Course on Digital Inclusion and the Technological Divide in Cities
Online course of 300 hours in digital inclusion and the technology gap in cities: 6 modules covering the urban digital divide, digital accessibility under WCAG 2.2 and UNE-EN 301549, digital skills, inclusive public services and policy evaluation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Course on Digital Inclusion and the Technological Divide in Cities — studying from New Zealand
Civil engineering is one of New Zealand's largest engineering employers, driven by the need for earthquake-resilient infrastructure, roading, water and wastewater systems across a seismically active country. Major projects include Auckland's City Rail Link and Wellington's transport upgrades, with rail maintained largely by KiwiRail. Engineers work for consultancies, contractors and councils, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment administers the Building Act and related standards, while Waka Kotahi manages the national land transport network.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,080 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
What is the recognition pathway for civil and rail engineers in New Zealand?
Engineering New Zealand administers Chartered Professional Engineer registration, which is the main recognised professional standard for civil engineers. Rail is regulated through the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and the Ministry of Transport. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by a national body, so employers or the relevant body decide how much weight to give them.
Who hires civil, rail and smart city engineers in New Zealand?
Employers include city and regional councils, central government agencies, consultancies, contractors, and rail and transport operators. Smart city roles increasingly combine infrastructure knowledge with data and digital systems. Hiring usually depends on registration, experience and project records, so a private qualification is a supporting credential rather than a guaranteed entry point.
Will I need a visa, and how do fees and employer funding work?
No student visa is needed to study from home, because all programmes are 100% online and taught in English. Each programme includes an assigned technical tutor and a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300, so check the time commitment against your workload.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the dimensions and causes of the digital divide in cities.
Apply WCAG and UNE-EN 301549 to public digital services.
Design training pathways based on the DigComp framework.
Redesign public services with inclusion criteria and multichannel access.
Identify exclusion risks arising from algorithmic systems.
Evaluate the impact of digital inclusion programmes.
Develop a digital inclusion project for an urban group.
Who it's for
- Digital inclusion officers in local government.
- Digital accessibility consultants.
- Digital literacy facilitators.
- Social services professionals dealing with digital exclusion.
- Public service designers.
- Social innovation programme managers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into local government.
What you'll work with
- Real Decreto 1112/2018 (Spanish accessibility of public-sector websites and apps)
- UNE-EN 301549 (accessibility requirements for ICT products and services)
- WCAG 2.2 (W3C) (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
- Directive (EU) 2016/2102 (accessibility of public-sector websites and mobile apps)
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act)
- Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2013 (Spanish rights of persons with disabilities and their social inclusion)
- Decision (EU) 2022/2481 (Digital Decade 2030 policy programme)
- Ley 39/2015 (Spanish common administrative procedure law)
- WAVE
- axe DevTools
- NVDA
- TAW
- LimeSurvey
6 modules
1.1Dimensions: access, use and skills1.2The divide by age, gender, income and territory1.3The disability and accessibility divide1.4The digital divide in vulnerable neighbourhoods1.5DESI and Digital Decade indicators1.6INE surveys on ICT equipment1.7Effects of the digitalisation of public services1.8Financial and administrative exclusion1.9Citizens' digital rights1.10Case study: digital divide diagnosis of a neighbourhood
2.1WCAG 2.2 guidelines2.2UNE-EN 301549 requirements2.3Real Decreto 1112/2018 on web accessibility2.4The European Accessibility Act2.5Easy-to-read and plain language2.6Assistive technologies2.7Automated and manual evaluation2.8Accessibility statements2.9Universal design of services2.10Lab: accessibility audit of a municipal website
3.1The DigComp 2.2 framework3.2Levels and self-assessment3.3Digital literacy for older adults3.4Skills for employability3.5Online safety and fraud prevention3.6Training in civic centres and libraries3.7Peer-learning methodologies3.8Digital volunteering and community mentors3.9Spain's National Digital Skills Plan3.10Workshop: training pathway for older people
4.1Multichannel service with guaranteed face-to-face access4.2Human-centred design4.3Assistance with electronic procedures4.4Simple and accessible digital identity4.5Public internet access points4.6Social connectivity and reduced tariffs4.7Refurbished device programmes4.8Inclusion in mobility and payment services4.9Algorithmic bias and exclusion4.10Practical exercise: redesigning an inclusive municipal procedure
5.1Municipal digital inclusion strategies5.2Collaboration with the third sector and businesses5.3Funding inclusion programmes5.4Outcome and impact indicators5.5Participatory evaluation with users5.6Digital inclusion and gender5.7Rural areas and medium-sized cities5.8European good practice5.9Accessible artificial intelligence5.10Case study: evaluating a digital literacy programme
6.1Selecting the target group and territory6.2Needs assessment6.3Analysis of affected digital services6.4Proposed accessibility measures6.5Training programme6.6Partnerships and resources6.7Monitoring indicators6.8Budget and timeline6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
The course is taught 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. You work with WAVE, axe DevTools, NVDA, TAW and LimeSurvey, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures: an accessibility audit of a municipal portal, a digital divide diagnosis of a neighbourhood and the design of a digital skills programme. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final capstone project.
Standards covered: Real Decreto 1112/2018, UNE-EN 301549, WCAG 2.2 (W3C), Directive (EU) 2016/2102, Directive (EU) 2019/882, Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2013, Decision (EU) 2022/2481, Ley 39/2015.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with WAVE, axe DevTools, NVDA, TAW and LimeSurvey, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need a computer with an internet connection and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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