Summer school at UAH

At the University of Alcalá (UAH), the Summer School focused on the participation of international university students from diverse academic backgrounds, with a thematic emphasis on sensors and data acquisition. The program demonstrated how students from different disciplines can successfully study a common technical topic using the GEMS educational equipment and MOOC content, progressing from theory to practical implementation.

The course followed a hybrid learning approach, combining face-to-face laboratory sessions at the UAH Electronics Department with autonomous online work delivered through the OpenUAH MOOC platform. Learning resources developed for the Sensors and Data Acquisition MOOC were validated in this setting, providing structured theoretical content alongside hands-on activities.

Participants came from five European universities within the EUGLOH alliance—Lund, Paris-Saclay, Novi Sad, Szeged, and UAH—and represented a wide range of academic fields, including engineering, data science, earth science, and biology. During in-person sessions, students worked with the GEMS-developed Ruby sensory module, gaining practical experience in sensory systems, data acquisition, and basic hardware assembly.

Student feedback highlighted strong engagement and high appreciation for the practical application of theoretical concepts, particularly among those without prior electronics experience. Overall, the UAH Summer School confirmed the effectiveness of the GEMS Project in delivering inclusive, hands-on education in sensors and data acquisition across varied academic backgrounds.