cursos

The open data sector is very active. To keep up to date with everything that happens, from datos.gob.es we publish a compilation of news such as the development of new technological applications, legislative advances or other related news.

Six months ago, we already made the last compilation of the year 2024. On this occasion, we are going to summarize some innovations, improvements and achievements of the first half of 2025.

Regulatory framework: new regulations that transform the landscape

One of the most significant developments is the publication of the Regulation on the European Health Data Space by the European Parliament and the Council. This regulation establishes a common framework for the secure exchange of health data between member states, facilitating both medical research and the provision of cross-border health services. In addition, this milestone represents a paradigmatic shift in the management of sensitive data, demonstrating that  it is possible to reconcile privacy and data protection with the need to share information for the common good. The implications for the Spanish healthcare system are considerable, as it will allow greater interoperability with other European countries and facilitate the development of collaborative research projects.

On the other hand, the entry into force of the European AI Act establishes clear rules for the development of this technology, guaranteeing security, transparency and respect for human rights. These types of regulations are especially relevant in the context of open data, where algorithmic transparency and the explainability of AI models become essential requirements.

In Spain, the commitment to transparency is materialised in initiatives such as the new Digital Rights Observatory, which has the participation of more than 150 entities and 360 experts. This platform is configured as a space for dialogue and monitoring of digital policies, helping to ensure that the digital transformation respects fundamental rights.

Technological innovations in Spain and abroad

One of the most prominent milestones in the technological field is the launch of ALIA, the public infrastructure for artificial intelligence resources. This initiative seeks to develop open and transparent language models that promote the use of Spanish and Spanish co-official languages in the field of AI.

ALIA is not only a response to the hegemony of Anglo-Saxon models, but also a strategic commitment to technological sovereignty and linguistic diversity. The first models already available have been trained in Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Valencian and Basque, setting an important precedent in the development of inclusive and culturally sensitive technologies.

In relation to this innovation, the practical applications of artificial intelligence are multiplying in various sectors. For example, in the financial field, the Tax Agency has adopted an ethical commitment in the design and use of artificial intelligence. Within this framework, the community has even developed a virtual chatbot trained with its own data that offers legal guidance on fiscal and tax issues.

In the healthcare sector, a group of Spanish radiologists is working on a project for the early detection of oncological lesions using AI, demonstrating how the combination of open data and advanced algorithms can have a direct impact on public health.

Also combining AI with open data, projects related to environmental sustainability have been developed. This model developed in Spain combines AI and open weather data to predict solar energy production over the next 30 years, providing crucial information for national energy planning.

Another relevant sector in terms of technological innovation is that of smart cities. In recent months, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has digitized its municipal markets by combining WiFi networks, IoT devices, a digital twin and open data platforms. This comprehensive initiative seeks to improve the user experience and optimize commercial management, demonstrating how technological convergence can transform traditional urban spaces.

Zaragoza, for its part, has developed a vulnerability map using artificial intelligence applied to open data, providing a valuable tool for urban planning and social policies.

Another relevant case is the project of the Open Data Barcelona Initiative, #iCuida, which stands out as an innovative example of reusing open data to improve the lives of caregivers and domestic workers. This application demonstrates how open data can target specific groups and generate direct social impact.

Last but not least, at a global level, this semester DeepSeek has launched DeepSeek-R1, a new family of generative models specialized in reasoning, publishing both the models and their complete training methodology in open source, contributing to the democratic advancement of AI.

New open data portals and improvement tools

In all this maelstrom of innovation and technology, the landscape of open data portals has been enriched with new sectoral initiatives. The Association of Commercial and Property Registrars of Spain has presented its open data platform, allowing immediate access to registry data without waiting for periodic reports. This initiative represents a significant change in the transparency of the registry sector.

In the field of health, the 'I+Health' portal of the Andalusian public health system collects and disseminates resources and data on research activities and results from a single site, facilitating access to relevant scientific information.

In addition to the availability of data, there is a treatment that makes them more accessible to the general public: data visualization. The University of Granada has developed 'UGR in figures', an open-access space with an open data section that facilitates the exploration of official statistics and stands as a fundamental piece in university transparency.

On the other hand, IDENA, the new tool of the Navarre Geoportal, incorporates advanced functionalities to search, navigate, incorporate maps, share data and download geographical information, being operational on any device.

Training for the future: events and conferences

The training ecosystem in this ecosystem is strengthened every year with events such as the Data Management Summit in Tenerife, which addresses interoperability in public administrations and artificial intelligence. Another benchmark event in open data that was also held in the Canary Islands was the National Open Data Meeting.

Beyond these events, collaborative innovation has also been promoted through  specialized hackathons, such as the one dedicated to generative AI solutions for biodiversity or the Merkle Datathon in Gijón. These events not only generate innovative solutions, but also create communities of practice and foster emerging talent.

Once again, the open data competitions of Castilla y León and the Basque Country have awarded projects that demonstrate the transformative potential of the reuse of open data, inspiring new initiatives and applications.

International perspective and global trends: the fourth wave of open data

The Open Data Policy Lab spoke at the EU Open Data Days about what is known as the "fourth wave" of open data, closely linked to generative AI. This evolution represents a quantum leap in the way public data is processed, analyzed, and used, where natural language models allow for more intuitive interactions and more sophisticated analysis.

Overall, the open data landscape in 2025 reveals a profound transformation of the ecosystem, where the convergence between artificial intelligence, advanced regulatory frameworks, and specialized applications is redefining the possibilities of transparency and public innovation.

Data science is all the rage. Professions related to this field are among the most in-demand, according to the latest study ‘Posiciones y competencias más Demandadas 2024’, carried out by the Spanish Association of Human Resources Managers. In particular, there is a significant demand for roles related to data management and analysis, such as Data Analyst, Data Engineer and Data Scientist. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the need to make data-driven decisions are driving the integration of this type of professionals in all sectors.

Universities are aware of this situation and therefore offer a large number of degrees, postgraduate courses and also summer courses, both for beginners and for those who want to broaden their knowledge and explore new technological trends. Here are just a few examples of some of them. These courses combine theory and practice, allowing you to discover the potential of data.

1. Data Analysis and Visualisation: Practical Statistics with R and Artificial Intelligence. National University of Distance Education (UNED).

This seminar offers comprehensive training in data analysis with a practical approach. Students will learn to use the R language and the RStudio environment, with a focus on visualisation, statistical inference and its use in artificial intelligence systems. It is aimed at students from related fields and professionals from various sectors (such as education, business, health, engineering or social sciences) who need to apply statistical and AI techniques, as well as researchers and academics who need to process and visualise data.

