THE FIRST-EVER degree in Artificial Intelligence in Spain will be offered from next September at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) on its San Sebastián campus.
It will comprise 240 ECT (European Credit Transfer) points – the equivalent of four years of a UK undergraduate degree, since Spanish degrees run for four years and master's degrees for one, rather than three and two as in Great Britain.
Only 40 places will be available, meaning it is very likely to be oversubscribed.
The UPV/EHU board of governors approved the specification at the end of last week, and says the curriculum will cover robotics, optimisation and expert systems, among other areas.
Students will also have the chance to take modules taught entirely in English and 'take part in a wide programme of offers of international mobility', meaning they will be able to opt for placements abroad as part of their studies.
According to the university, Artificial Intelligence is 'the revolution that could have the greatest impact on society', since it 'will completely change the public's habits and beliefs'.
The degree course taught at the Faculty of Information Technology in San Sebastián will 'have a direct application on Intelligent specialisation which will permit progress towards an economy based upon knowledge'.
Offering the course will 'place the UPV/EHU at the cutting edge of research', according to dean Nekane Balluerka, and will turn out 'highly-qualified people with a high level of employability'.
Sixth-form students can start to apply for the course from the summer of 2020.
Photograph: Christine Daniloff of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
