About the Programme
Optical technology is a key technology for the industrial development in the 21st century. The areas of application of optical technologies are widely spread: information and communication technology, medicine, energy, environment technology and many other. A lot of experts anticipate the coming century as the "century of the photon".
Therefore, in winter term 2007/07 a new master programme "Advanced Optical Technologies" (MAOT) started at the technical faculty of the Friedrich-Alexander-University. MAOT is part of the "Elite Net-work of Bavaria" and is open for all applicants with a Bachelor certificate (or equivalent certificate) above average in engineering or physics.
In the highly interdisciplinary programme students learn important fundamentals from natural and engineering sciences (for example physic of the light, principle of a laser) and study three of six topics covering different application fields: optical metrology, op-tical material processes, optical material and sciences, optic in IT, computational optic, optic in medicine.
In all topics the lecturers are outstanding experts from chemical and bioengineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics (Max-Planck research group), informatics and medicine. MAOT tutors accompany and support the students during the whole programme.
Since a long time a lot of experts in the re-search and application of optical technologies work at University of Erlangen. In the MAOT programme and at the same time in the Graduate School SAOT (in the frame-work of the federal excellence initiative) these competences are bundled in a unique way. Engineers and physicist are working together with other scientist and with doctors from the hospitals in the "medical valley" Erlangen and integrate their competences in corporate projects.
Institutions from outside the University, like the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits and the Bavarian Laser Centre in Erlan-gen offer additional expertise.
It is part of a long-term strategy towards highly responsible jobs in the industry for our students, that they are supported to proceed their work on optical technologies after MAOT in the graduate school SAOT. Training in important key qualifications like self-management or basics of economic is also part of the strategy for a good vocational training.
The programme is completely in English and takes two years. Due to the special elite character of the programme students achieve a certificate as "Master of Science with Honours".
About the University
The University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, the second largest university in Bavaria, exerts on the region an influence which extends well beyond its geographical boundaries. Erlangen University Hospital is essential to the provision of region-wide medical care. The culture and economy of the region profit greatly from the university, which, in its turn, welcomes the stimulation and challenges offered by its partners in local business, politics and culture.
The historic cities of Erlangen and Nuremberg are located at the very heart of Europe. Germany 's capital city, Berlin, lies just 450 km to the north of the region, and Munich and Frankfurt are both approximately 200 km away, due south and due west respectively. In just a few hours you can be in the Alps, which reach from southern Germany down into Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Not least important, the Nuremberg-Erlangen region is a gateway to Eastern Europe with Prague, Nuremberg's traditional trading partner since the Middle Ages, a mere 330 km away.
The range of subjects on offer at the university is one of the most comprehensive in Germany. Interdisciplinary networking, combined with intensive and flexible co-operation between the departments enhances the spectrum of opportunity for study which is all but unique in its breadth. The range on offer is influenced ever more greatly by the demand for courses taught in English.
Currently 24 000 students have chosen to study at the twin-site University of Erlangen and Nuremberg. The University of Erlangen-Nuremberg has a research-intensive focus. This focus promotes the continuous development of new professional profiles, degree programmes and areas of expertise which, in turn, lead to innovative working practices.
Over 500 professors and around 1 700 teaching staff work in the 268 chairs or in the centres for research and expertise at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Academic staff are dedicated to innovative research, to the dissemination of newly-acquired knowledge, and to teaching the art of academic enquiry. The latest subjects of academic interest provide the focus of study for eight Collaborative Research Centres, three Research Units, and eight Research Training Groups, all funded by the DFG (German Research Foundation).
Theoretical and practical research complement and enhance each other perfectly. In this partnership the research institutions of the university work in co-operation with industry, for example, on establishing a 'Medical Valley' in the Central-Franconia area, and on developing new materials, mechatronics, and communication and information technologies. The knowledge and technology transfer group facilitates co-operation between university and industry.
As the second largest employer in Erlangen, the university has almost 12 000 employees in the fields of research and teaching, administration and the provision of medical care. By far the largest employee group, numbering over 5 300 in total, is constituted by the staff of the 21 clinics of the Erlangen University Hospital. A combination of expertise, team spirit and commitment keeps the highly complex workings of the university running smoothly.
Several of the faculties at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg have their own alumni associations. These associations ensure continuing close contact between the university and former students, and facilitate networking and the sharing of experience across different graduation year groups. The university Alumni Network also actively encourages and organises contact with graduates of other departments.
About the Institution
The MAOT programme is carried out mainly by the School of Engineering, which consists of eight departments:
Chemical and Bioengineering, Electrical, Electronic and Communication Engineering, Computer Science,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanic and Electronics Workshop, Central High Pressure Laboratory.
Institutions from the first four of these departments are involved in MAOT. The institute of optics from the physics department and the institute of anatomy from the school of medicine complement the partnership which realizes the unique programme. A high level of interdisciplinary collaboration is a focus of the programme.
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