"The Digital Agenda for Europe is one of the seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, set out to define the key enabling role that the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will have to play if Europe wants to succeed in its ambitions for 2020. The objective of this Agenda is to chart a course to maximise the social and economic potential of ICT, most notably the internet, a vital medium of economic and societal activity: for doing business, working, playing, communicating and expressing ourselves freely."

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC), A Digital Agenda for Europe, Brussels, 19.05.2010.

"By 2008 there will be a shortage of up to half a million people across Europe with the advanced networking technology skills (e.g. IP telephony, security and wireless networking) needed to drive European business"

International Data Cooperation (IDC), Networking Skills in Europe: will an increasing shortage hamper competitiveness in the global market?, 2005.

"According to the U.S. Department of Labor, network systems and data communications analysts is one of the fastest growing occupational areas between 2004 and 2014, with an increase over 54%."

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economic and Employment Projections, Dec. 2005

Acquired competencies

It is expected that the in-depth knowledge in computer networking and services provided by this course will bring potential professional prospects to graduate students, who should be prepared to work in a broad range of positions involving tasks from fundamental research to design and implementation of technological solutions. Teaching and research organizations (e.g., universities), service providers, network operators and industry are examples of potential employers of graduate students, where they can apply and further develop the theoretical and practical competencies promoted in this course, namely:

• conduct individual research and/or integrate research and development working groups in network edge topics;
• analyze the requirements of users, services and business being able to specify and design networking solutions to meet organizational goals;
• work effectively on planning, implementation, configuration and maintenance of network systems and infrastructures;

Statements from former students at the Univ. do Minho