A strong theoretical background
Although the course work from the computer science Master’s degree is not to be taken lightly, Linfei, who has recently started working on her doctoral thesis, really enjoyed her first two years of studies. “In the Master’s, compared to the Bachelor’s, classes are much more specific. You acquire a lot of knowledge and tools before starting to work on real projects.”
Students also see these first years as an excellent opportunity to discover new areas of computer science, as “one tends to become very focused on a particular topic when doing research,” according to Sankalan. A broad theoretical knowledge base that will certainly be useful for their future career as well, Professor Müller believes: “I would advise students not to be too impatient to start their research project without taking the Master’s courses seriously. Building up a solid foundation is very valuable.” Finally, attending classes, Sankalan remembers, was a perfect occasion to meet people and make friends.
Attracting young international talent
The quality of the research carried out at ETH Zurich, along with its reputation, attracts scientists from around the world. Thanks to the direct doctorate, the Department of Computer Science now draws talented young people at the very beginning of their scientific careers as well. Like many of their more senior colleagues, students in the programme relish the collaborative and international culture at the university. Furthermore, “because ETH Zurich is so multicultural, the alienation feeling that can come from studying so far away from home is not there anymore,” Sankalan notes.