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PhD Programme in Computer Science
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The PhD Programme lasts
three years and the official language of the programme is
English.
PhD students are expected to work full-time on
their research. During the PhD, it is advisable to spend a
period of 6-12 months at a National or International research
center.
Candidates are strongly advised to contact
their desired research centers at the Faculty of Computer
Science before applying. This way, they can obtain a clear
idea of the specific research carried out at the
Faculty.
The Selection Committee selects PhD students
based on a comparative assessment of the qualification of
applicants, taking into account also feedback from potential
supervisors, especially those who have grants available to
support the PhD students, and determines the winners based on
the merits of each candidate.
The Selection Committee
also selects those candidates who are qualified to start a PhD
program at the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano, but who
cannot be admitted for lack of space. Should a selected winner
not accept the position, such candidates will be next in line
for the position.
It is expected that students are able
to write and speak fluently in English.
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Course Objectives
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The PhD study programme
places an emphasis on research. A primary goal of the course
is to impart in candidates the capacity to solve complex
problems by independently applying technical and scientific
methods.
This is achieved by immersing the candidates in
activities that present specific demands such as:
- to understand complex scientific work on the current
state of the art in computer science;
- to contribute to the work of the research group, which
is equally characterised by innovative ideas as well as
thorough expertise;
- to develop his or her own approaches to research and to
elaborate them as far as possible in order to achieve new
results;
- to work in an international field and to exchange and to
disseminate scientific findings.
Upon successful
completion of the degree of doctor of computer science, the
graduate should exhibit the following skills and expertise:
- Substantial problem-solving abilities: Graduates take on
complex problems with an innovative approach, with which
they are familiar through their understanding of the
technical scientific literature, and develop new instruments
for problem-solving independently.
- The capacity for the communication and dissemination of
results in the scientific field: The dissemination of
scientific results is a substantial component of every
activity in scientific sectors and the IT-industry.
Graduates must therefore acquire skills in both written and
verbal presentation of technical scientific topics: they
must be capable of communicating their findings in writing,
through scientific essays and papers, as well as verbally,
in lectures.
- Organisational Abilities: The activity of a doctor in
computer science consists in large part of studies and
investigations. During his or her studies, the graduate
student learns, without precise working organizational
specifications. Graduates must be able to organize their
activities both individually and within their research
groups, as well as to coordinate study and work. This last
point refers to the individual student, his or her doctoral
work, as well as students and other co-workers on research
projects.
- A thorough and comprehensive knowledge within the field
of computer science, covering theoretical and formal aspects
such as technology and methodologies.
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Research Areas
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Research in the Faculty
of Computer Science is focused on three areas that are treated
on a long-term basis by research groups whose members
collectively examine topics related to each of the three
research areas.
The research areas, with a selection of
topics, are:
Databases and Information Systems
- Management and analysis of databases
- Temporal data models and databases
- Data integration in the public administration
- Approximation techniques for large databases
The
research activities in the area of database and information
systems focus on key aspects of applied computer science,
including data warehousing and data mining, the integration of
heterogeneous and distributed databases, time-varying
information, data models, and query processing. The research
approach is primarily constructive in its outset, and it
includes substantial experimental and analytical elements. The
development activities cover the design of data models and
structures, and the development of algorithms, data
structures, languages, and systems. The experimental
activities verify real world artifacts with the help of
prototypes and simulations. The analytic activities include
the analysis of the algorithmic complexity and the evaluation
of languages. The main goal is theoretically sound results
that solve real world problems.
Knowledge
Representation and Databases
- Integration of information sources
- Knowledge representation for the Semantic Web
- Combination of web services
- Processing of linguistic information
- Inquiries over Distributed Data Streams
The
research topics in knowledge representation are focused on
foundational and practical aspects of knowledge representation
technologies applied to information systems. The whole life
cycle ranging from the design to the deployment of such
technologies is covered: the conceptual modeling of various
types of knowledge, the linguistic and logical aspects of
knowledge, the integration of heterogeneous knowledge sources,
including information coming from the Internet, the usage of
knowledge to support the intelligent retrieval of information,
and the usage of knowledge to create virtual services on the
net.
Software Engineering
- Agile methods and efficient management
- Open Source Development models
- Software Quality Measurement and Assurance
- Component-based Development and Software Reutilisation
The research topics in software engineering are
focused on the empirical and quantitative study of innovative
models for software development. The target analysis
techniques include both traditional statistics, and new
approaches, such as computational intelligence, Bayesian
models, and meta-analytical systems. The innovative software
development techniques include (a) methods based on lean
management, such as agile methods, with a specific interest
for benchmarking and identification of defects, and (b) open
source development models, with specific attention for self
organizing systems and the analysis of the resulting
qualit
The doctoral works treat topics from the
three research areas that develop from the ongoing work of the
groups.
The following list contains possible topics for
doctoral work:
- Summarization of spatio-temporal database information
- Semantic clustering
- Migration of proprietary database applications
- Approximation techniques for semi-structured databases
- Adaptive distributed query processing over data streams.
- Modelling and querying incomplete information in
information integration systems
- Effective query processing over large ontologies
- Querying and updating databases with incomplete
information under constraints
- Integration of rule-based and logic-based knowledge
representation formalisms
- Automata-based approaches for query processing over
expressive ontologies
- Analysis of the Open Source Development process in Small
and Medium Enterprises
- Impact of Agile practices in software development
- Paradigms for the introduction and usage of Open Source
software in the Public Administration
- Investigation of the relations between Agile methods and
Open Source development
- Integration of mobile and location-based web services
Doctoral candidates can furthermore specify their
own topics together with their designated supervisor, as long
as they remain related to the research areas outlined above.
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Career Prospects
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The current Information
Technology job market requires specialists, advisors and
researchers with technical training in the field who are
capable of working in a competitive international field.
The goal of the doctorate programme is to train
scientists with solid expertise as researchers and specialists
to work both in the academic field and in the IT
sector.
A short overview of some career possibilities
for specialists with a Doctorate in Computer Science follows
below:
- University Researcher/Professor: Understanding of
scientific topics, both in theory and praxis, as well as the
ability to find independent ideas and solutions for
scientific problems are critical to this job description.
The capacity of scientific communication, both written and
verbal, is fundamental for high quality instruction and
effective dissemination of research findings. In addition, a
Doctor of Computer Science must take on a responsibility for
the organisation of research projects in the field, for
activity planning and coordination of work by students and
researchers.
- Researcher in the IT Sector: A Doctor of Computer
Science, as in an academic setting, will find high demand
for his or her technical knowledge and expertise in
scientific research, communication and the organisation of
research work.
- Business Consultant, particularly in the IT Sector: In
this field, the Doctor of Computer Science makes use of his
or her training in problem solving, even in fields outside
the purely technical ones. The Doctor of Computer Science
plays a crucial role in finding means to solve problems in
areas lacking structure. In such cases, a problem-solving
approach must be developed for each individual case, relying
on advanced modelling techniques.
- Management in the IT Sector: As an industrial manager,
the Doctor of Computer Science performs complex tasks in
project activity in the field of IT consultation. In
addition to management qualities, technical expertise is
necessary in order to guide decision-making in the proper
direction and to solve problems in various areas.
- Entrepreneur in the IT Sector: In this field, the Doctor
of Computer Science uses his or her ability to work
independently, as well as to co-ordinate and manage others’
work. Comprehensive technical expertise in data processing
provides inestimable advantages over the competition.
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