The CITM-UPC promotes video game talent in Catalonia

The video game industry is experiencing a moment of global expansion and Catalonia has established itself as one of the hubs One of the most important centers in Southern Europe. With a sector experiencing sustained growth in terms of employment, revenue, and cultural and social impact, the demand for professionals trained in design, programming, and project management continues to grow. To meet current demand, the Center for Image and Multimedia Technology (CITM), affiliated with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), has become a key player in the development of local talent.

In this regard, the CITM specializes in training in the fields of animation and digital art, multimedia technologies, and video games, and is the only center in Spain to offer three complementary degrees in the field of creative digital industries: the Degree in Design, Animation, and Digital Art; the Degree in Digital Design and Multimedia Technologies; and the Degree in Video Game Design and Development. The Bachelor's Degree in Video Game Design and Development from CITM-UPC, in Terrassa (on the UPC Campus) and in Barcelona (at the Tech Talent Center), offers formal training with a clear practical and cross-disciplinary focus. The degree can be taken in two modalities: a trilingual program (Catalan, Spanish, or English) in Terrassa, and a 100% English program in Barcelona, ​​​​thus adapting to the vehicular language of the global industry.

Students pursuing this degree acquire skills in areas such as programming, visual design, interactive storytelling, audio, UX/UI, and production. The center works with a 360-degree perspective, aiming to prepare them to create, program, and implement video games and interactive applications for multiple platforms, with a solid technological and scientific foundation.

The degree, an innovative training proposal

The added value of CITM lies in a methodology focused on project-based learning and training based on a close connection with the business community and the creative ecosystem of the video game industry. Each course culminates in a project, ranging from casual video games to 3D projects or a final degree project. Students have access to internships at leading companies such as Socialpoint, Gameloft, Larian Studios, and 2Awesome Studio SL and can develop their ideas through the center's digital creation pre-incubator.

Upon completion of the degree, students will have developed several multidisciplinary video game projects, both individually and in groups. During this process, they will acquire extensive knowledge of the market and master the keys to entrepreneurship and dissemination, as well as understanding the financing and monetization systems specific to the sector. They will also establish direct contact with the industry's leading companies.

In addition, the degree encourages participation in competitions such as the 3Cat Ludi Awards—in which students have received several awards—and the Great CITM Game Jam, with eight editions behind it. This creative environment is complemented by activities such as participation in fairs (SAGA, Indie DevDay) and the organization of conferences such as India Games TRS, in collaboration with the Terrassa City Council.

A decade training video game professionals

With ten years of experience, the Degree in Video Game Design and Development at CITM-UPC has become a benchmark in the training of professionals who today work as programmers, designers, technical and 3D artists, animators, data analysts, and producers. This journey has consolidated CITM as a launching pad for highly qualified digital talent, closely connected to the business and creative ecosystem of the sector.

An example of this connection is the preparation of the report The indie video game sector in Catalonia: analysis of a growing ecosystem with international reach, coordinated by the director of CITM, Carles Sora, and the degree coordinator, Marta Fernández, along with Júlia Vilasís-Pamos (UPF), and published by the Department of Culture of the Government of Catalonia.

Thus, Catalonia has made a major commitment to video games as a driver of innovation and economic development. And the Center for Image and Multimedia Technology (UPC) plays a key role in training the generations that will lead this future.