Starting this fall, TU/e will offer a new master's program aimed specifically at anyone who wants to delve into new systems at the intersection of AI and advanced engineering. The new program is the second full-fledged AI master's at TU/e and was recently approved by the Netherlands-Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO).

The Artificial Intelligence and Engineering Systems (AI&ES) master is intended for students interested in studying and researching AI methods and engineering techniques, with the aim of developing new products in a wide range of applications, from robotics, smart cities and health to mobility and energy.

Marion Matters, vice-dean of the department of Electrical Engineering and one of the people behind the new master, is extremely pleased with the accreditation by NVAO. “Applying AI in today’s engineering systems is far from trivial. It requires a relevant disciplinary basis in combination with proficiency in both AI and engineering systems. The accreditation means that we can start our new program in September, which is great news, not only for us and for all students interested in AI and Engineering Systems, but also for industry.”

This view is echoed by Carlo van de Weijer, head of EAISI, our AI institute. “The application of AI in engineering systems is very quickly growing in importance, we expect a second wave of AI applications in the industrial realm. High-tech companies like Philips, NXP and ASML have made clear to us they will need a large number of graduates with this profile in the foreseeable future.”

Interdisciplinary

The two-year program is highly interdisciplinary, continuing a long and unique tradition at TU/e of interdepartmental master programs. It covers seven departments, each bringing in their own expertise in AI and Engineering Systems. “The increasing complexity and interdepency of our technical systems means there’s an increasing need to combine and unite knowledge from multiple and diverse domains. The engineer of tomorrow needs an interdisciplinary background, especially in the field of AI”, says Matters.

The AI&ES program offers its students six specialization tracks, each representing a research area that  crosses over the participating departments. The tracks are:

• High-tech systems and robotics;
• Mobility;
• Health applications;
• Smart cities;
• AI foundations and science applications;
• Manufacturing systems.

The program consists of core courses, specialization courses, free electives, a teamwork project and a graduation project. Enrollment is open as of now.

AI as key strategy

Research and education in the field of artificial intelligence is a key ambition of TU/e. As part of this ambition, more than two years ago TU/e established EAISI as one of its four leading scientific institutes. It also announced over 100 million euros of investments in the field.

Last year, the department of Mathematics and Computer Science launched our first full Data Science and AI master. In this program, students study, do research, and combine advanced data analysis techniques with AI methods and techniques. The master is a resounding success, with over 150 students taking part in the first year.