The Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programs (BIPs) offer a unique opportunity for students to engage in short-term, intensive international learning experiences that combine virtual and physical mobility.This document outlines the “Agents of Transformation in the Digital World: Driving Innovation with AI & Cybersecurity” BIP, hosted by the Porto Higher Institute of Advanced Technologies (ISTEC Porto).Leveraging ISTEC Porto's expertise in Software Engineering, Multimédia and the critical areas of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, alongside the research capabilities of CITECA, this BIP is meticulously designed to equip participants with the essential technical, strategic, and leadership skills needed to act as proactive agents of change.The program focuses on understanding, leveraging, and directing digital technologies, particularly the synergistic power of AI and Cybersecurity, to drive innovation, ensure digital resilience, and reshape industries and society.It fosters international collaboration, critical thinking, and a practical, project-based approach, aligning with the European Union's commitment to digital leadership, secure innovation, sustainable development, and a future-ready workforce.
2. Program Overview
2.1. Title
Agents of Transformation in the Digital World: Driving Innovation with AI & Cybersecurity
2.2. ECTS Credits
This Blended Intensive Program (BIP) awards 3 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) upon successful completion, recognizing the intensive workload and achieved learning outcomes.
2.3. Working Language
The entire program, including all workshops, lectures, project work, and presentations, will be conducted in English. A minimum B1 level of English proficiency is required for all participants to ensure effective communication and collaboration.
2.4. Cultivating Digital Transformation Agents
This program aims to cultivate students into effective agents of transformation by equipping them with critical skills through a dynamic blend of workshops, personalized mentorship, and collaborative projects. It fosters innovation and creativity by challenging participants to develop real-world solutions that drive digital change, with a strong emphasis on integrating Artificial Intelligence for innovation and Cybersecurity for resilience.
The BIP actively promotes international collaboration, enabling students to work in diverse teams and gain global perspectives on digital transformation and security. Furthermore, it integrates principles of sustainable development, aligning with the European Union's Green Deal objectives by encouraging environmentally conscious and socially responsible digital innovations that are inherently secure.
Digital competence is significantly enhanced through structured online learning modules, preparing students to lead in the global digital economy. Inclusivity is a key focus, targeting underrepresented groups to create a diverse and impactful ecosystem of digital change-makers.
This program is designed to contribute directly to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reflecting a commitment to global challenges:
- SDG 4: Quality Education – By providing advanced digital skills in AI and Cybersecurity, fostering critical thinking, and preparing students for future-proof careers.
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – By promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and the creation of new digital ventures, contributing to sustainable economic growth and productive employment.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – By driving digital transformation, building resilient digital infrastructure, and fostering inclusive and sustainable industrialization through AI and secure technologies.
3. Learning Objectives
This project provides several interactive learning opportunities, enabling students to access digital materials, embedded tools, evaluation tasks, and more. It is meticulously designed to achieve three fundamental global objectives:
3.1. Pedagogical and Educational Excellence
- Establish a structured learning environment that integrates advanced concepts in AI and Cybersecurity with strategic digital transformation methodologies.
- Apply theoretical and practical digital transformation concepts to the development and implementation of innovative, secure solutions.
- Enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills in complex scenarios within a rapidly evolving digital landscape, addressing both innovation and security challenges.
3.2. Strategic Vision and Digital Leadership
- Learn how to formulate a solid digital transformation strategy that is viable, sustainable, and inherently secure, ensuring alignment with market needs, organizational objectives, and regulatory compliance.
- Develop strategic thinking to navigate competitive digital landscapes, identify disruptive opportunities, and lead digital initiatives with a strong security posture.
- Understand the dynamics of digital adoption, change management, and market penetration for technology-driven transformations, emphasizing trust and resilience.
3.3. Impact Assessment and Secure Resource Management
- Gain proficiency in assessing the potential impact (technical, economic, social, and security) of digital transformation projects.
- Develop skills in evaluating investment projects in digital technologies, assessing their feasibility, return on investment, and cybersecurity risks.
