the European Commission.

The scholarships have helped facilitate access to the master’s degree and complement other project activities designed to attract talent and enable students to benefit from the new educational opportunities.

New equipment

The project has also helped strengthen the teaching facilities of the project partners. In particular, EPSEM has acquired several robotic systems, as well as teaching equipment such as specialised computing servers for working with AI models that enable students to study how the brain works. These resources provide opportunities for experimental work on concepts related to artificial intelligence, robotics, connected systems and other emerging technologies. At the same time, they expand the possibilities for practical exercises, projects and activities in which students need to combine knowledge from different fields.

Hackathons to turn knowledge into solutions

Challenge-based learning has also played an important role in MERIT, with eight MERIThONs organised to enable students to apply their knowledge and work in teams to find solutions to technological challenges.

Three of these hackathons, which were also open to the general public, were organised at EPSEM and focused on challenges related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things. The latest edition brought together 32 students in nine teams. Projects developed included an artificial intelligence-based tool for analysing body posture and fatigue to help prevent accidents in industrial environments, and an application integrating different modes of transport to support more efficient and sustainable urban mobility in Manresa.

Bringing universities closer to the needs of industry

The project has also promoted meetings, workshops, conferences, challenges and other forms of collaboration with companies, with the aim of aligning education more closely with the real needs of industry and facilitating students’ contact with the professional world.

At UPC Manresa, this strand of activity has included, among other initiatives, the Central Catalonia Digital Forum, which brought together companies, students and professionals to discuss digitalisation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, IoT, sustainability and digital talent needs. One of the project’s workshops was also organised in Manresa.

Throughout the master’s degree, professionals from companies have participated in conferences and teaching activities, while internships and master’s theses have opened up new avenues for collaboration. The involvement of MERIT partner companies, such as Asoindel, has also helped bring industrial experience closer to students.

A European network that facilitates mobility

Collaboration between the participating universities has enabled students to take part in exchange activities with other institutions involved in the project, including courses and conferences organised both by consortium partners and other organisations.

In Manresa, one of the most notable experiences was a visit by students from Riga Technical University’s Master’s Degree in Management of Smart, Resilient, and Interconnected Systems. Over the course of a week, the students took part in intensive training on the Internet of Things at the TechLab. The programme combined Arduino and sensors, Python, communications, cloud services, data visualisation and cybersecurity. Working in pairs, students developed prototypes and presented their proposals in an activity combining technological aspects with management and entrepreneurship.

Beyond university education

The different partners have also organised outreach activities, specialised training and initiatives aimed at bringing digital technologies to new audiences, ranging from young people to professionals and companies.

At EPSEM, one such initiative has been Girls in ICT Day, aimed at encouraging secondary and upper-secondary school girls to pursue careers in technology. In the latest edition, participants built an IoT system capable of measuring the moisture level of a plant and sending notifications to a mobile phone, combining sensors, Arduino, Python and Telegram. The activity was complemented by a talk on industrial IoT delivered by an Asoindel professional.

UPC Manresa has also participated in EU Code Week, with activities on programming, computational thinking and robotics aimed at younger audiences. In one of the activities, participants programmed robots in an environment inspired by the exploration of Mars.

The project has also enabled the development of activities aimed at professionals. These include a course on cybersecurity for industrial systems, focusing on the protection of OT and industrial environments, control systems, the main types of cyberattacks, and relevant standards and protection strategies.