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.

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The Value of Hackathons
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
Jan 5, 2026 6 min read

Bring talented tech experts together, set them a challenge, and give them a deadline. Then, let them loose and watch the magic happen. That, in a nutshell, is what hackathons are all about. They’re proven to be among the most productive tech events when it comes to solving problems and accelerating innovation.

What Is a Hackathon?

Put simply, a hackathon is a short-term event – often lasting just a couple of days, or sometimes even only a matter of hours – where tech experts come together to solve a specific problem or come up with ideas based on a central theme or topic. As an example, teams might be tasked with discovering a new way to use AI in marketing or to create an app aimed at improving student life.

The term combines the words “hack” and “marathon,” due to how participants (hackers or programmers) are encouraged to work around-the-clock to create a prototype, proof-of-concept, or new solution. It’s similar to how marathon runners are encouraged to keep running, putting their skills and endurance to the test in a race to the finish line.

The Benefits of Hackathons

Hackathons provide value both for the companies that organize them and the people who take part. Companies can use them to quickly discover new ideas or overcome challenges, for example, while participants can enjoy testing their skills, innovating, networking, and working either alone or as part of a larger team.

Benefits for Companies and Sponsors

Many of the world’s biggest brands have come to rely on hackathons as ways to drive innovation and uncover new products, services, and opportunities. Meta, for example, the brand behind Facebook, has organized dozens of hackathons, some of which have led to the development of well-known Facebook features, like the “Like” button. Here’s how hackathons help companies:

  • Accelerate Innovation: In fast-moving fields like technology, companies can’t always afford to spend months or years working on new products or features. They need to be able to solve problems quickly, and hackathons create the necessary conditions to deliver rapid success.
  • Employee Development: Leading companies like Meta have started to use annual hackathons as a way to not only test their workforce’s skills but to give employees opportunities to push themselves and broaden their skill sets.
  • Internal Networking: Hackathons also double up as networking events. They give employees from different teams, departments, or branches the chance to work with and learn from one another. This, in turn, can promote or reinforce team-oriented work cultures.
  • Talent Spotting: Talents sometimes go unnoticed, but hackathons give your workforce’s hidden gems a chance to shine. They’re terrific opportunities to see who your best problem solvers and most creative thinkers at.
  • Improving Reputation: Organizing regular hackathons helps set companies apart from their competitors, demonstrating their commitment to innovation and their willingness to embrace new ideas. If you want your brand to seem more forward-thinking and innovative, embracing hackathons is a great way to go about it.

Benefits for Participants

The hackers, developers, students, engineers, and other people who take part in hackathons arguably enjoy even bigger and better benefits than the businesses behind them. These events are often invaluable when it comes to upskilling, networking, and growing, both personally and professionally. Here are some of the main benefits for participants, explained:

  • Learning and Improvement: Hackathons are golden opportunities for participants to gain knowledge and skills. They essentially force people to work together, sharing ideas, contributing to the collective, and pushing their own boundaries in pursuit of a common goal.
  • Networking: While some hackathons are purely internal, others bring together different teams or groups of people from different schools, businesses, and places around the world. This can be wonderful for forming connections with like-minded individuals.
  • Sense of Pride: Everyone feels a sense of pride after accomplishing a project or achieving a goal, but this often comes at the end of weeks or months of effort. With hackathons, participants can enjoy that same satisfying feeling after just a few hours or a couple of days of hard work.
  • Testing Oneself: A hackathon is an amazing chance to put one’s skills to the test and see what one is truly capable of when given a set goal to aim for and a deadline to meet. Many participants are surprised to see how well they respond to these conditions.
  • Boosting Skills: Hackathons provide the necessary conditions to hone and improve a range of core soft skills, such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, organization, and punctuality. By the end, participants often emerge with more confidence in their abilities.

Hackathons at OPIT

The Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) understands the unique value of hackathons and has played its part in sponsoring these kinds of events in the past. OPIT was one of the sponsors behind ESCPHackathon 6, for example, which involved 120 students given AI-related tasks, with mentorship and guidance from senior professionals and developers from established brands along the way.

Marco Fediuc, one of the participants, summed up the mood in his comments:

“The hackathon was a truly rewarding experience. I had the pleasure of meeting OPIT classmates and staff and getting to know them better, the chance to collaborate with brilliant minds, and the opportunity to take part in an exciting and fun event.

“Participating turned out to be very useful because I had the chance to work in a fast-paced, competitive environment, and it taught me what it means to stay calm and perform under pressure… To prospective Computer Science students, should a similar opportunity arise, I can clearly say: Don’t underestimate yourselves!”

The new year will also see the arrival of OPIT Hackathon 2026, giving more students the chance to test their skills, broaden their networks, and enjoy the one-of-a-kind experiences that these events never fail to deliver. This event is scheduled to be held February 13-15, 2026, and is open to all OPIT Bachelor’s and Master’s students, along with recent graduates. Interested parties have until February 1 to register.

