Applications for the world’s first postgraduate programme dedicated to submarine cables are open until September 30
Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, the University of Genoa, one of the oldest in Italy and one of the best in the world on marine and maritime issues, and SubOptic Foundation, a philanthropic organization that aims to promote knowledge of the digital infrastructure sector among global stakeholders, launch the first edition of the Second-Level University Master in Digital Subsea Infrastructure (DSI), the world’s first postgraduate programme dedicated to submarine communications and digital critical infrastructure.
Subsea digital and energy infrastructure are today strategic assets for economic development, security, and global connectivity. The new programme has been designed to train professionals capable of operating across the authorisation, design, deployment, maintenance, and monitoring processes for subsea digital networks.
The academic activities, coordinated by the Department of Naval, Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering (DITEN) of the University of Genoa, will benefit from the contribution of experienced professionals from Sparkle, a leading operator in the submarine cable sector with a proprietary fiber-optic network spanning more than 600,000 km across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. The programme will also have a strong international dimension thanks to the contribution of SubOptic, the global association representing the world’s leading companies involved in the design, manufacturing, deployment, operation of subsea infrastructure and whose objectives include training and attracting young talents to the industry. In addition, the programme benefits from an academic cooperation agreement with the University of California, Berkeley (USA) within the framework of the Erasmus+ KA171 Programme – Learning Mobility of Individuals.
The one-year postgraduate programme, running from November 2026 to October 2027, offers a strongly interdisciplinary learning experience covering technological, environmental, engineering, economic, and legal aspects of the sector. It is designed to prepare highly qualified professionals to address the challenges of this rapidly evolving field in both national and international contexts.
Federico Delfino, Rector of the University of Genoa, comments: “With this programme, the University of Genoa expands its educational offering in a sector set to play an increasingly strategic role for global telecommunications and the blue economy. The collaboration with Sparkle and the SubOptic Foundation is a concrete example of how universities, research and businesses can work together to develop highly specialized skills and meet the challenges of innovation. This new programme showcases our University’s interdisciplinary vocation and strengthens Genoa’s role as an international reference point for education and research in marine and maritime technologies.”
“With the BlueMed cable and the Genoa Landing Platform, we have helped establish Genoa as one of the Mediterranean’s leading digital hubs and a strategic gateway for new global communications routes,” said Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle.
“Today, alongside the development of digital infrastructure, we are proud to collaborate with the University of Genoa ineducating a new generation of professionals who will help drive the growth of a sector that is becoming increasingly strategic for the digital economy and the country’s competitiveness.”
“Education and research sit at the heart of everything the SubOptic Foundation does,” said Jayne Stowell, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of SubOptic Foundation UK. “Our Foundation exists to foster global cooperation, share technical knowledge, and build dialogue between industry and academia, and this programme embodies exactly that spirit. Partnering with Sparkle and the University of Genoa on this programme lets us turn our mission into a concrete pathway for the next generation to build real careers in submarine cables“.
For more information on the programme, admission requirements, financial support and the application procedure, visit: Enrolment | Digital Subsea Infrastructure.
Background: Sparkle’s Presence in Genoa
Sparkle’s presence and commitment in Genoa continue to grow in strategic importance. Thanks to its geographical location, the city is emerging as a new digital gateway to the Mediterranean and a preferred landing point for submarine cables seeking a diversified alternative to Marseille, further strengthening its role as a major hub for data traffic between Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
At the heart of this ecosystem is the Genoa Landing Platform, an open, neutral and scalable infrastructure designed to provide a turnkey landing solution for submarine cable systems. Thanks to the innovative Bore Pipe multi-duct system, cables can land safely with minimal impact on the marine environment and the urban landscape before reaching the Genoa Digital Hub in Lagaccio through an underground tunnel network, where they interconnect with Europe’s major terrestrial networks and Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). The platform is designed to accommodate additional cable systems, supporting the continued growth of Genoa’s digital ecosystem.
The BlueMed cable system lands at the Genoa Landing Platform, connecting Italy with France, Greece, Israel and Jordan and serving as the Mediterranean segment of the Blue & Raman Submarine Cable Systems project, which will create a new digital route between Europe and India. The infrastructure also hosts the Unitirreno cable and will welcome Barracuda, the first direct fiber-optic connection between Italy and Spain that will link Genoa and Valencia by 2028, further strengthening the city’s role as a European hub for digital communications.
About Sparkle
Sparkle is TIM Group’s Global Operator, first international service provider in Italy and among the top worldwide, offering a full range of infrastructure and global connectivity services – capacity, IP, SD-WAN, colocation, IoT connectivity, roaming and voice – to national and international Carriers, OTTs, ISPs, Media/Content Providers, and multinational enterprises. A major player in the submarine cable industry, Sparkle owns and manages a network of more than 600,000 km of fiber spanning from Europe to Africa and the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. Its sales force is active worldwide and distributed over 33 countries.
Find out more about Sparkle following its X and LinkedIn profiles or visiting the website tisparkle.com
About the University of Genoa
The University of Genoa (UniGe) is one of the oldest of Europe’s large universities. With around 255 study courses spread across its sites in Genoa and its university hubs in Imperia, Savona and La Spezia, it is a well-established presence in the region. Located in the heart of a superb city that offers the splendors of its medieval and baroque past and home to one of the largest and most productive ports in Europe, the University of Genoa is one of the most renowned generalist public universities in Italy, with peaks of excellence in numerous scientific and technological fields. A point of reference for anyone who wants to acquire the tools to consciously face present and future challenges.
The University of Genoa is on all the main social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About SubOptic Foundation
The SubOptic Foundation comprises separate UK and US charitable/non-profit organisations established by the SubOptic Association and is dedicated to education and research that strengthen and future-proof global digital infrastructure – particularly the subsea networks that underpin modern society. Our work includes the advancement of resilient, sustainable connectivity for the public good. Through initiatives such as WAVE, the Global Digital Infrastructure (GDI) Certificate and the Second-Level Master in Digital Subsea Infrastructure (DSI), we open pathways into critical global industry and help address global skills shortages. Research programmes including Sustainable Subsea Networks (SSN) and Strategic Resilience tackle the environmental, technical and societal challenges facing digital infrastructure worldwide. To date, more than 250 professionals have completed the GDI Certificate, and over, 1500 people have been introduced to the subsea industry through WAVE, expanding access, capability and understanding across the globe.
Sparkle Media Contacts
X: @TISparkle
University of Genoa Media Contacts
SubOptic Foundation Media Contacts