• Date and place: from 25 to 27 June 2025 in online and face-to-face mode (in Plasencia).

2. Big Data. Data analysis and automatic learning with Python. Complutense University.

Thanks to this training, students will be able to acquire a deep understanding of how data is obtained, managed and analysed to generate valuable knowledge for decision making. Among other issues, the life cycle of a Big Data project will be shown, including a specific module on open data. In this case, the language chosen for the training will be Python. No previous knowledge is required to attend: it is open to university students, teachers, researchers and professionals from any sector with an interest in the subject.

• Date and place: 30 June to 18 July 2025 in Madrid.

3. Challenges in Data Science: Big Data, Biostatistics, Artificial Intelligence and Communications. University of Valencia.

This programme is designed to help participants understand the scope of the data-driven revolution. Integrated within the Erasmus mobility programmes, it combines lectures, group work and an experimental lab session, all in English. Among other topics, open data, open source tools, Big Data databases, cloud computing, privacy and security of institutional data, text mining and visualisation will be discussed.

• Date and place: From 30 June to 4 July at two venues in Valencia. Note: Places are currently full, but the waiting list is open.

4. Digital twins: from simulation to intelligent reality. University of Castilla-La Mancha.

Digital twins are a fundamental tool for driving data-driven decision-making. With this course, students will be able to understand the applications and challenges of this technology in various industrial and technological sectors. Artificial intelligence applied to digital twins, high performance computing (HPC) and digital model validation and verification, among others, will be discussed. It is aimed at professionals, researchers, academics and students interested in the subject.

• Date and place: 3 and 4 July in Albacete.

5. Health Geography and Geographic Information Systems: practical applications. University of Zaragoza.

The differential aspect of this course is that it is designed for those students who are looking for a practical approach to data science in a specific sector such as health. It aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge about the relationship between geography and health. Students will learn how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyse and represent disease prevalence data. It is open to different audiences (from students or people working in public institutions and health centres, to neighbourhood associations or non-profit organisations linked to health issues) and does not require a university degree.

• Date and place: 7-9 July 2025 in Zaragoza.

6. Deep into data science. University of Cantabria.

Aimed at scientists, university students (from second year onwards) in engineering, mathematics, physics and computer science, this intensive course aims to provide a complete and practical vision of the current digital revolution. Students will learn about Python programming tools, machine learning, artificial intelligence, neural networks or cloud computing, among other topics. All topics are introduced theoretically and then experimented with in laboratory practice.

• Date and place: from 7 to 11 July 2025 in Camargo.

7. Advanced Programming. Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Taught entirely in English, the aim of this course is to improve students' programming skills and knowledge through practice. To do so, two games will be developed in two different languages, Java and Python. Students will be able to structure an application and program complex algorithms. It is aimed at students of any degree (mathematics, physics, engineering, chemistry, etc.) who have already started programming and want to improve their knowledge and skills.

• Date and place: 14 July to 1 August 2025, at a location to be defined.

8. Data visualisation and analysis with R. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela.

This course is aimed at beginners in the subject. It will cover the basic functionalities of R with the aim that students acquire the necessary skills to develop descriptive and inferential statistical analysis (estimation, contrasts and predictions). Search and help tools will also be introduced so that students can learn how to use them independently.

• Date and place: from 14 to 24 July 2025 in Santiago de Compostela.

9. Fundamentals of artificial intelligence: generative models and advanced applications. International University of Andalusia.

This course offers a practical introduction to artificial intelligence and its main applications. It covers concepts related to machine learning, neural networks, natural language processing, generative AI and intelligent agents.  The language used will be Python, and although the course is introductory, it will be best used if the student has a basic knowledge of programming. It is therefore aimed primarily at undergraduate and postgraduate students in technical areas such as engineering, computer science or mathematics, professionals seeking to acquire AI skills to apply in their industries, and teachers and researchers interested in updating their knowledge of the state of the art in AI.

• Date and place: 19-22 August 2025, in Baeza.

10. IA Generative AI to innovate in the company: real cases and tools for its implementation. University of the Basque Country.

This course, open to the general public, aims to help understand the impact of generative AI in different sectors and its role in digital transformation through the exploration of real cases of application in companies and technology centres in the Basque Country.  This will combine talks, panel discussions and a practical session focused on the use of generative models and techniques such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and Fine-Tuning.

• Date and place: 10 September in San Sebastian.

Investing in technology training during the summer is not only an excellent way to strengthen skills, but also to connect with experts, share ideas and discover opportunities for innovation. This selection is just a small sample of what's on offer. If you know of any other courses you would like to share with us, please leave a comment or write to dinamizacion@datos.gob.es

There is no doubt that artificial intelligence has become a fundamental pillar of technological innovation.  Today, artificial intelligence (AI) can create chatbots specialised in open data, applications that facilitate professional work and even a digital Earth model to anticipate natural disasters.

The possibilities are endless, however, the future of AI also has challenges to overcome to make models more inclusive, accessible and transparent. In this respect, the European Union is developing various initiatives to make progress in this field.

European regulatory framework for a more open and transparent AI.

The EU's approach to AI seeks to give citizens the confidence to adopt these technologies and to encourage businesses to develop them. To this end, the European AI Regulation sets out guidelines for the development of artificial intelligence in line with European values of privacy, security and cultural diversity. On the other hand, the Data Governance Regulation (DGA) defines that broad access to data must be guaranteed without compromising intellectual property rights, privacy and fairness.

Together with the Artificial Intelligence Act, the update of the Coordinated Plan on AI ensures the security and fundamental rights of individuals and businesses, while strengthening investment and innovation in all EU countries. The Commission has also launched an Artificial Intelligence Innovation Package to help European start-ups and SMEs develop reliable AI that respects EU values and standards.

Other institutions are also working on boosting intelligence by pushing open source AI models as a very interesting solution. A recent report by Open Future and Open Source Initiative (OSI) defines what data governance should look like in open source AI models. One of the challenges highlighted in the report is precisely to strike a balance between open data and data rights, to achieve more transparency and to avoid cultural bias. In fact, experts in the field Ricard Martínez and Carmen Torrijos debated this issue in the pódcast of datos.gob.es.