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OPIT’s First Career Fair
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
OPIT - Open Institute of Technology
Jan 5, 2026 6 min read

The Open Institute of Technology (OPIT) recently held its first-ever career fair to showcase its wide array of career education options and services. Representatives from numerous high-profile international companies were in attendance, and students enjoyed unprecedented opportunities to connect with business leaders, expand their professional networks, and pave the way for success in their future careers.

Here’s a look back at the event and how it ties into OPIT’s diverse scope of career services.

Introducing OPIT

For those who aren’t yet familiar, OPIT is an EU-accredited Higher Education Institution, offering online degrees in technological fields such as computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital business. Aimed at making high-level tech education accessible to all, OPIT has assembled a stellar team of tutors and experts to train the tech leaders of tomorrow.

The First OPIT Career Fair

OPIT’s first career fair was held on November 19 and 20. And as with OPIT’s lectures, it was an exclusively online event, which ensured that every attendee had equal access to key lectures and information. Interested potential students from all over the world were able to enjoy the same great experience, demonstrating a core principle that OPIT has championed from the very start – the principles of accessibility and the power of virtual learning.

More than a dozen leading international companies took part in the event, with the full guest list including representatives from:

  • Deloitte
  • Dylog Hitech
  • EDIST Engineering Srl
  • Tinexta Cyber
  • Datapizza
  • RWS Group
  • WE GRELE FRANCE
  • Avatar Investments
  • Planet Farms
  • Coolshop
  • Hoist Finance Italia
  • Gruppo Buffetti S.p.A
  • Nesperia Group
  • Fusion AI Labs
  • Intesi Group
  • Reply
  • Mindsight Ventures

This was a fascinating mix of established enterprises and emerging players. Deloitte, for example, is one of the largest professional services networks in the world in terms of both revenue and number of employees. Mindsight Ventures, meanwhile, is a newer but rapidly emerging name in the fields of AI and business intelligence.

The Response

The first OPIT career fair was a success, with many students in attendance expressing their joy at being able to connect with such a strong lineup of prospective employers.

OPIT Founder and Director Riccardo Ocleppo had this to say:

“I often say internally that our connection with companies – through masterclasses, thesis and capstone projects, and career opportunities – is the ‘cherry on the cake’ of the OPIT experience!

“It’s also a core part of our mission: making higher education more practical, more connected, and more aligned with what happens in the real world.

“Our first Career Fair says a lot about our commitment to building an end-to-end learning and professional growth experience for our community of students.

“Thank you to the Student and Career Services team, and to Stefania Tabi for making this possible.”

Representatives from some of the companies that attended also shared positive impressions of the event. A representative from Nesperia Group, for example, said:

“Nesperia Group would like to thank OPIT for the warm welcome we received during the OPIT Career Day. We were pleased to be part of the event because we met many talented young professionals. Their curiosity and their professional attitude really impressed us, and it’s clear that OPIT is doing an excellent job supporting their growth. We really believe that events like these are important because they can create a strong connection between companies and future professionals.”

The Future

Given the enormous success of the first OPIT career fair, it’s highly likely that students will be able to enjoy more events like this in the years to come. OPIT is clearly committed to making the most of its strong business connections and remarkable network to provide opportunities for growth, development, and employment, bringing students and businesses together.

Future events will continue to allow students to connect with some of the biggest businesses in the world, along with emerging names in the most exciting and innovative tech fields. This should allow OPIT graduates to enter the working world with strong networks and firm connections already established. That, in turn, should make it easier for them to access and enjoy a wealth of beneficial professional opportunities.

Given that OPIT also has partnerships in place with numerous other leading organizations, like Hype, AWS, and Accenture, the number and variety of the companies potentially making appearances at career fairs in the future should no doubt increase dramatically.

Other Career Services at OPIT

The career fair is just one of many ways in which OPIT leverages its company connections and offers professional opportunities and career support to its students. Other key career services include:

  • Career Coaching: Students are able to schedule one-on-one sessions with their own mentors and career advisors. They can receive feedback on their resumes, practice and improve their interview skills, or work on clear action plans that align with their exact professional goals.
  • Resource Hub: The OPIT Resource Hub is jam-packed with helpful guides and other resources to help students plan out and take smart steps in their professional endeavors. With detailed insights and practical tips, it can help tech graduates get off to the best possible start.
  • Career Events: The career fair is only one of several planned career-related events organized by OPIT. Other events are planned to give students the chance to learn from and engage with industry experts and leading tech firms, with workshops, career skills days, and more.
  • Internships: OPIT continues to support students after graduation, offering internship opportunities with leading tech firms around the world. These internships are invaluable for gaining experience and forging connections, setting graduates up for future success.
  • Peer Mentoring: OPIT also offers a peer mentoring program in which existing students can team up with OPIT alumni to enjoy the benefits of their experience and unique insights.

These services – combined with the recent career day – clearly demonstrate OPIT’s commitment to not merely educating the tech leaders of the future, but also to supporting their personal and professional development beyond the field of education, making it easier for them to enter the working world with strong connections and unrivaled opportunities.

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