Master Computer Science at the Vrije Universiteit Computer Science Programmes

1. Master Computer Science at the Vrije Universiteit Computer Science Programmes Parallel and Distributed Computer Systems Dr.-Ing. Thilo Kielmann

2. Why Study Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit ? • Good organisation • Well-structured course plans • Close student supervision • Excellent computer facilities • Extensive contacts with companies, broad expertise • Department with a strong (inter)national reputation • Campus university, easy to reach, in a booming area

3. Master’s Programmes at the Department of Computer Science of the Vrije Universiteit • Artificial Intelligence • Bioinformatics • Business Mathematics and Informatics • Information Science (1 year) • Computer Science (6+1 programmes) • Parallel and Distributed Computer Systems (top master)

4. WO Monitor of VSNU • 100% of VU Computer Science alumni had jobs • 100% of them were happy with their jobs • 100% said their degree was needed for their job

5. Computer Science Programmes - Internet and Web Technology - High Performance Distributed Computing - Software Engineering - Technical Artificial Intelligence - Multimedia - Formal Methods and Software Verification - Computer Science and Communication

6. Which Programme Suits You? More practical:Software Engineering, Multimedia More technical:Internet and Web Technology, High Performance Distributed Computing More theoretical:Formal Methods and Software Verification Multidisciplinary:Technical Artificial Intelligence Society-oriented: Computer Science and Communication There is ample room for choice within each program, to fit it to your preferences

7. General Structure • Lasts 2 years, 120 ECTS (possibly extended with premaster) • Compulsory courses • Compulsory choices • Optional courses (recommendations are given) • Seminars, literature study • Programming projects • Master's project of 36 ECTS • Courses mostly in english • Your study programme approved by examination board

8. Premaster For HBO students, usually a premaster is required Consists usually of theoretical and program-specific courses Up to 30 ECTS Contact the Master coordinator for more info

9. Technical Artificial Intelligence • Endows the student with the developments on the area of artificial intelligence and computer science. • The realisation of intelligent computer programs is the central subject. Artificial intelligence is in part inspired by human cognition and nature. • One aim is to obtain computer programs that can reason with symbolic representations of this knowledge. The computer is also used for recognition of structures in raw data, from which conclusions can be drawn.

10. 1st year Technical AI (compulsory) Evolutionary Computing 6 Distributed Systems 6 Machine Learning 6 ICT in a Social Context 4 Neural Networks 6 Design of Multi-Agent Syst. 6 Programming in Prolog 4 Project Knowledge Systems 6

11. Compulsory Choices Software Engineering course Theoretical Computer Science course (recommended: Logical Verification) Mathematics course (recommended: Probability and Statistics)

12. Some Recommended Choices • Data Mining Techniques • Knowledge Management and Modeling • Experimental Psychology • Organisational Dynamics • Automated Reasoning in AI • Robotica (UvA)

13. Some Master's Projects • Negotiating agents for e-commerce • Recognition of handwriting • Knowledge support by a domain expert system • Ecological knowledge system • Collaborative bookmarking • Interpreter for medical guidelines

14. Master's Projects - Contacts • Companies , eg., Rabobank, Shell, Arthur Andersen Consulting, Sentient Research Amsterdam, Swedish electricity company • At the VU: • AI Department • Department of Law • Other universities, e.g.: • Academisch Ziekenhuis Groningen • Vrije Universiteit Brussels • University of Adelaide, Australia

15. Formal Methods and Software Verification Formal specification and verification techniques: How can we check the correctness of algorithms/protocols? Decidability, expressivity of programming formalisms Foundations of computation Also: distributed computing, software engineering, mathematics, ICT in a social context, ... Close collaboration with UvA for optional courses

16. Some Master's Projects Verification of an electronic voting protocol for the Dutch parliamentary elections Quantum complexity classes Well-foundedness of higher-order recursive path ordering in Coq Formele specificatie van een workflow engine: van UML naar ObjectZ

17. Multimedia The arrival of broadband Internet has enabled the combination of formerly disjoint media, such as interactive television. Hot topics are authoring, information retrieval, human computer interaction, software architecture, and 3D-graphics. Special attention is given to the use of 3D virtual environments for the disclosure of multimedia information.

