Over 14,190 UOC students obtain the Government of Catalonia ICT skills certificate

A total of 14,193 UOC students have obtained an official Government of Catalonia ICT skills certificate. Titled ACTIC (Accreditation of Information and Communications Technology Skills), the certificate provides recognition of digital competencies gained in the ICT skills course that is given across the board in all degrees the University offers. Passing this course automatically qualifies students for the ACTIC certificate. The UOC is currently the only university in Catalonia offering this award, having done so since 2014, when the Catalan Government recognized its equivalent status with the medium-level ACTIC qualification.

Furthermore, as of the 2016/2017 academic year, this qualification is also awarded to students who have passed the ICT Skills in Vocational Training project that is part of the advanced-level vocational training courses the UOC runs in collaboration with Jesuïtes Educació.

Issued by the Government of Catalonia, the ACTIC certificate accredits ICT skills, understood as comprising the combination of knowledge, abilities and attitudes relating to information and communications technology which are put to use in real situations to achieve specific goals efficiently and effectively.

Simplifying job searches

The ACTIC certificate is very useful when it comes to finding employment, as it simplifies recruitment processes by proving that candidates have the digital skills needed to work in a given role. This means that in relations with any given company or institution, these certificates can help holders find a job, gain promotions, access virtual learning tools or achieve professional certifications.

The UOC's ICT Skills course is compulsory on all degree courses; it lasts one semester, is worth 6 ECTS credits (150 hours), and it is recommended that students enrol on it for their first semester. Its main purpose is to provide students with a gradual and integrated initiation to gain the essential UOC skill: use and application of ICT in the academic and professional sphere. This is a competence that involves reasoned and critical use of ICT to work and study in the information society. As for the ICT Skills in Vocational Training project, worth 4 credits (120 hours), this is compulsory when students enrol on any of the online vocational training courses offered by the UOC.

In both cases, the methodology followed entails project work in teams, and helps students to gain the following skills:

• Searching and selecting information online

• Processing and producing digital information

• Presenting and disseminating digital information

• Basic understanding of digital technology

• Work planning in a virtual environment

• Online communication strategies

• Teamwork online

• Digital attitude

Also, anyone who is interested can now obtain this certificate by enrolling on just this specific course, without having to enrol on any degree programme. This is offered through the UOC's open courses.