OPIT celebrates successes at 2025/26 inauguration

OPIT – Open Institute of Technology inaugurated its 2025/26 academic year on Monday 8th September with an online event attended by students, faculty, and guest speakers from across the globe.

The event brought together OPIT’s growing community of over 500 students, representing nearly 100 nationalities. The institution welcomed new students across its BSc and MSc programmes, including Computer Science, Digital Business, Applied Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Cybersecurity.

Looking back on notable milestones, OPIT celebrated its first graduation for the MSc in Applied Data Science and AI in March 2025. The academic institution is also expanding its industry connections, with corporate partners already providing Capstone project opportunities and career pathways for students.

The inauguration featured contributions from distinguished speakers including Professor Francesco Profumo, OPIT Rector and former Italian Minister of Education; Dr Rose Anne Cuschieri, CEO of Malta’s accreditation authority MFHEA; Giorgio Tacchia, Managing Director at Globant; and Professor Alexiei Dingli of the University of Malta. Student testimonies were also shared, reflecting on the impact of OPIT’s model of interactive, globally accessible higher education.

In his address, OPIT Founder Riccardo Ocleppo emphasised the transformative role of education in preparing students for an uncertain but opportunity-rich technological landscape.

“When we launched OPIT in 2022, we wanted to prove that an online degree could be rigorous, international, deeply connected to the world of work, and engaging,” said Ocleppo. “Three years later, we can already see results. This year alone, 300 new students are joining us, representing 98 nationalities.”

He also highlighted the importance of technical and interdisciplinary skills: “Your technical skills are your foundation of freedom. If you know how to build a product yourself, from coding the first line to integrating an AI algorithm, you can be fast and cost-effective. This isn’t just theory; it’s about becoming a builder who can innovate in a startup or within a large company.”

Looking ahead, OPIT has set out a roadmap of new initiatives, including the launch of a PhD in 2026, an in-person student bootcamp in spring 2026, and further expansion of its academic offering. This year will also see the rollout of OPIT’s in-house developed AI Copilot, embedded gradually into teaching through faculty champions, alongside the launch of a dedicated Career Service, Alumni Network, and the institution’s first Career Fair in late 2025.

Ocleppo closed by stressing OPIT’s ongoing commitment to combining academic rigour with real-world relevance: “The depth of education you’re pursuing will give you a strong edge in the job market. The skills you acquire here won’t just get you a job: they will give you freedom. The freedom to decide what you want to do and achieve in your professional life, the freedom to start your own venture, and the freedom to shape the future rather than simply react to it.”