Studies and Life at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano

1. Studies and Life at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano Evgeny Kharlamov kharlamov@inf.unibz.it+39-3492687006

2. Content • Location • Free University of Bozen-Bolzano • Regular Masters‘ Programs • European Masters‘ Programs • How to apply • Useful information • Pictures

3. Location: Italy / South Tyrol • One of 20 regions of Italy • One of 5 autonomous regions  a reach one • 3 Official Languages: German, Italian, Ladin  good opportunity to learn languages • >400 000 local people

4. Where is Bolzano/Bozen? • Venice – 3h; Milan – 3,5h; Florence:6h; Verona:2h; Triest:4h;Rome: 1 night • Innsbruck:2h; München:4h;Nürnberg: 7h;Vienna: 1 night

5. Why going to Bozen to study? Studies: • International academic staff (41% come from abroad!) • Strong Computer Science Faculty • Broad spectrum of lectures, practice oriented • Modern teaching approach, facilities, library • Young professors and modern subjects • Good opportunities of internships at partner universities around Europe • Available study grants • Available dormitories Activities: • Located in the middle of Italian Alps  hiking, climbing, skiing • A lot of sport facilities and opportunities for travelling • Active students‘ organizations

6. Free University of Bozen-Bolzano • Founded in 1997 as free state-recognized university • 4 faculties + 1 undergraduate program (~3500 students) • School of Economics and Management • Faculty of Education • Faculty of Computer Science • Faculty of Design and Art • Bachelor of Science in Logistics and Production Engineering • Undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate programs • Bachelor (3 years) • Master (2 years) • PhD (at least 3 years)

7. Faculty of Computer Science CASE: DIS: KRDB: Center for Applied Database and Knowledge Software Engineering Information Systems Representation meets Databases • CASE: 7 regular staff, 5 PhD students • DIS: 6 regular staff, 6 PhD students • KRDB: 10 regular staff, 9 PhD students • 30 External professors, teaching assistants, … • Interesting research projects with foreign universities (from Germany, Austria, Spain, USA, Canada…)

8. Master Programs • Regular MS in CS • European MS in CS

9. Courses within the Master Programs

10. Regular Master Programs One Italian degree and several possibilities for specialization: • Databases • Information and Knowledge Management • Software Engineering • Web Technologies

11. Databases • Overview • Efficient storage • Indexing • Access and processing of the data • Key Subjects • Data Warehousing • Data Mining • Distributed Databases • Temporal Databases • Spatial Databases….

12. Information and knowledge management • Overview Artificial Intelligence, reasoning over data and information, exploiting also efficient storage and access methods to large, distributed collections of data • Key Subjects • Foundations of Databases, • Knowledge bases, • Artificial Intelligence, • Knowledge Representation, • Automated Reasoning, • Formal Verification of SW, • XML, • Semantic Web Technologies

13. Software Engineering • Overview • Engineering methods to obtain economically grounded software (reliable and cost-effective) • Research and development of software, both as programmers and as managers • Developing real world software packages • Key Subjects • Software Quality • Requirements Engineering • Software Architecture

14. Web Technologies • Overview • Fundamental and newest research technologies of the Internet • Covers business management in web based information systems • Key Subjects • Knowledge representation • Software Architecture • XML • System security

15. European Master Programs 3 European Master programs: double degree at FUB and at a partner university • Computational Logic • Language and Communication Technologies • Software Engineering

16. European Master Programs Partner Universities • Leopold-Franzens Universität Innsbruck, Austria • Technische Universität Wien, Austria • Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic • Copenhagen Business School, Denmark • Roskilde University, Denmark • University Henri Poincaré, France • University of Nancy 2, France • Universität des Saarlandes, Germany • Technische Universität Dresden, Germany • Technische Universität Kaiserlslautern, Germany • Università degli Studi di Trento, Italy • University of Malta, Malta • University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands • Utrecht University, The Netherlands • Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal • Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain • Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sweden

17. European Master Program in Computational Logic • Overview All kinds of applications of logic in Computer Science • Key Subjects • Deductive systems • Logics • Knowledge representation • Declarative programming • Formal foundations of CS • Target students Interest in foundational and engineering aspects of computational logic

18. European Master Program in Language and Communication Technologies • Overview • Information technologies specialized to deal with the Natural Language • Key Subjects • All aspects related to efficient processing of text, speech, knowledge, gestures, facial expressions, including their recognition, synthesis, representation and storage • Target students Interest in the development and application of intelligent, multimodal interfaces for all forms of device-mediated communication (e.g. over the internet, mobile devices...)

