Technology scholarships for Master’s degree programmes in the ICT field

The scholarship programme for students pursuing English-language Master’s degrees in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) at the University of Klagenfurt got off to a successful start. The official kick-off took place one year ago. To date, 30 students from twelve countries have benefitted from our innovative funding programme.

The University of Klagenfurt has launched several scholarship programmes for Master’s students, including the Technology Scholarships programme and the Klagenfurt Scholarship, as a response to the increasing demand for skilled workers in Carinthia’s economy and in order to train highly qualified professionals. These, as well as a further, regionally oriented scholarship programme, the Alps-Adriatic Scholarship, are designed to foster diversity in Carinthia and at the University of Klagenfurt and to boost the internationalisation efforts undertaken by the university.

Since 2019, thirty students from a total of twelve countries have participated in the Technology Scholarships programme. Scholarship holders receive a monthly scholarship of 650 euros over a period of twelve months.

“The Technology Scholarship is the best opportunity you will have while you are studying. In my second semester, I interned at Dynatrace as a business analyst, and it was an extremely challenging and productive experience”, Eda Muka, a scholarship holder from Albania, tells us. She is a student in the Master’s degree programme in Information Management.

The Technology Scholarships programme was developed in collaboration with the Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD). In addition to the financial allowance, scholarship holders also have the opportunity to complete a paid internship in the ICT sector as part of their Master’s degree, which forms part of the curriculum. The Carinthian Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Austrian Industry assist the scholarship holders in finding a paid internship. As a result, students are already involved in the labour market while they are still at university.

Florian Thurner, Managing Director at Network Dimensions Projects GmbH, cited the strong growth and lack of qualified staff in the IT sector as key factors in his decision to take part in the scholarship programme. “The programme has already provided us with a new employee and once she has completed her internship, she will join our company permanently.” The software company Alturos Destinations is also experiencing a steadily growing need for skilled staff and was delighted to seize the opportunity to sponsor an internship. As CTO Marcel Bricman explains: “What we value above all is the uncomplicated approach to getting into conversation with the budding talents, and we regard this as an exceptional opportunity for Alturos.”

For Adnan Brđanin from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the scholarship means more than just a financial allowance. “The Master’s degree in Informatics offers precisely the areas of specialisation I had in mind and allows me to be more research-oriented. I also had help with applying for a residence permit, and finding a place to live, and I have an academic supervisor who is there to support me.“

The sponsors and supporters of the Technology Scholarships include the Carinthian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), the ERSTE Foundation, the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) and the Association for the Promotion of Career Planning at the University of Klagenfurt.

 

For further information on these scholarships, please visit the Technology Scholarships web page.