The OpenEuroLLM project

With the aim of solving potential challenges and as an innovative and open solution, the European Union, through the Digital Europe programme has presented  through this open source artificial intelligence project it is expected to create efficient, transparent language models aligned with European AI regulations.

The OpenEuroLLM project has as its main goal the development of state-of-the-art language models for a wide variety of public and private applications. Among the most important objectives, we can mention the following:

1. Extend the multilingual capabilities of existing models: this includes not only the official languages of the European Union, but also other languages that are of social and economic interest. Europe is a continent rich in linguistic diversity, and the project seeks to reflect this diversity in AI models.
2. Sustainable access to fundamental models: lthe models developed within the project will be easy to access and ready to be adjusted to various applications. This will not only benefit large enterprises, but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that wish to integrate AI into their processes without facing technological barriers.
3. Evaluation of results and alignment with European regulations: models will be evaluated according to rigorous safety standards and alignment with the European AI Regulation and other European regulatory frameworks. This will ensure that AI solutions are safe and respect fundamental rights.
4. Transparency and accessibility: One of the premises of the project is to openly share the tools, processes and intermediate results of the training processes. This will allow other researchers and developers to reproduce, improve and adapt the models for their own purposes.
5. Community building: OpenEuroLLM is not limited to modelling but also aims to build an active and engaged community, both in the public and private sector, that can collaborate, share knowledge and work together to advance AI research.

The OpenEuroLLM Consortium: a collaborative and multinational project

The OpenEuroLLM project is being developed by a consortium of 20 European research institutions , technology companies and supercomputing centres, under the coordination of Charles University (Czech Republic) and the collaboration of Silo GenAI (Finland). The consortium brings together some of the leading institutions and companies in the field of artificial intelligence in Europe, creating a multinational collaboration to develop open source language models.

The main institutions participating in the project include renowned universities such as University of Helsinki (Finland) and University of Oslo (Norway), as well as technology companies such as Aleph Alpha Research (Germany) or the company from Elche prompsit (Spain), among others. In addition, supercomputing centres such as the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (Spain) or SURF (The Netherlands) provide the infrastructure needed to train large-scale models.

Linguistic diversity, transparency and compliance with EU standards

One of the biggest challenges of globalised artificial intelligence is the inclusion of multiple languages and the preservation of cultural differences. Europe, with its vast linguistic diversity, presents a unique environment in which to address these issues. OpenEuroLLM is committed to preserving this diversity and ensuring that the AI models developed are sensitive to the linguistic and cultural variations of the region.

As we saw at the beginning of this post, technological development must go hand in hand with ethical and responsible values. In this respect, one of the key features of the OpenEuroLLM project is its focus on transparency. Models, data, documentation, training code and evaluation metrics will be fully available to the public. This will allow researchers and developers to audit, modify and improve the models, ensuring an open and collaborative approach.

In addition, the project is aligned with strict European AI regulations. OpenEuroLLM is designed to comply with the EU's AI Law , which sets stringent criteria to ensure safety, fairness and privacy in artificial intelligence systems.

Democratising access to AI

One of the most important achievements of OpenEuroLLLM is the democratisation of access to high-performance AI. Open source models will enable businesses, academic institutions and public sector organisations across Europe to have access to cutting-edge technology, regardless of their size or budget.

This is especially relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often face difficulties in accessing AI solutions due to high licensing costs or technological barriers. OpenEuroLLM will remove these barriers and enable companies to develop innovative products and services using AI, which will contribute to Europe's economic growth.

The OpenEuroLLM project is also an EU commitment to digital sovereignty that is strategically investing in the development of technological infrastructure that reduces dependence on global players and strengthens European competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence. This is an important step towards artificial intelligence that is not only more advanced, but also fairer, safer and more responsible.

There is no doubt that digital skills training is necessary today. Basic digital skills are essential to be able to interact in a society where technology already plays a cross-cutting role. In particular, it is important to know the basics of the technology for working with data.

In this context, public sector workers must also keep themselves constantly updated. Training in this area is key to optimising processes, ensuring information security and strengthening trust in institutions.

In this post, we identify digital skills related to open data aimed at both publishing and using open data. Not only did we identify the professional competencies that public employees working with open data must have and maintain, we also compiled a series of training resources that are available to them.

Professional competencies for working with data

A working group was set up in 2024 National Open Data Gathering with one objective: to identify the digital competencies required of public administration professionals working with open data. Beyond conclusions of this event of national relevance, the working group defined profiles and roles needed for data opening, gathering information on their roles and the skills and knowledge required. The main roles identified were:

• Role responsible: has technical responsibility for the promotion of open data policies and organises activities to define policies and data models. Some of the skills required are:
  
  • Leadership in promoting strategies to drive data openness.
  • Driving the data strategy to drive openness with purpose.
  • Understand the regulatory framework related to data in order to act within the law throughout the data lifecycle.
  • Encourage the use of tools and processes for data management.
  • Ability to generate synergies in order to reach a consensus on cross-cutting instructions for the entire organisation.
• Technical role of data entry technician (ICT profile): carries out implementation activities more closely linked to the management of systems, extraction processes, data cleansing, etc. EThis profile must have knowledge of, for example:
  
  • How to structure the dataset, the metadata vocabulary, data quality, strategy to follow...
  • Be able to analyse a dataset and identify debugging and cleaning processes quickly and intuitively.
  • Generate data visualisations, connecting databases of different formats and origins to obtain dynamic and interactive graphs, indicators and maps.
  • Master the functionalities of the platform, i.e. know how to apply technological solutions for open data management or know techniques and strategies to access, extract and integrate data from different platforms.
• Open data functional role (technician of a service): executes activities more related to the selection of data to be published, quality, promotion of open data, visualisation, data analytics, etc. For example:
  
  • Handling visualisation and dynamisation tools.
  • Knowing the data economy and knowing the information related to data in its full extent (generation by public administrations, open data, infomediaries, reuse of public information, Big Data, Data Driven, roles involved, etc.).
  • To know and apply the ethical and personal data protection aspects that apply to the opening of data.
• Data use by public workers: this profile carries out activities on the use of data for decision making, basic data analytics, among others. In order to do so, it must have these competences:
  
  • Navigation, search and filtering of data.
  • Data assessment.
  • Data storage and export
  • Data analysis and exploitation.

In addition, as part of this challenge to increase capacities for open data, a list of free trainings and guides on open data and data analyticswas developed. We compile some of them that are available online and in open format.

