An Eventful Inside look at the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Tartu – Viktoriia (Ukraine)

Whether you are a current student, a student who has received a long-awaited letter of admission, or someone simply interested in higher education opportunities in computer science, make sure to check out the Institute of Computer Science at the University of Tartu! 

I am Viktoriia, a second-year master’s student in Software Engineering at the University of Tartu, and I will tell you how the academic year is going – and no, not just about classes!

Yes, the academic year starts classically with the choice of subjects (programmes have several mandatory subjects, but you can also choose subjects that you are interested in – it does not necessarily have to be “IT” subjects from our institute. For example, culture courses, foreign languages, etc.). When choosing courses, you can always read student feedback from past years and ask other students about their experience – it usually helps a lot.

Many of the courses involve group work – so always try to take a responsible approach to the election of teammates and the organisation of group work. The Delta Centre on the second floor has cooperation rooms (for booking), open spaces, a library, and Skype boxes for working independently. So, you have everything you need! Are you ready to take off?

Photo by Andero Kalju

The semester of events starts with UniTartuCS Day, an event where different research groups participate and present opportunities for students. The best part is that it is all in one place – you can meet lab representatives, learn about current developments or research, ask questions, and find what interests you most.

  • Labs and research groups:

Throughout the study, multiple opportunities arose for students in various research groups, such as joining a research project, becoming a developer for a project, and more. Courses where you can prove yourself or network with lecturers from groups you are interested in can help (also, remember to check your UT email, as there may be useful emails, too).

Illia Tsiporenko (second-year master’s student in Computer Science) describes his experience:

“I joined the “Biomedical Computer Vision Lab” at the end of the first year of my master’s programme. I took a Machine Learning (MTAT.03.227) course in the first semester by Dmytro “Dima” Fishman. He said in passing that he has a lab connected with Computer Vision, and they are doing cool things in the medical field. The following semester, I also took a special course in deep learning from Dima and finally realised that I liked doing it. Eventually, I talked to Dima and got into the lab.

This experience was especially useful. Through it, I gained a plethora of first-hand practice and knowledge in computer vision and deep learning, especially in solving problems with the segmentation of objects in the image. In general, it is enjoyable in the lab. It has a friendly atmosphere, and the guys are funny and smart. I like it!”.

There is usually a big job fair in the spring semester, which is a great chance to learn about the current situation in the labour market, find internships, and network with recruiters. Whether you need an internship or are looking for new opportunities, always check Futulab – the environment that supports the student’s development and career. 

This is an excellent opportunity for first-year students to apply to combine their studies and get practical experience smoothly.  

Yuliia Siur (second-year master’s student in Computer Science) shares her view about the Industrial Master’s Programme: 

“For me, the Industrial Master Programme has been a perfect option for gaining my first real working experience in a company! It has allowed me to balance my university studies with work, where I’ve gained valuable practical experience and participated in designing business solutions. I’ve also had the chance to build my professional network and make connections in the industry. Additionally, thanks to my supportive supervisors who have supported me throughout, I’ve been able to conduct research that I’ll be presenting at a symposium in France, and I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity!”

The finale of the study year is the Student Project Contest, where students can present their projects to an audience. For the exhibition’s duration – the second floor in Delta is filled with stands, posters, demos, and socialising – everyone is lively, chatting and sharing their experiences.

Maksym Avramenko (second-year master’s student in Software Engineering) participated last year, and he describes it the following way:

“The project was totally connected to the subject because we were working on the IoT project specifically. We extended it a bit after the subject was finished in order to present it. But, we received total support from the lecturer. The experience was nice as there were a lot of people coming to us and asking. A lot of professors came to us with questions and suggestions, and to my surprise, there were people from commercial companies and even people who wanted to commercialise this project, so this was definitely an experience.”.

  • International mobility (Erasmus+ & Exchange programmes)

Also, remember that it is possible to go abroad and study in another country. There are plenty of different opportunities at the University of Tartu (check the weekly UT student newsletter for relevant Study abroad offers).

For example, Serhii Murashko (second-year master’s student in Software Engineering) went on exchange to South Korea (Chung-Ang University) and then on Erasmus+ to Ireland (University of Galway) after his first year: 

“During my first year at the University of Tartu, I tried my best to complete the mandatory courses: core, specialisation, practice modules, and electives in order to go to study as an exchange student. I really wanted to explore Asia, and the opportunity to live and study there motivated me. Overall, I am very pleased with the experience I received studying in South Korea and Ireland; it will definitely be useful for me in the future.”

The academic year always turns out to be busy with opportunities (you definitely won’t be bored). In addition to regular classes, there are always many events that you can learn about from us – International Student Ambassadors (Facebook & Telegram). Make sure you follow us to stay tuned!

All photos are from Arvutiteaduse Instituut (Institute of Computer Science) public gallery unless otherwise stated.

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We are International Student Ambassadors of the University of Tartu. Through our experience, you can start planning your studies at the University of Tartu. We hope you enjoy our blog.