Dr Raoul-Gabriel Urma (Hughes Hall 2011), completed his PhD in the Department of Computer Science and Technology in 2015 because of the funding he received.

A decade later, a gift from Raoul, who is now a successful entrepreneur in educational technology, will help support a PhD student conducting research into computing education. The recipient will begin their studies in the Department in autumn 2025.

"I'm very grateful to the Department of Computer Science and Technology," says Raoul, the founder & Group CEO of Cambridge Spark. "I benefited from a Qualcomm scholarship to study for a PhD in programming languages with Professor Alan Mycroft. Without that support, I wouldn't be where I am today.

"I'm very thankful for the opportunity I had. And if I can help the next generation achieve the same as me, or more, then it's great."

Professor Alastair Beresford, Head of Department, said: "Raoul's support for a PhD student is very valuable. PhD students drive new ideas, and funding like this enables us to offer places to students who wouldn't otherwise be able to take them up. We're extremely grateful to Raoul for his support for the next generation of students."

Raoul studied for his PhD here from 2011 to 2015. During his time, he also taught courses on programming languages and software design.

His interests in teaching and AI led him to set up his own educational technology company, Cambridge Spark, in 2016. It delivers training programmes to employees in business and government, equipping them with the AI and data skills they need to succeed in the AI era.

Adapting to the evolving landscape

"I believe that with AI today and the evolving technology landscape, skills are changing, jobs are changing, and the workforce is having to adapt faster than ever," explains Raoul. "Education becomes even more of a priority if you want to stay relevant. So that is why education, particularly computing education, really matters to me."

Raoul has kept links with the Department where he is a Visiting Industrial Fellow. He is also still in touch with Professor Alastair Beresford, whom he first met as a student when he lectured on Alastair's course on the programming language Java. Alastair is now Head of Department.

"Alastair and I were having a conversation recently about how AI is reshaping education," Raoul says, "and to me, it connected a few dots together. I decided then I wanted to support the ecosystem."

Reflecting on the impact of this gift, Professor Alastair Beresford said: "Raoul's support for a PhD student is very valuable. PhD students drive new ideas, and funding like this enables us to offer places to students who wouldn't otherwise be able to take them up."

He is doing so with a donation from his company, Cambridge Spark, that will help fund a PhD student in the Department’s Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre, which explores ways to enhance the teaching of computing to young people.

The Cambridge Spark donation is being matched by funding from Trinity Cambridge Research Studentships (TCRS), which was created to respond to declining funding opportunities for PhD research.

Importantly to Raoul, the Cambridge Spark—TCRS PhD Studentship will not restrict the student but leave them free to decide the direction of their research.

Research autonomy

"During my PhD, I was lucky enough to be able to research whatever I wanted within my area of programming languages. I benefited a lot from having that autonomy," he says.

"In this AI era, I feel that more personalised computing education is vital, and I want to see more initiatives happening in this space. The student receiving the funding will be able to progress the ideas they have about this, and I'm sure they’ll be successful."