5 Scholarships for the MSc Program in Intelligent Critical Infrastructure Systems (# of pos: 5)

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Cyprus, in collaboration with the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence and Imperial College London, accepts applications for the MSc Program in Intelligent Critical Infrastructure Systems. For the academic year 2021-2022, five merit-based scholarships will be offered to successful applicants accepted to the program, to cover 50% of their tuition fees.

The objectives of the program

The MSc Program in Intelligent Critical Infrastructure Systems, which will be offered for the third consecutive year, teaches highly innovative intelligent system methods and tools from emerging Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The main purpose is to tackle challenging problems in modern Cyber-Physical Systems, with emphasis on monitoring, control, management and security in critical infrastructure systems. These systems include electric power and energy systems, water distribution networks, telecommunication networks, transportation systems, and emergency response systems.

This internationally unique program is characterized by multidisciplinarity and strong relevance to the industry, since it focuses on real problems provided by organizations involved in the monitoring, control, security and management of critical infrastructures. The coursework provides a blend of the necessary theory, tools, applications, transferable skills and practical/research experience, in a holistic approach which provides students with knowledge, skills, competencies and experiences relevant to the topic of the program. Furthermore, the program takes advantage of the state-of-the-art buildings and laboratory/testbed infrastructure facilities at the University of Cyprus campus.

Testimonials from recent graduates attest to the significant contribution of the knowledge and experiences gained from the program, to their professional development and career opportunities:

Haris Karathymios, a student from Greece who graduated from the program in 2020, placed emphasis on the program’s curriculum and the knowledge gained, which helped him to secure an excellent job position. He mentions, “The program offered an up-to-date and targeted curriculum for new ICT skills and technologies applied in major critical infrastructure systems that are being used in our everyday life such as energy, water, telecommunication, transportation, and emergency response systems. Most importantly, the knowledge I gained from this program played a significant role in being able to secure a great job position (IT support/data analyst) upon returning to Athens”.

Another recent graduate, Christos Makridis, said that throughout his studies in this program, he was given the opportunity to engage in high-caliber research and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the area of Intelligent Transportation Systems. As he comments, “My experience while working on my MSc Thesis has opened new avenues for a career in research. It has encouraged me to pursue a PhD degree in this topic and conduct high-quality collaborative research at the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence, at the University of Cyprus.”

Kanwal Khan, an international student from Pakistan, received a scholarship to study for the program, and has recently defended her MSc Thesis entitled “Privacy of distributed optimality schemes in power networks”. According to Kanwal, “Receiving a scholarship to study for this program was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to study abroad in a European country, gain new knowledge and academic experiences, and receive an MSc degree which is internationally novel and unique; all while having the opportunity to meet and interact with world-class academics in this field from Imperial College London and the University of Cyprus”.