Figure 1. Table of own elaboration with training resources. Source: https://encuentrosdatosabiertos.es/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Reto-2.pdf

INAP''s continuing professional development training offer

The Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública (INAP) has a Training Activities Programme for 2025, framed in the INAP Learning Strategy 2025-2028.. This training catalogue includes more than 180 activities organised in different learning programmes, which will take place throughout the year with the aim of strengthening the competences of public staff in key areas such as open data management and the use of related technologies.

INAP''s 2025 training programme offers a wide range of courses aimed at improving digital skills and open data literacy. Some of the highlighted trainings include:

• Fundamentals and tools of data analysis.
• Introduction to Oracle SQL.
• Open data and re-use of information.
• Data analysis and visualisation with Power BI.
• Blockchain: technical aspects.
• Advanced Python programming.

These courses, aimed at different profiles of public employees, from open data managers to information management technicians, allow to acquire knowledge on data extraction, processing and visualisation, as well as on strategies for the opening and reuse of open data in the Public Administration.  You can consult the full catalogue here..

Other training references

Some public administrations or entities offer training courses related to open data. For more information on its training offer, please see the catalogue with the programmed courses on offer.

• FEMP''s Network of Local Entities for Transparency and Citizen Participation: https://redtransparenciayparticipacion.es/.
• Government of Aragon: Aragon Open Data: https://opendata.aragon.es/informacion/eventos-de-datos-abiertos
• School of Public Administration of Catalonia (EAPC): https://eapc.gencat.cat/ca/inici/index.html#googtrans(ca|es
• Diputació de Barcelona: http://aplicacions.diba.cat/gestforma/public/cercador_baf_ens_locals
• Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN): https://cursos.cnig.es/

In short, training in digital skills, in general, and in open data, in particular, is a practice that we recommend at datos.gob.es. Do you need a specific training resource? Write to us in comments, we''ll read you!

The summer comes to an end and gives way to an autumn full of relevant events for the open data sector. This time of year, you can learn about technological innovation and discuss the transformative power of data in society. Take note of these free opportunities. We bring you a compilation in chronological order according to the date of celebration of trainings, conferences, events and much more. We present a first block of sessions that are confined to our country and, subsequently, we mention others of international scope, including those organised by the European Data Portal.

Webinar on data analytics augmented with artificial intelligence

IEBS business school is organising a free webinar on the use of AI for data mining, charting and predictive modelling.

• When? 4 September at 18h.
• Where? Virtual.
• More information: Sign up here to the session.

Conference 'Towards an increase in the digitalisation of Spanish cities and regions'

The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) is part of an initiative launched by the European Commission to support EU communities in their journey towards digital transformation, by providing resources, best practices and training for the development of digitisation strategies. This session, which will be held in person and can be followed online,will address the process of digital and sustainable transition of cities, highlighting the role of open data platforms and data spaces. 

• When? 18 September at 16h.
• Where? In person at the Palacio de Congresos (IFEMA) Madrid and it will also be available online.
• More information: Here you can read all the information about the event and access the registration link.

Conference "Data Governance for Local Entities"

The FEMP's Network of Local Entities for Transparency and Citizen Participation will hold a face-to-face seminar on how to approach open data and data governance from a practical perspective. The conference will address how to set up projects to open up and publish information at a local level.

• When? October 3rd from 10h to 17h.
• Where? In the Pilar Sinués Hall of the Paraninfo Building of the University of Zaragoza.
• More information: You can register for free here and consult the programme here.

III Congress and XIV R Users' Conference

This conference aims to provide a meeting point for R users and enthusiasts, fostering collaboration in a multidisciplinary environment and disseminating knowledge of the R language and its applications.

• When? From 6 to 8 November.
• Where? In Seville.
• More information: On the event website you can find all the information about the speakers, agenda and registration details.

III geoEuskadi Congress and JIIDE

This year, the 15th edition of the Iberian Conference on Spatial Data Infrastructures (JIIDE) is being held in conjunction with the 3rd geoEsukadi Congress. This event will showcase examples of reuse of high-value datasets, whether through OGC APIs or existing download services and interoperable formats, among other topics related to geospatial data.

• When? From 13 to 15 November
• Where? At the Europa Conference Centre in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
• More information: Participation is free of charge, and registration is required for each session, round table or workshop. It will also be possible to follow the conference in virtual mode. Consult here all the details.

If you live outside Spain, these are some events that may be of interest to you:

Science Open Days 2024

Four days will be dedicated to open research data, artificial intelligence, open educational resources and citizen science..

• When? From 2 to 5 September.
• Where? In Lausanne (Switzerland).
• More information: Check the programme per day and register here.

"Data for Innovation" conference

This event organised by the European Commission and DG Connect will address the opportunities and challenges related to Data Law and European Data Spaces. It will be a space for debate on the future of the data economy in Europe. In addition, it will be possible to follow the event online at this link.

• When? 11 September from 10h to 16h.
• Where? At the Karel van Miert Auditorium in Brussels.
• More information: Check the programme and register here. Follow him online at here.

European open data portal online events

In September, data.europa.eu will present two webinars: one on geospatial trends in the age of digital twins and the other on global perspectives on open data excellence.

• When?
  
  • Emerging geospatial trends 2024: opportunities for data.europa.eu in the age of digital twins: 13 September at 10 a.m.
  • Beyond Europe: global perspectives on open data excellence: 20 September at 10 a.m.
• Where? Virtual.
• More information: Both webinars require prior registration. All information on these seminars, as well as on future events, can be found on the european open data portal.

These are some of the events that are scheduled for this autumn. In any case, don't forget to follow us on social media so you don't miss any news about innovation and open data. We are on Twitter y LinkedIn. You can also write to us at dinamizacion@datos.gob.es if you would like us to add another event to the list or if you need extra information.

For many people, summer means the arrival of the vacations, a time to rest or disconnect. But those days off are also an opportunity to train in various areas and improve our competitive skills.

For those who want to take advantage of the next few weeks and acquire new knowledge, Spanish universities have a wide range of courses on a variety of subjects. In this article, we have compiled some examples of courses related to data training.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with QGIS. University of Alcalá de Henares (link not available).

The course aims to train students in basic GIS skills so that they can perform common processes such as creating maps for reports, downloading data from a GPS, performing spatial analysis, etc. Each student will have the possibility to develop their own GIS project with the help of the faculty. The course is aimed at university students of any discipline, as well as professionals interested in learning basic concepts to create their own maps or use geographic information systems in their activities.

• Date and place: June 27-28 and July 1-2 in online mode.

