Already in 2 months, everyone interested in a new Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s program, “Artificial Intelligence for sustainable Societies”, will have a chance to submit his application. The application procedure will start in January and will last until the middle of March, although there will be some exceptions depending on the country.
The AISS program, designed by 3 European universities (Tallinn University, Tampere University and Lusófona University), will focus on the main 4 areas: AI and Data Science, Sustainable Digital Societies, Active Citizenship and Participatory Design. This fact has caught the attention of numerous prospective students from all over the world who are waiting for the application procedure to start. Alongside unlimited slots, AISS will provide scholarships for the most outstanding applicants. The AISS team’s main goal is to gather a group of professionals who can think critically and use AI technologies to benefit society.
AISS coordinator from Lusófona University José Vasconcelos mentions that a diverse academic background is welcomed by prospective AISS students, given the interdisciplinary nature of the field. While traditional computer science and engineering backgrounds are common, there is an increasing recognition of the value of social science expertise in understanding the societal impact and ethical considerations of artificial intelligence (AI) applications. “Here are some suitable academic backgrounds for AISS MSc students: Computer Science and Engineering (focus areas: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science); Information Technology (focus areas: Information Systems, Data Analytics, Human-Computer Interaction); Social Sciences (focus areas: Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science, Economics); Cognitive Science (focus areas: Cognitive Psychology, Linguistics, Neuroscience); Statistics and Mathematics (focus areas: Statistical Methods, Probability, Mathematical Modeling); Design (focus areas: service designers, graphical designers, sustainable designers, landscape and environmental desginers); Ethics, Policy, and Law (focus areas: Ethics of Technology, Policy Analysis, Legal Studies), Business and Management (focus areas: Management Information Systems, Business Intelligence, Business Analytics) and also Biology, Environmental sciences, Geography.”- says José.
While talking about AI topics getting more and more popular all over the world, José mentions that Portugal, like many other countries across Europe, has been increasingly interested in and engaged with the field of artificial intelligence. Portugal has been making efforts to position itself as a hub for research and innovation in AI, and academic institutions and local research centres have been actively contributing to AI advancements.
“Several startups have emerged focusing on AI applications in various industries, including healthcare, finance, and agriculture. Universities in Portugal have been incorporating AI-related courses (BSc) and Master programmes (MSc) to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in this field. This reflects a recognition of the importance of AI skills for the future workforce”- adds José.
Portugal, namely Porto and Lusófona University, will be one of the 3 destinations that AISS students will visit while studying in the AISS MA program. The Autumn 2024 semester will start at Tallinn University; later, students will visit Lusófona University and then Tampere University. In Porto, Lusófona University studies will be run under the faculty of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technologies.
Lusófona University is the largest private university in Portugal. The University campuses, Lisbon University Centre and Porto University Centre are located at the heart of the two cities. Lusófona Porto University Centre is in the Historic Centre of Porto, the oldest area of the city and classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. So, AISS students will have a great chance to explore this beautiful city and Portuguese traditions during their studies as well.
In our next article, we will talk with the coordinator of the AISS MA program from Tampere University and explore his perspective on the new master’s program.