ITU enters partnerships for new industrial MSc programmes

I am happy to announce that ITU has secured partnerships with Deloitte, ATP, and Nykredit in connection with our coming industrial MSc programmes, MSc in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence and MSc in Advanced Software Engineering. It is our ambition that the new partnerships will help create strong links between education and practice.

Last week, we hosted partnership representatives as well as the Minister for Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs, Christina Egelund, for a meeting about the visions and perspectives inherent in this model. The minister had the following to say about the initiative:

“This is a truly strong partnership that, in my view, offers highly attractive opportunities for both students and businesses. Students will gain unique opportunities to apply their knowledge in practice and continuously return to their studies with real-world experience. Companies will gain access to talented young professionals who bring with them the latest knowledge. I hope this can inspire others to follow the same path.”

In practice, the programmes follow a 1+2 model. This means that students first complete one year of full-time study here at the university. This is followed by two years during which students are employed in a relevant position with one of the three partners and work an average of at least 25 hours per week while continuing their studies. The employer supports the student’s academic activities and professional development to ensure cohesion between education and employment. The programmes still comprise 120 ECTS credits and maintain the same academic standard as traditional master’s degree programmes.

Needless to say, the new programmes have been developed in response to a growing demand for IT specialists who not only master advanced technologies but also understand how to translate them into value for organisations. There is significant demand for graduates who can bridge the gap between research, technology, and practice. The industrial MSc degree model will enable students to apply their knowledge in real organisations while still studying. It is our vision that the partnerships will create a strong learning environment where theory and practice reinforce one another for the benefit of both students and society.