EDUCATION
We prepare people across disciplines to design, operate, regulate, study, and govern digital infrastructure.
Our flagship program brings together students from more than 70 academic disciplines for an interdisciplinary introduction to the infrastructure behind the internet and AI. It was established in 2025 on a curriculum developed over five years.
The GDI certificate at UC Berkeley
At a glance
Three foundational courses and a growing set of electives
Taught by academics, with industry and government guest faculty
Open-source curriculum for partner institutions
Practicum opportunities, including with the National University of Singapore
Above: Subsea Cable
Foundational Courses
The Hidden Foundations of the Internet
The “what” course. What is digital infrastructure, and how do its parts connect? Data centers, subsea and terrestrial cables, interconnection, last-mile networks, and how cloud and AI are changing them.
How to Build a Global Internet
The “how” course. How is digital infrastructure financed, designed, sited, and built? Business models, site selection, cooling, energy, stakeholder engagement, permitting, and network route design.
TechWars: Security, Geopolitics, and Resilience
The “where” course. What shapes infrastructure in different parts of the world? Outages, security, subsea cable protection, data sovereignty, regulation, and grid connection.
Electives
Architectures of the Cloud
Data center architecture, drawing on civil engineering, architecture, design, and operations.
From Code to Carbon
Sustainability, ESG metrics, and leadership for a sustainable transition.
Digital Infrastructure for Space
New infrastructure in space and the emerging role of satellite ecosystems.
Keeping the Internet Alive
Operations and maintenance across a data center’s lifecycle, from commissioning to decommissioning.
Speculative Infrastructures
Creative practices for imagining networks, using image-based AI to envision the future of infrastructure.
The Human Network
Stakeholder mapping and community engagement for new infrastructure.
Beyond the Certificate
Fellowships and early careers
Fellowship cohorts connect students and early-career professionals to employers, mentors, and a global alumni network.
Community and technical college pathways
Curriculum and exchanges that open careers in the sector beyond four-year degrees.
Policymaker education
Short intensives for public-sector leaders, grounded in the Institute’s research.
From classroom to career
Industry Affiliates help identify skills needs, guest lecture, and offer internships and jobs, so graduates have a visible route into the sector.