Citizen science applied to biodiversity studies: from the idea to the results. Pablo de Olavide University (Seville).

This course addresses all the necessary steps to design, implement and analyze a citizen science project: from the acquisition of basic knowledge to its applications in research and conservation projects. Among other issues, there will be a workshop on citizen science data management, focusing on platforms such as Observation.org y GBIF.  It will also teach how to use citizen science tools for the design of research projects. The course is aimed at a broad audience, especially researchers, conservation project managers and students.

• Date and place: From July 1 to 3, 2024 in online and on-site (Seville).

Big Data. Data analysis and machine learning with Python. Complutense University of Madrid.  

This course aims to provide students with an overview of the broad Big Data ecosystem, its challenges and applications, focusing on new ways of obtaining, managing and analyzing data. During the course, the Python language is presented, and different machine learning techniques are shown for the design of models that allow obtaining valuable information from a set of data. It is aimed at any university student, teacher, researcher, etc. with an interest in the subject, as no previous knowledge is required.

• Date and place: July 1 to 19, 2024 in Madrid.

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems with R. University of Santiago de Compostela.

Organized by the Working Group on Climate Change and Natural Hazards of the Spanish Association of Geography together with the Spanish Association of Climatology, this course will introduce the student to two major areas of great interest: 1) the handling of the R environment, showing the different ways of managing, manipulating and visualizing data. 2) spatial analysis, visualization and work with raster and vector files, addressing the main geostatistical interpolation methods. No previous knowledge of Geographic Information Systems or the R environment is required to participate.

• Date and place: July 2-5, 2024 in Santiago de Compostela

Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models: Operation, Key Components and Applications. University of Zaragoza.

Through this course, students will be able to understand the fundamentals and practical applications of artificial intelligence focused on Large Language Model (LLM). Students will be taught how to use specialized libraries and frameworks to work with LLM, and will be shown examples of use cases and applications through hands-on workshops. It is aimed at professionals and students in the information and communications technology sector.

• Date and place: July 3 to 5 in Zaragoza.

Deep into Data Science. University of Cantabria.

This course focuses on the study of big data using Python. The emphasis of the course is on Machine Learning, including sessions on artificial intelligence, neural networks or Cloud Computing. This is a technical course, which presupposes previous knowledge in science and programming with Python.

• Date and place: From July 15 to 19, 2024 in Torrelavega.

Data management for the use of artificial intelligence in tourist destinations. University of Alicante.  

This course approaches the concept of Smart Tourism Destination (ITD) and addresses the need to have an adequate technological infrastructure to ensure its sustainable development, as well as to carry out an adequate data management that allows the application of artificial intelligence techniques. During the course, open data and data spaces and their application in tourism will be discussed. It is aimed at all audiences with an interest in the use of emerging technologies in the field of tourism.

• Date and place: From July 22 to 26, 2024 in Torrevieja.

The challenges of digital transformation of productive sectors from the perspective of artificial intelligence and data processing technologies. University of Extremadura.

Now that the summer is over, we find this course where the fundamentals of digital transformation and its impact on productive sectors are addressed through the exploration of key data processing technologies, such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, etc. During the sessions, case studies and implementation practices of these technologies in different industrial sectors will be analyzed. All this without leaving aside the ethical, legal and privacy challenges. It is aimed at anyone interested in the subject, without the need for prior knowledge.

• Date and place: From September 17 to 19, in Cáceres.

These courses are just examples that highlight the importance that data-related skills are acquiring in Spanish companies, and how this is reflected in university offerings. Do you know of any other courses offered by public universities? Let us know in comments.

The year is coming to an end and it is a good time to review some of the issues that have marked the open data and data sharing ecosystem in Spain, a community that continues to grow and build alliances for the development of innovative technologies. A synergy that lays the foundations to face an interconnected, digital future full of possibilities.   

With 2024 just a few days away, we take stock of the news, events and training of interest that have marked the year behind us. In this compilation we review some regulatory developments, new portals and projects promoted by the public sector, as well as various educational resources and reference documentation that 2023 has left us. 

Legal regulation for the development of collaborative environments  

During this year, in datos.gob.es we have echoed relevant news in the open data and data sharing sector. All of them have contributed to consolidate the appropriate context for interoperability and the promotion of the value of data in our society. The following is a review of the most relevant announcements: 

• At the beginning of the year, the European Commission published a first list of high-value datasets that are of great value to the economy, the environment and society because of the information they contain. For this reason, member states must make them available to the public by summer 2024. This first list of categories includes geospatial, earth observation and environmental, meteorological, statistical, business and mobility data. On the other hand, at the end of 2023, the same body made a proposal to expand the list of categories of datasets to be considered of high value, adding another seven proposals for categories that could be included in the future: climate loss, energy, financial, public administration and government, health, justice and language. 

• In the first quarter of the year, Law 37/2007 on the reuse of public sector information was amended in light of the latest European Open Data Directive. Now, public administrations will have to comply with, among others, two essential requirements: to focus on the publication of high-value data through APIs and to designate a unit responsible for information to ensure the correct opening of data. These measures are intended to be aligned with the demands of competitiveness and innovation raised by technologies such as AI and with the key role played by data when it comes to configuring data spaces.  

• The publication of the UNE data specifications was another milestone in standardization that marked 2023. The volume of data continues to grow and mechanisms are needed to ensure its proper use and exploitation. To this end, there are: 

  • UNE 0077 on Data Governance  

  • UNE 0078 on Data Management  

  • UNE 0079 on Data Quality Management  

  • UNE 0080, Data Governance, Management and Quality Evaluation Guide  

  • UNE 0081, Guide to Data Quality Evaluation.  

• Another noteworthy advance has been the approval of the consolidated wording of the European Data Regulation (Data Act), which seeks to provide harmonized standards for fair access to and use of data. The legal structure that will drive the data economy in the EU is now a reality. The Data Act and the Data Governance Act also passed in 2023 will contribute to the development of a European Digital Single Market.  

• In October 2023 the future Interoperable Europe Act (Interoperable Europe Act) entered the final legislative stage after getting the go-ahead from the member states. The aim of the Interoperable Europe Act is to strengthen interoperability between public sector administrations in the EU and to create digital public services focused on citizens and businesses. 

Advances in the open data ecosystem in Spain  

 In the last year, many public bodies have opted for opening their data in formats suitable for reuse, many of them focused on specific topics, such as meteorology. Some examples are:  

•  The Diputación de Segovia premiered an open data portal with information from city councils.  

