Software Engineering for Information Systems

Overview

The physical world and the virtual world (cyberspace) are converging into new generations of systems like the Cyber-Physical Systems. Such systems monitor physical environments, communicate and cooperate with each other and with human beings in real-time, and make decentralized intelligent decisions. They are highly dependent on components whose functionality is controlled by software.

With the revolution of Industry 4.0, manufactural production also begins to depend on these systems more and more. At the same time, companies and organizations still need IT to automatize their business processes and release human beings form the burden of repetitive and tedious operations.

Business software provides such support but requires a great knowledge of the operational environment in which it runs as it is developed to meet the needs of a specific business. Thus, designing and building software for such systems is an art that also requires skills in context analysis and customization.

Overall, there is an increasing need for a new generation of systems and software technologies that ensures robust, safe, secure, uninterrupted, and real-time operations - particularly in situations where human life or business is exposed to risk if software fails.

In this Master of Science in Software Engineering for Information Systems at Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, you will learn how to conceive, design, implement, customize, and maintain these systems by applying software engineering principles to the industry practice and develop and test your prototypes. Courses are designed to provide you with advanced software engineering knowledge and practice of software and systems development complemented by competences in lean management and entrepreneurship.

Career Opportunities

Typical job profiles are:

• Software and Information Systems Engineer: Analysis, design, implementation, customization, overhaul, and maintenance of intelligent solutions with high reliability and performance for information systems, by fully exploiting inventions and software technologies for pragmatic application and rapid commercialization, in real time and on a large scale. Such information systems include: ICT, business, industrial automotive, automation and control, scientific and data processing, the management of complex infrastructures, cyber-physical systems;
• Researcher in industrial and public laboratories: works with roles and functions of conception, analysis, formalization, design and prototype development of new generation software systems and innovative ICT technologies with particular attention to the quality of products, processes and software systems of any level of complexity and size, in strategic sectors of industry and public administration (e.g. University).