- Understand the financial, human, and technological resource implications of driving digital change, optimizing negotiation options, and implementing robust cybersecurity measures.
Beyond these core objectives, the program promises to be a transformative experience, equipping participants with the essential competencies to initiate, lead, and sustain digital transformation efforts, ensuring their projects achieve necessary scalability and impact across new markets, acting globally, with security by design.
ISTEC Porto – Porto Higher Institute of Advanced Technologies
3.4. Skills Developed
Upon completion of the BIP, students will have developed the following key skills:
- Digital transformation mindset to identify opportunities, drive change, and lead innovation in digital contexts, with a strong awareness of security implications.
- Proficiency in applying Scrum to complex AI and Cybersecurity-driven digital transformation projects.
- Practical skills in conceiving, building, and deploying AI models and cybersecurity solutions as drivers of secure digital change.
- Competence in developing and validating digital transformation roadmaps and business cases that integrate robust cybersecurity strategies.
- Understanding of investment analysis, financial implications of digital projects, and resource allocation, considering cybersecurity investments.
- Ability to articulate strategic visions persuasively to diverse stakeholders and lead multidisciplinary teams, advocating for secure innovation.
- Effective teamwork and communication in multicultural settings, fostering global digital partnerships with a focus on shared security best practices.
- Enhanced skills in leveraging digital tools for strategic planning, project management, advanced AI development, and cybersecurity analysis.
- Capacity to integrate ethical, environmental, social, and security considerations into digital transformation initiatives.
4. Target Audience
- Students with innovative digital ideas: Those who have progressed past the problem-solution fit stage and are ready to build impactful and secure digital solutions.
- Early-stage digital initiatives: Teams looking to refine their AI-based projects or services, integrate robust cybersecurity, and prepare for broader adoption.
- Professionals aiming for digital leadership: Individuals seeking to leverage advanced digital techniques for organizational or societal transformation, with a focus on resilience and trust.
- Advanced Bachelor's or Master's students in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Business Administration, or related fields.
5. Program Scructure
5.1. Virtual Phase
Duration: Approximately 2 weeks (self-paced, leading up to the Online Session 1). Format: Asynchronous online modules, team formation, and initial project ideation focused on digital transformation challenges, emphasizing AI and Cybersecurity. Activities:- Access to digital learning materials on foundational AI concepts, cybersecurity principles, digital transformation frameworks, and leadership principles.
- Introduction to team collaboration tools and platforms (Google Classroom and Google Drive shared folder).
- Team formation and initial brainstorming for digital transformation project ideas, guided by online resources, with a focus on secure design.
- 03:00 pm – 03:45 pm: Kick-off meeting. General introduction to the program, its role in cultivating digital transformation agents, contents, and assessment. Practical information.
- 03:45 pm – 05:00 pm: Group presentation and Icebreaker activities.
- 03:00 pm – 05:00 pm: Feedback session, reflection on learning outcomes, and discussion on future steps for projects as digital transformation initiatives.
5.2. Physical Mobility Phase (ISTEC Porto)
Duration: 5 intensive days, from May 4th to May 8th of 2026. Location: ISTEC Porto, Portugal. Format: Interactive workshops, personalized mentorship, team project development, company visits exploring digital transformation and security, and pitch competitions.Official Schedule (GMT)
6. Methods and Outcomes
The program employs interactive theoretical-practical sessions focused on student engagement and project development, particularly in designing and implementing secure digital transformation strategies.
Methodologies such as learning-by-doing and experiential learning are promoted through the resolution of real-world digital challenges, with a strong emphasis on security by design.
Sessions with experienced digital leaders and cybersecurity experts will provide invaluable insights into driving change securely and valuable networking opportunities. All learning objectives, pedagogical materials, and practical activities will be made available in a dedicated Google Drive shared folder.
This approach leads to practical skills development in digital strategy and cybersecurity, enhanced strategic thinking, effective teamwork in a transformative context, advanced digital literacy, and improved capabilities in leading secure digital initiatives.