19. European Master Program in Software Engineering • Overview • Engineering methods to obtain economically grounded software (reliable and cost-effective) • Key Subjects • Software Quality • Requirements Engineering • Software Architecture • Target students • Interest in research and development of software, both as programmers and as managers • Interest in developing real world software packages • Interest in the management of real world sw teams

20. European Master Regular Master Study plan organized with several universities The student can choose from the FUB courses 6 – 12 months are spent at a partner university All 2 years in Bozen, or part abroad via Erasmus 2 diplomas, plus European Master title Master diploma from FUB Has to be chosen at pre-enrollment time The specialisation to be chosen after enrolment What is the difference between Regular and European MS

21. European Master Regular Master Erasmus Mundus Scholarships for 2 years: 1600 EUR x 10 month a year Scholarships for 2 years Last year: 5400 EUR/Year (~450 EUR/Month) Tuition fees fixed by partner Universities No tuition feesprovince tax = 122EUR/Year Not easy to getSeveral scholarships for the whole World Many scholarships for really good students given by us TOEFL required No TOEFL What is the difference between Regular and European MS

22. Master Programs (Important Dates) • Fall Semester: October 1st – January 26th • Christmas Holidays: December 23rd – January 6th • Exam session: January 28th – February 23rd • Spring Semester: February 25th – June 14th • Exam session: June 16th – July 12th • Summer holidays: July 13th – October 1st • Extra exam session: September • Degree session: around July 21st, October 20th, March 20th

23. How to apply Regular Master Program • on-line application form https://aws.unibz.it/preenrol/degrees_selection.aspx?LanguageID=EN Fill out /Print / Complete (sign, etc.) • photocopy of your foreign passport • a colour passport-size photo • study curriculum (.xls file) • not yet available on-line, ask me via e-mail • personal statement (motivation) letter (no longer than one side of typed A4) • copy of language certificates • English certificate not yet available on-line, ask me via e-mail • If you attended any language courses (English, German, etc.) – get the certificates • CV

24. How to apply Regular Master Program • All the papers must be delivered to FUB before 5th of April • Send all the documents in electronic form via e-mail (computer.science@unibz.it) as well • Results of the competition – May 2007 • You should pay a FUB tuition fee (~1100 EUR) via bank. This money will be returned to you when you arrive to Bolzano or if you finally decide not to go to Bolzano at all. This is a kind of guarantee for us that you really want to come to Bolzano more details • http://www.unibz.it/web4archiv/objects/pdf/standard/manifest_infmsc_2006_ennew.pdf • ask me via e-mail (kharlamov@inf.unibz.it)

25. How to apply Regular Master Program Additional papers required by Italian Embassy in Russia • Certification of • High school diploma (aprox. 3000 Rubles) • University diploma (approx 4000 Rubles) in Russian Ministry of Education in Moscow. It takes approx. a month. Contact Italian Embassy in Moscow in order to know study application deadlines for 2007 (around May) • After you certify both diplomas, you need to certify an Italian translations of them. This certification must be done in Italian Embassy in Moscow – ask the price in the Embassy • Only after the last certification you can get an Italian Visa You should hurry up with this stuff!!!

26. How to apply European Master Program • Deadlines for the academic year 2007/2008 already passed • For all the programs the deadlines from December till February • See details herehttp://www.unibz.it/inf/em/index.html?LanguageID=EN • Free University of Bozen-Bolzano does not take decisions regarding the Erasmus Mundus scholarships. The decisions are taken by the Universities‘ consortiums

27. Living Expenses • Rent: • Double room : 180 Euros/month • Single room: 240 Euros/month • Student House requires 2 months of rent as deposit. The money are returned as the student leaves the house • The applications for the rooms are processed in FIFO order • Food: • Cheap - 2 or 2,5 or 3,10 EUR for a lunch or dinner in the FUB Mensa

28. Why MS in CS at FUB • Good level of Education and • Opportunities • Do a lot of sport • Enjoy the Alps • Study languages • Travel around Italy, Austria, Germany • Look for a PhD in Europe, US, etc. • Look for a job in Europe, US, etc. • Get an experience of living abroad • Etc.

29. Everything is Nearby in Bozen! • The university, dormitories, library, mensa, the city center, are all located within 5-15 minutes walking distance!

30. Nice City

31. Nature

32. Skiing

33. Cycling

34. Climbing

35. Hiking

36. Cities around: Venice

37. Cities around: Milan

38. Cities around: Florence

39. Cities around: Verona

40. The End Contact information: Evgeny Kharlamov kharlamov@inf.unibz.it +39-3492687006 • Acknowledgements: • Arturas Mazeika • Nadine Mair • Federica Cumer • Liviu Dumitrascu • Irina Coman • Romans Kasperovics Questions?