The English-taught programme in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence is the newest Bachelor’s programme offered by the Faculty of Technical Sciences at the University of Klagenfurt. Since the  winter semester of 2022/23, students from all over the world have been coming here to complete this forward-looking programme.  Now, after six semesters, the first graduates have completed the programme in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence within the minimum period of study. Three alumni, Samuele Ghizzo, Tim Schumann and Gilbert Tanner, talk about their studies and their plans for the future.
 
Why did you choose to study in Klagenfurt?
Gilbert Tanner: I come from Styria and previously attended HTL Mössingerstraße in Klagenfurt, specialising in electronics and technical computer science. For my Bachelor’s degree, I wanted to take a course that combined software and hardware. While browsing degree programmes offered at various universities, I came across the new Robotics & AI programme at the University of Klagenfurt, which immediately appealed to me. I was happy to remain in Klagenfurt, particularly because I was working at Dynatrace in Lakeside Park at the time, and the programme was a perfect thematic  fit for me.
Samuele Ghizzo: Coming to Klagenfurt was both a challenge and an opportunity: a challenge because I had to build a new life in another country with a different language and culture, but an opportunity because  the Robotics & AI degree is offered exclusively at the University of Klagenfurt  and because the region’s landscape of lakes and mountains is simply stunning.
Tim Schumann: I have worked with robots for many years and was very active in RoboCup Junior, so I was looking for a degree programme that covered both hardware and software. I didn’t want to commit myself solely to mechanical engineering or computer science, but wanted to combine the two. It was also important to me to study in English from the outset so that I could learn the technical terms directly in the language I will later need in my career. The University of Klagenfurt, with its new degree programme in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, was the perfect choice. Moving from Berlin to Klagenfurt was a big step, but I quickly grew to love the charming little city.
 
What interested you most about your studies?
Tim Schumann: Precisely this combination of hardware and software. I enjoyed the mix of very different subject areas. Even though we couldn’t cover every topic in depth, we gained an exceptionally broad understanding of many fields of work for a Bachelor’s degree.
Samuele Ghizzo: The breadth of the curriculum, ranging from programming to robotics and AI. We learned the fundamentals of many different areas, which proved invaluable in opening up options when choosing a Master’s degree.
Gilbert Tanner: Ultimately, the most interesting aspects were the projects I worked on during my Bachelor’s degree. This included the SAPIENCE project, but also smaller projects such as EMG Gesture Recognition, which I did worked on with my colleague Nadezhda Varzonova. I think it is very important to put theoretical knowledge into practice so that you can recognise the significance of certain methods for yourself and, above all, experience them first-hand.
 
What did you particularly appreciate about studying in Klagenfurt?
Samuele Ghizzo: As an Italian, my concept of university was theoretical classes with 200 people in a room for 6 months, followed by an exam at the end of this period. Instead, the University of Klagenfurt amazed me with its very practical approach to subjects: nearly every course is split into a theoretical part and a practical part, which is far more efficient. Also, I never once found that there were not enough seats in a class, or that I couldn’t find a free computer in the library; the facilities of the university are outstanding.
Tim Schumann: In addition to the great location right on Lake Wörthersee, the modern buildings and the many practical courses, I particularly appreciated the close interaction with the professors. Smaller group sizes allowed us to participate more actively and ask specific questions. For me, this close contact even led to a job at the department.
Gilbert Tanner: I especially valued the opportunity to communicate easily with professors and the opportunities available to motivated students at AAU Klagenfurt – such as student projects like SAPIENCE.
 
What are your plans for the future?
Gilbert Tanner: I have now started my Master’s degree in Robotics, Systems and Control at ETH Zurich, where I want to consolidate and expand my knowledge of robotics and also use this time to decide whether I want to continue in research or industry in my future career.
Samuele Ghizzo: Right now, I’m facing a new challenge: pursuing a Master’s degree in Automatic Control & Robotics in Barcelona. After this degree, who knows — maybe a PhD, maybe work — I will see what life has in store for me.
Tim Schumann: Over the past few years, I have been working intensively with robots and drones and am eager to continue in this field. That’s why I have just started my Master’s degree in Automation Control and Robotics at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona.
 
We congratulate Tim, Samuele, Gilbert and all the other graduates of the Bachelor’s programme in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
 
 
Der Beitrag First alumni of the Bachelor’s programme in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.