The University of Trento (Italy), the RWTH Aachen University (Germany), and the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) offer a two year (120 ECTS credits) Joint Master’s Programme, named European Master in Informatics (EuMI). The objective of the Master’s Programme is to educate professionals who will understand advanced techniques, tools, and methodologies in the field of Computer Science, and who will be able to put this knowledge to practice in the key application domains of Net-Centric/Media Informatics, Life Science Informatics, and Embedded Systems Informatics. The Programme will admit a maximum number of 50 students for the academic year 2008/09.

For each area of specialization, a joint curriculum is defined which involves two universities of the Consortium. The student admitted to a selected curriculum will study in two universities, taking courses on advanced topics in theoretical and practical Computer Science, and with a focus on the selected area of specialization. The student will spend half of his/her Master’s course in one university (the “first university”), and the other half in the other university (the “second university”). Work towards the thesis will be jointly supervised and evaluated by two professors, one from each university.

The objective is to educate professionals who will understand advanced techniques, tools, and methodologies in the field of Computer Science, and who will be able to put this knowledge to practice in key application domains. In particular, EuMI offers three areas of specialization in

• Net-Centric / Media Informatics: This specialization covers all those aspects of informatics related to the design, implementation and analysis of distributed, ubiquitous information and computing systems. This area covers a wide range of topics, ranging from network architectures and communication infrastructures to techniques for the design and analysis of distributed knowledge, media applications, intelligent human computer interfaces and distributed web-service applications.
• Life-Science Informatics: This area of specialization will prepare professionals for research or employment at the intersection of the study of Life Science (biology, neuroscience, cognitive science) and the study of computation and engineering. Students will take basic courses on the fundamentals of biology and/or cognitive science and advanced courses studying the application of computer science techniques to the analysis of structural and behavioural aspects of biological and cognitive systems.
• Embedded Systems Informatics: This specialization introduces the fundamental principles underlying the theory and the practical design and implementation of embedded systems. Moreover, it allows students to put these principles into practice in applications in the area of control systems (e.g., controllers for automotive systems or industrial plants) and to ambient intelligence applications (e.g., domotics or sensors networks).

These are application domains that, being emergent, rapidly evolving, and of growing impact on society, require specialized competencies not covered by more traditional degree programmes.

The EuMI Course has an average duration of two academic years starting September 2008.

EuMI aims to train students in emerging research domains with a high potential impact to shape the future of applied computer science disciplines. It prepares students for employment in such multidisciplinary domains and/or for continuing their studies within PhD programmes.
After completing the EuMI programme the student will possess the competencies necessary for the design and implementation of complex software systems, including their embedding in technical and socio-technical systems. The student will achieve knowledge in both theoretical and applied Computer Science, which will allow him/her to adapt quickly to the changes in this constantly evolving field, and specific competencies necessary to operate in the chosen area of specialization. The student will also attain expertise in putting his/her knowledge into practice by participating in laboratory projects and/or in industrial student placement schemes. Moreover, the student will attain practical project management skills which are necessary for an effective application of the knowledge acquired.
During his/her studies, the student will work within research groups of three leading European universities, and will interact with professors, researchers and scholars working in advanced research in computer science and associated enabling technologies.
The international dimension of the Master’s Course guarantees that students familiarise themselves with different educational methods and a multicultural education through the immersion in two different European universities.

Work towards the thesis will be jointly supervised and evaluated by two professors, one from each visited university.

Upon the successful completion of the curriculum and fulfilment of the Master’s course requirements (120 ECTS), students will be awarded a qualification equivalent to Master's degrees in the two visited universities. The awarded degree corresponds to:

• a Master of Science in Computer Science or Media Informatics from the RWTH Aachen University
• a Master of Science in Informatics from the University of Edinburgh
• a Master of Science (Laurea Specialistica) in Informatics from the University of Trento

All courses are taught in English. Students will also undertake courses on the culture and language of the European countries of the main and partner universities, whenever English is not the officially spoken language.

Each student will have the possibility to create her/his own study plan which must conform to the EuMI School rules and be approved by the EuMI Multilateral Committee. Each first-year student is assigned a tutor that assist in the organization of her/his educational activities.