• The Cabildo de Palma launched a new open and real-time weather data portal that provides information on current and historical weather and air quality.  

• The City Council of Soria also created a georeferenced information viewer that allows to consult parameters such as air quality, noise level, meteorology or traffic of people, among other variables.   

• The Malaga City Council has recently allied with the CSIC to develop a marine observatory that will collect and share open data in real time on coastal activity.   

• Progress on new portals will continue during 2024, as there are city councils that have expressed their interest in developing projects of this type. One example is the City Council of Las Torres de Cotillas: it recently launched a municipal website and a citizen participation portal in which they plan to enable an open data space in the near future. 

On the other hand, many institutions that already published open data have been expanding their catalog of datasets throughout the year. This is the case of the Canary Islands Statistics Institute (ISTAC), which has implemented various improvements such as the expansion of its semantic open data catalog to achieve better data and metadata sharing. 

Along these lines, more agreements have also been signed to promote the opening and sharing of data, as well as the acquisition of related skills. For example, with universities:  

• The Navarra Open Data portal incorporated information provided by the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) on its structure, activity, economic data and workforce.   

• The University of Valladolid (UVa) has presented a Chair of Transparency and Open Government that will address issues such as data governance, among others.   

• The University of Burgos has implemented an open science policy to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing and provide equal access to scientific and research work.   

• The Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) has partnered with the Community of Madrid to establish the Chair on Territorial Dynamism that will promote research and the development of open data analysis activities, among others. 

Disruptive solutions using open data   

The winning combination of open data and technology has driven the development of multiple initiatives of interest as a result of the efforts of public administrations, such as, for example:  

• The Community of Madrid managed to optimize by 25% the reliability of the prediction of pollen levels in the territory thanks to artificial intelligence and open data. Through the CAM's open data portal, citizens can access an interactive map to find out the level of pollen in the air in their area.    

• The Valencia City Council's Chair of Governance at the Polytechnic University (UPV) published a study that uses open data sources to calculate the carbon footprint by neighborhoods in the city of Valencia.   

• The Xunta de Galicia presented a digital twin project for territorial management that will have information stored in public and private databases.   

• The Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) initiated the TeresIA project for terminology in Spanish that will generate a meta-search engine for access to terminologies of pan-Hispanic scope based on AI and open data.   

During 2023, Public Administrations have not only launched technological projects, but have also boosted entrepreneurship around open data with activities such as the Castilla y León Open Data contest. An event in which projects developed with open data as products or services, ideas, data journalism works and didactic resources were awarded. 

Trainings and events to keep up with the trends  

Educational materials on open data and related technologies have only grown in 2023. We highlight some free and virtual resources that are available:  

• The European Open Data Portal is a reference source in all aspects, also at the training level. Over the last year, it has shared educational resources such as this free course on data visualization, this one on the legal aspects of open data or this one on how to incorporate open data into an application.  

• In 2023, the European Interoperability Academy published a free online short course on open source licensing for which no prior knowledge of the subject is required.   

• In 2023, we have published more practical exercises from the 'Visualizations step by step' series such as this tutorial to learn how to generate a customized tourist map with MyMaps or this analysis of meteorological data using the "ggplot2" library. 

In addition, there are many activities that have been carried out in 2023 to promote the data culture. However, if you missed any of them, you can re-watch the online recordings of the following ones:   

• In March, the European Conference on Data and Semantics was broadcast, presenting trends in multilingual data.  

• In September, the 2nd National Open Data Meeting was held under the theme "Urgent Call to Action for the Environment".  The event continued the tradition started in 2022 in Barcelona, consolidating itself as one of the main meetings in Spain in the field of public sector data reuse and presenting training materials of interest to the community.  

• In October, the European benchmark interoperability conference SEMIC 2023, Interoperable Europe in the age of AI, was organized in Madrid. 

Reports and other reference documents published in 2023  

Once we have reviewed the news, initiatives, trainings and events, we would like to highlight a compendium of extensive knowledge such as the set of in-depth reports that have been published in 2023 on the open data sector and innovative technologies. Some noteworthy ones are:  

• The Asociación Multisectorial de la Información (ASEDIE) presented in April 2023 its 11th edition of the Infomediary Sector Report in which it reviews the health of companies working with data, a sector with growth potential. Here you can read the main conclusions.  

• From October 2023 Spain co-chaired the Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a task that has involved driving OGP initiatives and leading open government thematic areas. This organization presented its global Open Government Partnership report in 2023, a document that highlights good practices such as the publication of large volumes of open data by European countries. In addition, it also identifies several areas for improvement such as the publication of more high-value data (HDV) in reusable and interoperable formats. 

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a report on public administration principles in November 2023 in which it highlighted, among others, digitization as a tool for making data-driven decisions and implementing effective and efficient processes.  

• During this year, the European Commission published a report on the integration of data spaces in the European data strategy. Signed by experts in the field, this document lays the groundwork for implementing European dataspaces.  

• On the other hand, the open data working group of the Red de Entidades Locales por la Transparencia y la Participación Ciudadana and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces presented a list of the 80 datasets to be published to continue completing the guides published in previous years. You can consult it here. 

These are just a few examples of what the open data ecosystem has given of itself in the last year. If you would like to share with datos.gob.es any other news, leave us a comment or send us an email to dinamizacion@datos.gob.es. 

In recent years, we have been witnessing a technological revolution that increasingly pushes us to broaden our training to adapt to the new digital devices, tools and services that are already part of our daily lives. In this context, training in digital skills is more relevant than ever.

Last October, the European Commission, led by its President Ursula Von Der Leyen, announced its intention to make 2023 the "European Year of Skills", including digital skills. The reason lies in the difficulties that have been identified among European citizens in adapting to new technologies and exploiting their full potential, especially in the professional sphere.

The European digital skills gap

According to data provided by Eurostat, more than 75% of EU companies have reported difficulties in finding professionals with the necessary skills to do the job they are looking for. Moreover, the European Labour Agency warns that there is a severe shortage of ICT specialists and STEM-qualified workers in Europe. This is exacerbated by the fact that currently only 1 in 6 IT specialists is female.

When it comes to digital skills, the figures are not flattering either. As noted in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), based on data from 2021, only 56% of the European population possesses basic digital skills, including information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, security and problem-solving skills.

EU citizens with the least basic digital skills by country. Source:  Eurostat, 2022.

