Natyra Ferati: Being a Technology Scholarship holder held immense significance for me
Natyra Ferati from Kosovo successfully graduated from her Master’s studies in Informatics. In this interview, she reflects on the various benefits of the Technology Scholarships programme, the pivotal role her academic supervisor had in overcoming the challenges during her studies as well as how her Master’s thesis project in one of the local ICT companies – Dynatrace, led to an exciting employment on a Software Engineer position which she still holds and supervising the next generation of students doing an internship at the company.
You have successfully graduated from the Master’s degree programme in Informatics. Why did you specifically choose this programme and the University of Klagenfurt? What was it like to study here?
Upon completion of Bachelor’s degree, I decided to advance into a career in Software Engineering. To accomplish this goal, I decided to pursue Master’s degree as a way to further improve my problem-solving skills and learn more about technology. While exploring potential academic programmes, I came across AAU’s Master in Informatics programme, which was an ideal match for my academic background and tech-driven interests, laying the groundwork for my career ambitions. A diverse range of theoretical and practical courses were part of the curriculum, including Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Distributed Systems, and Data Engineering, all of which contributed heavily to developing technical skills. An important aspect of the programme was also the internship opportunity. Studying at AAU was a remarkable experience that fostered valuable research experience and a significant growth of my knowledge in Informatics. The comprehensive education and resources offered by the university significantly contributed to both my academic and personal development. Throughout my studies, I received substantial assistance from university staff, particularly the International Office, professors, and colleagues. Right from the start, a professor was appointed as my supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Julius Köpke, who played a significant role in guiding me through my studies and addressing any challenges that I faced. Lectures were conducted in on-site or remote formats. Several courses featured practical projects, either completed individually or collaboratively, during which I appreciated the time spent with colleagues striving to refine our project. The diverse interactions and connections with fellow students enriched my academic journey.
Read the full interview with Julius Köpke here.
During your studies, you were a Technology Scholarships holder. What meaning did the scholarship have for you personally and professionally? How did you benefit from it?
Being a Technology Scholarships holder held immense significance for me, providing substantial personal and professional advantages. On a personal level, it covered financial expenses such as tuition fees, living expenses, and study-related costs. This gave me a sense of confidence and reassurance, knowing that I had the support to pursue my academic goals without financial constraints. Professionally, it offered many opportunities, such as networking events, German language courses, and academic support. These opportunities enabled me to learn crucial professional skills and engage with professionals in my field.
An internship was part of your Master’s degree programme. Where did you work, how did you find this internship and could you tell us a bit more about it?
Within the scope of my Master’s degree programme, I completed an internship at iLogs, a local company in Klagenfurt. I found this internship through the assistance provided by the Technology Scholarship staff. The internship lasted 6 months and during my time there I was involved in implementing an application, the goal of which was improving the ecosystem of professional home nursing. In my position as a frontend developer, I was responsible for developing new features and writing tests. These features addressed challenges that older/disabled people face while living at home. While at iLogs, I was also introduced to a new technology called Flutter. The app developed with Flutter was a cross-platform application enabling the creation of both web and mobile applications from a single codebase. This internship helped me apply and improve the skills gained during my academic journey, socializing with new people, and learning the Austrian culture.
For your Master’s thesis, you worked together with another Carinthian IT company– Dynatrace. Could you please share some insights about this cooperation?
An exceptional experience that I had during my Master’s studies involved collaborating with Dynatrace for my thesis project. The thesis focused on automating the design handoff between UI/UX designers and developers. This thesis led to the developing of a prototype utilizing a generalized model to seamlessly transform design pages from UX design tools to source code compatible with various frontend frameworks. Throughout this process, I benefited from invaluable feedback and guidance from my thesis supervisor, Univ. Prof. Martin Pinzger, as well as my company supervisors, Dr. techn. Bernhard Dieber and Tiemo Hunger. Furthermore, I highly appreciate the help from my colleagues at Dynatrace and for their unwavering support throughout this journey.
Can you tell us a bit more about your current work at Dynatrace? How did your studies at the AAU, the Technology Scholarships programme and your internship contribute to taking this career path?
After I finished my Master’s thesis, I continued to work at Dynatrace as a Software Engineer. As part of this position, I contribute to developing new features in the Dynatrace platform. The knowledge I gained during the university, the internship, and the thesis project helped me to easily get acquainted with Dynatrace platform and culture. The team I am part of closely collaborates during the development of new features. Beyond this, we prioritize writing tests for new functionality that we add and conduct code reviews to maintain the quality of our codebase. Moreover, part of the benefits offered by the company are trainings, aimed at self-improvement and opportunities to attend conferences, enabling us to stay up to date with industry trends and to enhance our skill set. Another noteworthy point is that several months ago, I had the opportunity to mentor a bachelor’s student. This student has to extend my Master’s thesis prototype with new features, and I was there to support and guide her. Seeing the project evolve and witnessing the student’s growth was impressive, and this experience enriched me with valuable leadership and collaborative skills.
In your opinion, how can local ICT companies benefit from supporting the Technology Scholarships programme?
By supporting the programme, companies gain access to a group of talented and motivated students who are recipients of the scholarship. This creates an opportunity for local ICT companies to identify and attract potential employees with a strong academic background and a demonstrated commitment to their field. Additionally, supporting the programme fosters stronger ties between local ICT companies and academic institutions. This collaboration can lead to the exchange of knowledge, resources, and ideas, benefiting both parties and contributing to the overall growth of the local technology environment. Last but not least, scholarship programmes often attract diverse students. Supporting such programmes can foster diversity and inclusion within the industry, bringing various perspectives and ideas to drive innovation.
Read the full interview with Bernhard Dieber here.
