About Building Europe's Semiconductor Talent
The growing demand for skilled professionals in embedded systems and microelectronics is one of Europe’s most pressing challenges. The European Chips Act recognises the shortage of qualified talent as a key barrier to strengthening the continent’s semiconductor ecosystem. Closing this skills gap is essential for Europe to reach its strategic ambition: doubling its share of the global semiconductor market to 20% by 2030.
The RESCHIP4EU project was launched in this context, bringing together leading universities and industry partners to reinforce Europe’s capacity in advanced chip design and embedded systems. Through education, training, and innovation-driven collaboration, RESCHIP4EU supports the development of a strong and resilient talent pipeline capable of powering the next generation of semiconductor technologies.
Within this initiative, the ICARUS online learning platform offers a catalogue of free, high-quality courses dedicated to embedded systems hardware and software design. These self-standing modules have been developed by academic experts and practitioners and are designed to respond directly to the skill needs identified in the European semiconductor strategy. The content ranges from foundational concepts of embedded architectures to specialised topics, giving learners the opportunity to build or deepen expertise at their own pace.
The platform is designed for a broad audience. Whether you are a working professional looking to upskill, a job seeker preparing for new opportunities, or someone transitioning between hardware and software roles, the modules address the realities of today’s engineering landscape.
Our Partners
Certificates
By completing our courses, you can earn two types of certificates if the following requirements are fulfilled:
- Cybersecurity Basics Certificate
You must complete the Foundations of Cyber Security course plus two other courses from theEntry Level modules, and one module on I&E. The modules should cover at least 30 learning hours, and all quizzes must be completed with a 100% success rate (retakes are possible). - Cybersecurity Advanced Certificate
You must complete three courses from the Advanced modules plus one module on I&E. The modules should cover at least 30 learning hours, and all quizzes must be completed with 100% success rate (retakes are possible).
How Certification works
All self-standing modules are organised into three thematic groups—Hardware Design, Embedded Application Design, and Security & Reliability—allowing participants to specialise in the area most relevant to their professional or academic goals. Each module includes structured assessments such as quizzes and hands-on exercises designed to evaluate understanding, problem-solving ability, and the capacity to apply theoretical concepts to practical contexts. Learners must achieve a minimum score of 70%, with retakes available when necessary.
Certification is available at two levels:
- Single-module certificate – awarded upon successful completion of one self-standing module, issued jointly by EIT Digital and the partner university responsible for the course.
- Topic-group certificate – awarded upon successful completion of any three modules within the same thematic group (Hardware Design, Embedded Application Design, or Security & Reliability).
Topic-group certificates (awarded upon completion of min 3 modules of choice) | ||||
Module title | ECTS* | Hardware Design | Embedded Application Design | Security & Reliability |
Artificial Intelligence Safety | 1 |
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Computer Architectures | 3 | √ |
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Design Methods for HW Security and Trust | 3 | √ |
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Embedded Platforms and Embedded Control | 1 |
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GPU Programming | 1 |
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Heterogeneous Computing for Artificial Intelligence Applications | 1 | √ | √ |
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Model Based Design and Verification | 3 |
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Open-source ASIC Design | 3 | √ |
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Signal Processing Algorithms in Embedded Systems | 3 |
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Testing and Fault Tolerance | 1 |
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The Art behind Reconfigurable and Adaptive Computing Systems | 3 | √ | √ | |
Explore our Modules
Courses Timetable
Entry Level modules (A)
• Foundations of Cyber Security 12h
• Introduction to Malware 12h
• Introduction to Network Security (UNITN) TBA
• Introduction to Access Control 1 (UR) TBA
• Introduction to Access Control 2 (UR) TBA
• Basic concepts of cryptography 6h
• Cyber Security for the Business User 12h
Advanced modules (B)
• Offensive Security: Applications and Systems 9h
• Information Hiding with Steganography 6h
• Ethical Hacking course on Web Application Security 12h
• Mathematical Foundation of Cryptocurrency 6h
• Privacy Enhancing Technologies 6h
• Quantum Communication and Post Quantum Cryptography 9h
Modules on I&E and Ethics (C)
• Introduction in Agile Project Management 9h
• Academic Ethics and Integrity in CS 12h
• Innovation Management and Digital Economy Principles 12h
• Business Development 1 TBA
• Business Development 2 TBA