European initiatives to promote the development of digital competences

As mentioned above, improving education and digital skills is one of the major objectives that the European Commission has set for 2023. If we look at the longer term, the goal is more ambitious: The EU aims for at least 80% of EU adults to have basic digital skills such as those mentioned above by 2030. In terms of the professional sector, the target focuses on having around 20 million ICT professionals, with a significant number of women in the sector.

In order to realise these objectives, there are a number of measures and initiatives that have been launched at European level. One of them stems from the European Skills Agency, whose action points 6 and 7 are focused on improving all relevant skills for the green and digital transitions, as well as increasing the number of ICT graduates.

Through the NextGenerationEU funds and its Resilience and Recovery Mechanism, EU member states will be eligible for support to finance digital skills-related reforms, as €560 million will be made available for this purpose.

In addition, other EU funding programmes such as the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) or the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) will respectively offer financial support for the development of education programmes specialised in digital skills or the launch of the European Digital Skills and Jobs Platform to make information and related resources available to citizens.

Alongside these, there are also other initiatives dedicated to digital skills training in the Digital Education Action Plan, which has created the European Centre for Digital Education, or in the mission of the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, which aims to raise awareness and address the digital skills gap together with public administrations, companies and NGOs.

The importance of open data in the 'European Year of Digital Skills'.

In order to promote the development of digital skills among European citizens, the European open data portal carries out several actions that contribute to this end and where open data plays a key role. Along these lines, Data Europa remains firmly committed to promoting training and the dissemination of open data. Thus, in addition to the objectives listed below, it is also worth highlighting the value at the knowledge level that lies behind each of the workshops and seminars programmed by its academic section throughout the year.

• To support Member States in the collection of data and statistics on the demand for digital skills in order to develop specific measures and policies.
• Work together with national open data portals to make data available, easily accessible and understandable.
• Provide support to regional and local open data portals where there is a greater need for help with digitisation.
• Encourage data literacy, as well as the collection of use cases of interest that can be reused.
• Develop collaborative environments that facilitate public data providers in the creation of a smart data-driven society.

Thus, just as data.europa academy functions as a knowledge centre created so that open data communities can find relevant webinars and trainings to improve their digital skills, in Spain, the National Institute of Public Training includes among its training options several courses on data whose task is to keep public administration workers up to date with the latest trends in this field.

In this line, during the spring of 2023, a training on Open Data and Information Reuse will take place, through which an approach to the open data ecosystem and the general principles of reuse will be carried out. Likewise, from 24 May to 5 June, the INAP is organising another course on the Fundamentals of Big Data, which will address blocks of knowledge such as data visualisation, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and the different strategies in the field of Data Governance.

Likewise, if you are not a public sector worker, but you are interested in expanding your knowledge of open data, artificial intelligence, machine learning or other topics related to the data economy, in the blog and documentation section of datos.gob.es you can find adapted training materials, monographs on various topics, case studies, infographs and step-by-step visualisations that will help you to understand more tangibly the different theoretical applications involving open data.

At datos.gob.es, we have prepared publications that compile different free training courses on different topics and specialisations. For example, on artificial intelligence or data visualisations.

Finally, if you know of more examples or other initiatives dedicated to fostering digital skills both at national and European level, do not hesitate to let us know through our mailbox dinamizacion@datos.gob.es. We look forward to all your suggestions!

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been pervasive in our lives for several years now. While there is no exact definition of AI, one description could be "the ability of a machine to display human-like capabilities such as reasoning, learning, planning and creativity". This process is done through the creation and application of algorithms. In other words, AI refers to the ability of computers, software and other machines to think and act as humans would.

Artificial intelligence allows the development of different use cases that facilitate decision-making or provide solutions to complex problems. As a result, artificial intelligence has been able to revolutionise not only the business world but also the social sphere, with applications ranging from the rapid detection of cancer to the fight against deforestation in the Amazon, to name but a few examples.

Given all these advantages, it is not surprising that in recent years the demand for professional profiles related to this field has grown. Therefore, here are some examples of interesting courses and training that could help you to broaden your knowledge of artificial intelligence.

Online courses

Elements of AI

• Taught by: University of Helsinki and Reaktor
• Duration: 50 hours
• Language: English
• Price: Free

This massive open educational project (MOOC), which has already enrolled more than 750,000 students, offers you the opportunity to learn what artificial intelligence is, as well as showing how it can affect your work and personal life and how it will evolve in the coming years.

This course, which offers all citizens the possibility of training and first-hand knowledge of how AI works and the opportunities it offers, has been promoted in our country by the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence together with the UNED.

Building AI

• Taught by: University of Helsinki and Reaktor
• Duration: 50 hours
• Language: English
• Price: Free

The authors of the previous course launched this new course some time later with the aim of closing the gap between courses for beginners such as 'Elements of AI' and the vast majority of training courses in this field, which usually present a more advanced level.

This course, which starts where the previous one ends, will help you to delve deeper into elements such as machine learning, neural networks or some practical applications of AI. It also offers you the option of setting up your first artificial intelligence project and getting started in programming if you wish.

Specialised programme: Introduction to artificial intelligence

• Taught by: Coursera (UNAM)
• Duration: 8 meses
• Language: Spanish
• Price: Free

This course is aimed at people who are interested in learning more about the different developments that have been generated over the last few years in the field of artificial intelligence.

If you opt for this training you will learn how to implement AI technology for a specific purpose, how to compare the solution you have developed with other existing ones or how to report the results obtained in a structured test.

Machine Learning Crash Course

• Taught by: Google
• Duration: 15 hours
• Idioma: English
• Price: Free

Through this course you will learn some key concepts such as the detailed study of machine learning and you will take your first steps with the TensorFlow API, among others.

To attend this course, it is recommended: some programming experience (preferably in Python), basic knowledge of machine learning, statistics, linear algebra and calculus.

Machine Learning

• Taught by: Coursera (Stanford)
• Duration:: 60 hours
• Language: English (English subtitles)
• Price: Free (47€ if you wish to apply for a certificate)

This is a MOOC on machine learning created by Andrew Ng, founder of the Google Brainproject in 2011 and the online course platform Coursera.

Through this course you will cover topics such as supervised and unsupervised learning, statistical pattern recognition or the application of 'best practices' in this field. In addition, you will also learn how to apply learning algorithms to the construction of intelligent robots, among many other aspects.