18. Some Topics in Multimedia Clima Futura: a game to gain experience with the parameters of climate change Second Life: a virtual world at the VU Intelligent Multimedia: 3D virtual environments based on agents technology Game design

19. Internet and Web Technology • Focus:Technology for the Internet and the Web • Large-scale computer systems(e.g. Web server architectures) • Network protocols • Peer-to-peer technology • Security in the Internet (e.g. worms, honeypots)

20. High Performance Distributed Computing • Focus:Large-scale computing • Parallel computing: clusters, grids, mainframes • High-performance computers and networks • Scientific and commercial applications: e.g., genome sequencing, designing new medicines, oil-field discovery, stock-market predictions, Google's and Amazon's services

21. State-of-the-art equipment DAS3, the distributed ASCI super computer, is operated from the VU Nodes are situated at Leiden, Delft, Amsterdam (UvA,VU)

22. Parallel and Distributed Computer Systems • Some courses: • Distributed Systems • Parallel Programming • Cluster and Grid Computing • Network Security • Distributed Algorithms • Protocol Validation • Network Programming • Research Proposal Preparation

23. What is a Top Master's ? • International (students from Europe, USA, India, China) • Research oriented • Selective admission • Practical orientation (many labs, projects) • Narrowly focused on systems • Operating systems, networks, distributed systems • Multiprocessors, clusters, Internet, grids • Parallel algorithms / languages / systems

24. Andrew S. Tanenbaum • Small, reliable, secure, operating systems • Wide-area distributed systems

25. IWT / HPDC / PDCS Master's Projects • - Turtle - secure P2P • Monitoring in Globule • Content placement for video-on-demand • Visualization / computer graphics projects • Parallel bioinformatics applications • Energy-aware wireless epidemics • Grid security infrastructures

26. Software Engineering Software engineering is an important field: Shift, from “construction”, “programming-in- the-large” to interplay between organization and application portfolio Shift, from product orientation to service orientation, from production to use Shift towards the “Internet of Things”

27. Software Engineering Dimensions Glue systems, Create added value, Use services Build systems, Master technology, and complexity Engineering Usage Human Support daily work, Envisage culture, Plan for global use

28. SoftwareEngineering@VU IMSE – Information Management and Software Engineering IT portfolio needs proper asset management and maintenance Build systems to be used and to make life easier Architecture is the base for communication and decision making

29. Some Courses Advanced Topics in Software Design Software Architecture Software Asset Management Software Configuration Management Project Information Systems (team effort for an industrial customer)

30. Double Degree Programmes (in Europe) One year at the VU, one year Abroad Two Master degrees (from both universities) International experience, contact with other cultures Complement your studies with different courses, enrich your CV Many possibilities for scholarships For more information: www.few.vu.nl/internationalisering

31. Global Software Engineering European Master • One Master, two degrees • Learn how to master IT/Software projects in an international environment • One year at the VU, one year at a VU Partner • Mälardalen University (Sweden) • University of L'Aquila (Italy) • University of Westminster (UK) • Three profiles: Software Architecting Real-Time Embedded Systems Web Systems & Service Engineering

32. Erasmus “Long Life'' Exchange Programme VU has an exchange programme with a large number of European Universities Scholarship of 287 euro per month You do not need to pay a fee to the foreign university Go to www.few.vu.nl/onderwijs/buitenland/Erasmus.html

33. Interested in International Experience? Are you a first year CS Master student? Or are you starting the coming academic year? Start thinking about your Europeanexperience now! Pre-register now to go in September 2009, contact us for detailed information! international@few.vu.nl

34. Computer Science and Communication This variant consists of two parts: - Training in Computer Science at Master level - Communication theory and practices Compulsory courses: - Communication Sciences - Research Methods - Science Journalism - Internship / research project

35. Master Coordinators Technical AI: Martijn Schut (schut@few.vu.nl) IWT / HPDC, PDCS : Thilo Kielmann (kielmann@few.vu.nl) Software Engineering: Hans van Vliet (hans@few.vu.nl) Multimedia: Anton Eliens (eliens@few.vu.nl) Formal Methods and Software Verification: Roel de Vrijer (rdv@few.vu.nl)

36. More Information www.few.vu.nl/ (Dutch) www.few.vu.nl/en/ (English)

37. Registration Simply go to www.studielink.nl