Universities that are cracking the code to success

Change is the only constant. Take a look around. IT is everywhere, changing the world one innovation at a time. Calling 2020 a turbulent year would be an understatement with the pandemic disrupting life across the entire globe. As we live in a digital age, most industries rely on data and software programmes. Even our microwave ovens, fridges, or door locks, you name it, are now connected to our Wi-Fi networks.

Digital operations are more important than ever, with many transformative changes accelerating over the past year. Research consultancy company IDC projects that the technology industry is on route to reach US$5 trillion in 2021. 

The promise of technology in the classroom is great: enabling personalised, mastery-based learning; time saving; and equipping students with the digital skills they will need for 21st-century careers. As schools shut down and remote learning takes the lead, education technology has become a lifeline for the continuation of learning. 

With an education in Information Technology, you have plenty of great opportunities and can earn a good salary. Here are some Universities you shouldn’t miss: 

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University

Ranked first globally for digital and technological skills availability, and third globally for mobile app creation; 31,500 employed IT specialists; the world’s fastest Internet speed — Lithuania’s IT industry is booming.

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) is the institution that supplies its majority of talent. As one of the biggest research universities in the country, VILNIUS TECH focuses on technology and engineering with an emphasis on university-business cooperation. The university is ranked 38th in the Emerging Europe and Central Asia region’s QS rankings and is home to over 9,000 students. It has 13 research institutes, three research centres, 22 research laboratories. 

VILNIUS TECH programmes produce industry-ready and skill-focused graduates. The university focuses its studies on Engineering, Technologies and IT; students can take their pick from a wide selection of programmes such as: Information Technologies, Information Systems Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies; Information and Information Technologies Security. These programmes are backed by industry insight — companies play an active role in developing them, providing vision and refining subjects according to labour market needs.

Graduate Anastasiia Matviichuk’s career trajectory reflects the strength of these programmes. After completing a bachelor’s and master’s degree at VILNIUS TECH, the former Erasmus student has since landed a role as an IT security specialist at Danske Bank. “During the first year of my Masters in IT Security, we had career days and lots of companies came to VILNIUS TECH to present themselves,” she says. “In Lithuania, it’s not a problem to find a job if you’re a good specialist. People just need your knowledge. They can give you everything, all possibilities to grow.” To learn more about Lithuania’s most dynamic IT programmes, click here.

Southern Denmark University 

Denmark is ranked second in the World Happiness Report 2020 and its capital city, Copenhagen, comes fifth among the world’s happiest cities. While Denmark is a popular destination for people to relocate, it’s also an extremely popular place to study  — it is in the top 10 list of ‘Best Countries for Education’ 2020 

Southern Denmark University (SDU) was founded in 1966 and has since developed into an established university with five faculties, and more than 4,000 employees across campuses in Odense, Slagelse, Kolding, Esbjerg and Sonderborg, as well as 32,000 students – 20 percent of which are international students. 

For IT experts, there is no better place than SDU. Smart innovation is changing the ways in which people work and play; in the MSc in IT – Product Design, theories, methods, and tools for designing human-centred innovation are taught. Students will work within the design studio and learn via intensive projects and seminars to explore trends in the design industry. The MSc in IT – Web Communication Design is a multi-disciplinary graduate programme that combines IT, communication and organisation with focus on the opportunities and challenges of working with the web

SDU student Rohan Patil said, “I am fortunate enough to be taught the subjects by such knowledgeable professors who are highly accomplished in theory fields.”

University of Sussex 

Are you looking to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in IT, or to hone your expertise in the field with a career-boosting Master’s qualification? You may want to consider doing so at the University of Sussex in England where you can choose from over 500 undergraduate and postgraduate courses and degrees.

Ranked within the Top 20 of the UK’s most respected academic League Tables, the University is a noted education leader in the UK — teaching, innovating and inspiring students from more than 100 countries.

IT is a fascinating field of study and one that’s constantly evolving. The institution offers a  wide range of IT related degrees in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence; Computing for Business and Management; Games and Multimedia Environments BSc (Hons) and more. Professional master’s degrees in 5G Mobile Communications and Intelligent Embedded Systems; Human and Social Data Science MSc; Robotics and Autonomous Systems MSc and so forth provide you with the opportunity to explore subjects in greater depth.

“My course is designed with modules that helped me to obtain a broader knowledge and understanding around the area of my interest. The assignments that we are given are very engaging and prompts us to do external research,” said international student, Azizah Islam. 

Università della Svizzera Italiana 

Low crime rate, one of the cleanest countries globally, excellent public transport networks, and a world-class health system — here are some of the reasons Switzerland isn’t only a holiday but also a study destination. Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) in Switzerland is a hub of opportunity open to the world, USI collaborates with over 2800 students, 800 professors and researchers from over 100 countries. 

According to Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2020, USI ranked second for its international outlook. Combining three dynamic destinations, the campuses in Lugano, Lugano 2, Mendrisio and Bellinzona create a fulfilling and insightful study abroad experience for all.

USI offers a wide array of programmes. Students are provided with an in-depth understanding and set of skills in computational science, numerical simulation, applied mathematics, statistics, and data science through the Master of Science degree in Computational Science programme. The campus houses lecture rooms, faculty offices, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI) Department of Innovative Technologies and the Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence (IDSIA). 

“Being able to have direct contact with the teachers, there were times when my classmates and I felt like we were having personalised classes – which was wonderful!” said alumni Sandra Mariela Guaman Montero

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International