Masters

The current training offer on artificial intelligence does not only come in the form of courses. An increasing number of universities and study centres are offering their students specialised programmes and university master's degrees related to the field of AI. Here are just a few examples:

• Official Master's Degree in Computer Security and AI, Rovira i Virgili University (60 ECTS credits, one academic year): its programme covers research topics related to information protection, application security, machine learning, modelling and problem solving, among others.
• University Master's Degree in Artificial Intelligence, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) (90 ECTS credits, 18 months): it offers students the possibility of broadening their knowledge in areas such as natural language processing, robotics, AI fundamentals or data engineering.
• Master's Degree in Intelligent Systems and Numerical Applications in Engineering, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) (60 ECTS credits, 1 academic year): it introduces students to the bases and fundamentals of some leading areas such as computational modelling and numerical simulation of engineering problems, the use and development of intelligent and autonomous systems, or methods of data analysis and interpretation.
•  Master in Artificial Intelligence, Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (90 ECTS credits, 18 months): it offers a solid foundation and advanced knowledge in artificial intelligence. In this master's degree you will learn key concepts in computational intelligence, computer vision and multi-agent systems.
• Master's Degree in Applied Artificial Intelligence, Universidad Carlos III Madrid (60 ECTS credits, 1 academic year): it allows students to understand the most relevant AI methods and techniques and apply them to develop appropriate solutions to different types of problems.
• Master's Degree in Artificial Intelligence, UNIR (60 ECTS credits, 1 academic year): in this master's degree you will learn techniques of computational perception and artificial vision, automatic reasoning and planning, machine learning and deep learning, Natural Language Processing, as well as the technologies needed to implement them.
• Master's Degree in AI Research, Spanish Association for Artificial Intelligence (AEPIA) (60 ECTS credits, one academic year): it has three specialisations: Learning and Data Science, Web Intelligence and Reasoning and Planning.
• Master in Artificial Intelligence, Universidad Europea (30 ECTS credits, 8 months): aimed at providing students with an integrated vision of Artificial Intelligence and the mastery of advanced Machine Learning and Computational Optimisation techniques.

This has been just a small compilation of training courses related to the field of artificial intelligence that we hope will be of interest to you. If you know of any other course or master's degree that you would like to recommend, do not hesitate to leave us a comment or send us an email to dinamizacion@datos.gob.es.

The coming days will see the beginning of a season of sun, heat, beach and, in many cases, more free time, which makes this season a perfect opportunity to expand our training on a wide variety of subjects, among which data, a cross-cutting subject in different sectors, cannot be missing.

There are an increasing number of courses related to Big Data, science, analytics and even data journalism that we find in the summer offers of training centres. There is a growing interest in further training in these subjects due to the high demand for professional profiles with these skills.

Whether you are a student or a working professional, here are some examples of summer courses that may be of great interest to broaden your knowledge during these weeks:

Data science

The University of Castilla-La Mancha is offering the course "Data science: impact on society" on 22 and 23 June at the Albacete campus, where the new ways of acquiring and using data resulting from advances in technology and artificial intelligence will be discussed.

This summer, the University of Deusto will offer online training on "Data analysis and applied machine learning". This course, which will begin on 27 June, will teach you to master the main technologies for analysing and processing large amounts of data, as well as some techniques to increase the value of the data analysed, promoting optimal decision-making.

The University of Alicante focuses on artificial intelligence with the course "Introduction to Deep Learning" from 11 to 15 July 2022, in classroom mode. The course will begin by explaining basic concepts and the use of basic and advanced packages such as NumPy, Pandas, scikit-learn or tf.Keras, and then continue to delve deeper into neural networks.

The University of Alcalá de Henares will talk about "Introduction to financial data science with R" in an on-site course from 20 to 24 June. The aim of the course is twofold: to familiarise students with the use of the statistical language and to show some of the techniques linked to advanced statistical calculation, as well as its practical applications.

Open data

The Complutense University of Madrid offers, once again this year, its course “Big & Open Data. Analysis and programming with R and Python” from 4 to 22 July 2022 (mornings from 9:00 to 14:00, Monday to Friday). The course will cover the data life cycle, examples of Big Data use cases and ethics applied to the management of massive data, among other topics.

Geographic Information Systems

If you are passionate about geographic data, the University of Santiago is offering the course "Introduction to geographic information systems and cartography with the R environment" from 5 to 8 July 2022. In classroom format and with 29 teaching hours, it aims to introduce students to spatial analysis, visualisation and working with raster and vector files. The main geostatistical interpolation methods will be covered during the course.

The University of Alcalá de Henares, for its part, will give the course "Applications of GIS to Hydrology", from 6 to 8 July, also in classroom format. This is a practical course that covers everything from the different sources of hydro-meteorological data to carrying out evapotranspiration and runoff analyses and obtaining results.

Data journalism

El Institut de Formació Contínua – IL3 de la Universitat de Barcelona organizará del 4 al 7 de julio de 2022 el curso online en castellano “Bulos y periodismo de datos”. Esta formación de 8 horas de duración te aportará los conocimientos necesarios para comprender, identificar y combatir el fenómeno de la desinformación. Además, conocerás las herramientas esenciales que se utilizan en el periodismo de datos, la verificación de datos (fact-checking) políticos y la investigación basada en peticiones de transparencia.

Data protection

The Menéndez Pelayo International University will hold a course on "Strategies for data protection in the face of the challenges of the digital environment" on 4, 5 and 6 July. The programme is aimed at students related to the business world, the provision of digital services, public administrations, researchers and those interested in the subject. “Smart-cities and personal data processing” or “the European Data Protection Committee and the European initiatives of the digital package” will be just some of the topics to be addressed in this course.

Another of the training courses related to data protection that will be given over the coming months will be "Are our data really ours? Risks and guarantees of personal data protection in digital societies". The International University of Andalusia will be responsible for giving this course, which will be held in person in Seville from 29 August, and which will address the current situation of personal data protection within the framework of the European Union. Through this training you will discover the benefits and risks involved in the processing of our personal data.

In addition to this specific summer training, those users who wish to do so can also go to the large MOOC course platforms, such as Coursera, EDX or Udacity, which offer interesting courses on a continuous basis so that any student can start learning whenever they need to.

These are just a few examples of courses that are currently open for enrolment this summer, although the offer is very wide and varied. Moreover, it should be noted that the summer has not yet begun and new training courses related to the field of data could emerge in the coming weeks. If you know of any other course that might be of interest, do not hesitate to leave us a comment below or write to us at contacto@datos.gob.es.