IT and Society
The development and dissemination of science and technology is one of the University of Oviedo's aims. The School of Computing Engineering is no stranger to such aim and, consequently, it endeavors to help society achieve a better knowledge of Computer Engineering. Towards this end, the School has collaborative ties with various organizations, and all types of activities are promoted and organized.
Prominent amongst such activities are the following:
- Science and Technology Week (+) It usually takes place in November. Since the academic year 2009/10, the School of Computer Engineering has been participating in the activities of the Science and Technology Week of the University of Oviedo. The School offers a guided visit for High School students, during which different activities related to augmented reality, robotics or the development of video games are carried out. In the course of that week, an average of 200 students from different High Schools in the region visit the School.
- Career Guidance Symposium(+) It usually takes place in March. Organized by the Asturian Career Guidance Association. It is an academic-professional guidance activity to help the students of 4th year of ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education), Bachillerato and Training Cycles take a vocational decision. The School of Computer Engineering has been participating over the past few years in the engineering round table together with other faculties of the University of Oviedo.
- University Open Days (+) They usually take place in April. In the course of these open days, the different faculties of the University of Oviedo open their doors to the public (mainly High School students) and describe their teaching and research activities. Members of the School Management Department as well as professors receive the visitors, show them around the facilities and answer their questions.
- Asturian IT Olympics (+) Held during the second semester. The IT Olympics is an initiative of the Technical Engineers and Computer Engineers Associations of the Principality of Asturias. It is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Principality of Asturias and it is included within the Asturian Plan to Promote ICT. The IT Olympics purports to encourage an interest in Computer Engineering in Asturian students, enhancing the aspects this profession shares with the teaching goals: creativity, analytical capacity, problem-solving, teamwork and self-learning. The School of Computer Engineering, together with the Polytechnic School of Engineering of Gijón, is responsible for the organization and celebration of the events.
- Visits to High Schools (+) During the year and at the request of the High Schools' Management or educational guidance teams, teaching staff from the School visits them, offering information on the profession and the courses studied at the School.
- Lectures (+) The School of Computer Engineering has a long tradition of giving public lectures on various subjects associated with IT, with the participation of important speakers such as Vinton Cerf (Internet pioneer, Vice President of Google and Prince of Asturias award-winner), Bert Bos (World Wide Web Consortium), or Ricardo Baeza-Yates (Yahoo! Research).
- Courses and workshops (+) The School of Computer Engineering is frequently a place where courses and workshops are delivered, both organized by the University Extension Office of the University of Oviedo and by Associations such as Asturias.rb or NGOs such as Cibervoluntarios.