7. Why You Should Join
This international competition offers students and aspiring digital leaders the unique opportunity to:
- Work in diverse international teams, fostering cross-cultural understanding and global networking to drive secure digital change.
- Test and refine AI and Cybersecurity-driven digital transformation concepts alongside peers.
- Acquire the tools and confidence to initiate, lead, and scale impactful and secure digital initiatives.
- Gain invaluable experience presenting transformative projects to a panel of experts and potential investors or decision-makers, highlighting their security posture.
8. Assessment Methodology
Participants will be evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria to ensure a holistic assessment of their learning and project development as agents of transformation:
- Active Participation: Engagement in virtual and physical sessions, workshops, and team activities, demonstrating leadership in digital discussions and security considerations.
- Project Progress: Continuous evaluation of the team’s project development, including the effective application of agile methodologies to drive secure digital change.
- Quality of the Solution: Technical assessment of the AI and Cybersecurity solution developed, its innovation, feasibility, potential impact, and robustness as a transformative digital initiative.
- Final Presentation: Evaluation of the clarity, strategic vision, technical rigor, and communication effectiveness of the team’s pitch, showcasing their role as agents of secure change.
- Final Report: A concise technical and strategic report per team, detailing the problem, transformative solution, methodology, results, and future scalability and impact, with a dedicated section on security architecture and measures.
9. Coordinating & Host Institution
ISTEC Porto
Address:
R. de Silva Tapada, 115
4200-501 Porto
Email:
secretaria-porto@istec.pt
Study @ ISTEC Porto
At ISTEC Porto, Engineering, Technology, and Innovation converge to create transformative solutions for businesses and society. With a range of postgraduate programs aligned with standards of excellence, we prepare professionals for the opportunities of the Digital Transition era.
ISTEC Porto combines decades of experience with an innovative vision in the training of engineers, providing:
- Innovation: A dynamic environment fostering cutting-edge research and development.
- Experienced Faculty: A dedicated team of professors with extensive industry and academic backgrounds.
- Real-world Projects: Opportunities to work on practical projects addressing current industry challenges.
- Active Community: A vibrant academic and professional network that encourages collaboration and growth.
ISTEC Porto, with its strong focus on Engineering and Technology, and its advanced research center CITECA, provides an ideal environment for this intensive program, fostering the next generation of digital transformation agents, particularly in the critical domains of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.
10. Application Information
10.1 Eligibility
Students from partner universities, meeting the B1 English proficiency and academic criteria
(e.g., advanced Bachelor’s or Master’s level).
10.2 Application Period
The application window for this Blended Intensive Program is open from
January 19th to April 10th of 2026.
Required Documents
- Curriculum Vitae (CV);
- Motivation letter highlighting interest in digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence, and
Cybersecurity; - Academic transcript;
- [Optional] A brief description of a digital initiative or project idea with a focus on innovation
and/or security.
10.4 Selection Criteria
- Academic merit;
- Potential as a digital transformation agent;
- Relevance of project idea and motivation.
10.5 How to Apply
Online Application Form:
Complete and submit your application through our dedicated online portal:
https://forms.gle/xUKj2MdiBWqvE8Wb6
Prepare Your Documents:
Upload all necessary documents and finalize your submission via the online portal before the deadline.
11. Contacts
For any inquiries regarding the Blended Intensive Program, please contact:
Professor Helder Pinto
CITECA Director
helder.pinto@my.istec.pt
Professor Isabel Fidalgo
Psychologist, Ethics Committee
isabel.fidalgo@my.istec.pt
Professor Isabel Madalena
Internship Coordinator
isabel.madalena@my.istec.pt
ISTEC Porto
R. de Silva Tapada, 115
4200-501 Porto
Website:
https://istecporto.learnstudio.com
Email:
secretaria-porto@istec.pt
Phone:
(+351) 22 519 3220
