Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of October 14, 2026, from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, publishing study plans for Graduate degrees |
|---|---|
| Publication | November 7, 2026 |
| Effective date | November 7, 2026 |
| Affected parties | Future university students, technology sector, video game industry, audiovisual sector and AI and robotics companies |
| Category | Education |
| ECTS credits per degree | 240 ECTS each |
| Verifying body | Council of Universities, with favorable report from AQU Catalunya and authorization from the Generalitat de Catalunya |
Three sectors with chronic and unmet talent demand have just received a concrete institutional response. UPF publishes, through Resolution of October 14, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-23381), the official study plans for three new degrees that have fully passed the verification process of the Council of Universities, with a favorable report from AQU Catalunya and authorization from the Generalitat de Catalunya.
For executives, HR managers and companies competing for technical and creative profiles, this resolution is a market signal: in the coming years there will be graduates with regulated training in areas where qualified talent is scarce today.
What does this regulation establish?
The resolution publishes the official study plans for the three new degrees. Each one has a knowledge branch assignment and its own subject profile. Below is the complete detail of each degree:
| Degree | Branch / Assignment | Main subjects | Elective credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video Game Design and Production | Cultural Industries | Programming, 3D design, production, entrepreneurship | Not specified |
| Applied Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Health Sciences / Biomedical | Mathematics, electronics, machine learning, industrial robotics | Not specified |
| Audiovisual Media | Not specified | Production, directing, sound, post-production | 60 ECTS |
All three degrees have passed the verification process of the Council of Universities with a favorable report from AQU Catalunya (Agency for Quality of the University System of Catalonia) and have authorization from the Generalitat de Catalunya. This guarantees their official validity throughout the national territory and their recognition in the European Higher Education Area.
The assignment of the AI and Robotics degree to the Health Sciences and Biomedical branch is relevant data: it points to applications in digital health, medical robotics and assistive technology, not just to the general manufacturing or technology industry.
Economic and operational impact
For companies, the creation of these degrees has direct implications for their talent acquisition strategy and their growth plans in technological and creative areas:
- Reduction of qualified talent deficit: The video game, AI and audiovisual sectors have been competing for years for profiles with fragmented training (bootcamps, proprietary degrees, training abroad). The existence of an official 240 ECTS degree expands the pool of candidates with regulated and verified training.
- New opportunities for university-company collaboration: Study plans that include entrepreneurship subjects (Video Games) and industrial applications (AI and Robotics) open the door to internship agreements, final degree projects and R&D collaborations with UPF.
- Market signal for investors and executives: The official verification of these degrees confirms that the Administration recognizes these sectors as strategic. For companies evaluating investments in AI, audiovisual production or video game development, it is an indicator that the Spanish training ecosystem is aligning with demand.
- Impact on entry-level salaries: The formalization of training in these sectors can push entry-level salaries upward, by giving candidates greater negotiating power with an official degree backed by the university.
Who does it affect?
- Video game sector companies (development studios, publishers, serious games companies) looking for programming, 3D design and production profiles.
- Technology companies and AI startups that need engineers with training in machine learning, electronics and industrial robotics.
- Health and biomedical sector, given that the AI and Robotics degree is assigned to Health Sciences: hospitals, medtech companies and medical robotics.
- Audiovisual production companies, television networks and streaming platforms that demand profiles in production, directing, sound and post-production.
- HR managers and talent acquisition professionals at technology and creative companies who need to update their search profiles and relationships with universities.
- Future students seeking official training in high employability and professional opportunity sectors.
- Investors and venture capital funds with positions in the Spanish technology and creative ecosystem, for whom the consolidation of local talent is a valuation factor.
Practical example
A video game development company based in Barcelona has spent three years filling its 3D design and production positions with profiles from private school proprietary degrees or with candidates trained abroad. Selection costs and turnover are high because there is no officially recognized training standard.
With the implementation of the UPF degree in Video Game Design and Production (240 ECTS, with programming, 3D design, production and entrepreneurship subjects), this company can:
- Establish an internship agreement with UPF to access students in their final years before they enter the market.
- Define selection profiles based on the official study plan, with objective and comparable criteria.
- Participate in final degree projects as a collaborating company, reducing internal R&D costs.
The same scheme applies for an industrial robotics company or an audiovisual production company that wants to anticipate the arrival of the first graduates from the new AI and Audiovisual Media degrees.
What should companies do now?
- Identify if your company competes for talent in any of the three sectors (video games, AI/robotics, audiovisual) and evaluate whether the creation of these degrees changes your talent acquisition strategy in the medium term.
- Contact UPF to explore internship agreements before your competitors do. University agreements are signed in advance and provide preferential access to the best profiles.
- Update HR search profiles to include this new official degree as a selection criterion, especially for junior and internship positions.
- Consider participation as a collaborating company in final degree projects, especially in the Applied AI and Robotics degree, where industrial robotics and machine learning subjects have direct application in production environments.
- If you are an investor or executive in the audiovisual sector, keep in mind that the Audiovisual Media degree includes 60 elective credits, which allows students to specialize: an opportunity to guide that elective component toward your company's real needs through agreements with the university.
Frequently asked questions
How many credits do the new UPF degrees in Video Games, AI and Audiovisual have?
The three new UPF degrees have 240 ECTS credits each. The Audiovisual Media degree specifically includes 60 elective credits, which allows for specialization within the degree.
What subjects does the UPF degree in Applied Artificial Intelligence and Robotics include?
According to the published study plan, the degree combines mathematics, electronics, machine learning and industrial robotics. It is assigned to the Health Sciences and Biomedical branch, which points to applications in digital health and medical robotics, in addition to the general technology industry.
Are these UPF degrees officially recognized?
Yes. All three degrees have passed the verification process of the Council of Universities, have a favorable report from AQU Catalunya and have received authorization from the Generalitat de Catalunya. They are official degrees with validity throughout the national territory and in the European Higher Education Area.
When do these study plans come into effect?
The resolution publishing the study plans was published in the BOE on November 7, 2026 and came into effect that same day. The effective implementation of the degrees will follow UPF's academic calendar.
What subjects does the UPF degree in Video Game Design and Production cover?
The study plan includes subjects in programming, 3D design, production and entrepreneurship. The degree is assigned to the Cultural Industries branch, which distinguishes it from purely technical degrees and orients it also toward management and project creation in the video game industry.
Official source
View complete regulation at official source
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-23381
