• The Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Youth and Children, Rubén Pérez, visited today the Research Center on Information and Communication Technologies (CITIC), where she learned first-hand about the center’s lines of work and projects aimed at fostering scientific culture from an early age, such as the Talentos Inclusivos project.
• The visit also opened new avenues for collaboration between the Ministry and the university center.
• During the meeting with research staff, discussions focused on the possibility of CITIC collaborating in the development of the National Strategy for Safe Digital Environments, within the framework of a shared commitment to promote responsible and socially engaged use of ICT among young people.

A Coruña, October 23, 2025.– The Minister of Youth and Children, Sira Rego, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Youth and Children, Rubén Pérez, visited this morning the CITIC of the University of A Coruña (UDC) as part of an agreement to be signed in the coming days to promote cooperation and scientific, cultural, and technological development in the field of childhood and youth. At the UDC’s ICT Center, she learned directly about research lines and projects designed to promote scientific culture among young people through the use of information technologies for social purposes.

The minister was welcomed by Ana Isabel Ares Pernas, Vice-Rector of the Ferrol Campus and Social Responsibility; Amalia Jácome Pumar, Deputy for Research at UDC; Julio Abalde, Government Subdelegate in A Coruña; Manuel González Penedo, Director of CITIC; and Javier Pereira, Deputy Director. The CITIC management team presented the center’s main research areas, emphasizing its commitment to bringing research closer to society and sparking STEM vocations from an early age.

“Our hallmark as a center is that everything we do here must have a social impact. Attracting young talent is a challenge, which is why we promote school programs that bring science and technology into classrooms,” stated the CITIC Director.

During the session, several researchers presented their work in areas aligned with the objectives of the Ministry of Youth and Children. Francisco Bellas Bouza explained initiatives in Artificial Intelligence applied to education, aimed at training teachers and students in the responsible use of AI. Javier Pereira Loureiro and Betania Groba González showcased progress in technologies for inclusion through the Talentos Inclusivos program, while Adriana Dapena Janeiro presented science outreach activities and STEM vocation programs developed by CITIC in collaboration with educational centers.

ICT for inclusion

The visit continued in the Virtual Reality Room, where projects under the Talentos Inclusivos program were presented—an initiative recognized at both regional and national levels, engaging secondary, high school, and vocational students in developing accessible technological solutions.

Minister Sira Rego highlighted the social and educational value of such initiatives: “The digital environment is also a source of opportunities. At CITIC, you have created meeting points and tools for inclusion and community engagement through technology.” She also expressed her interest in exploring collaboration opportunities with CITIC at UDC within the National Strategy for Safe Digital Environments, recognizing the center’s work in promoting a responsible and socially committed use of ICT.

To close the visit, two researchers presented projects focused on using virtual reality for people with disabilities. Emilio Padrón showcased an immersive visualization system for home renovations to improve accessibility, while Betania Groba and Manuel Lagos presented Supermarket 4.0, a virtual reality (VR) application designed to train motor, cognitive, and functional skills in people with disabilities and older adults.

About CITIC

CITIC is a research center that drives advancement and excellence in R&D&I applied to ICT, established in 2008 by the University of A Coruña. The center’s scientific activity is structured into four main research areas: Artificial Intelligence; Data Science and Engineering; High-Performance Computing; and Intelligent Services and Networks, along with a cross-cutting area of Cybersecurity.

CITIC is accredited as a Center of Excellence and a member of the CIGUS Network for the 2024–2027 period, validating the quality and impact of its research. The accreditation, structuring, and enhancement of CITIC are co-funded by the Xunta de Galicia and 60% by the European Union under the FEDER Galicia 2021–2027 Operational Program, with the thematic objective of promoting “a smarter Europe: innovative and intelligent economic transformation” (ED431G 2023/01).