The Georgia Institute of Technology is partnering with two leading Italian universities, the Politecnico di Torino and the University of Trento, to offer dual master’s degrees in electrical and computer engineering and computer science. The new degrees, which will begin in the fall of 2008, represent the first dual graduate programs in these disciplines between American and Italian universities.

Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering is partnering with the School of Information Technologies at the Politecnico di Torino located in Torino, Italy. The electrical and computer engineering program requires four semesters of course work – two semesters at Georgia Tech and two at the Politecnico di Tornio. While all courses at Georgia Tech will be taught in English, lectures and laboratories at the Politecnico di Torino will be available in both English and Italian.

“Georgia Tech has long worked with key industry partners in Italy,” said Gary S. May, professor and Steve W. Chaddick School Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering. “This new affiliation will afford students the opportunity to experience competitive and complementary approaches to engineering solutions in a cross-cultural environment.”

“The dual master’s degree program brings together the resources of top-ranked research universities,” said Franceso Profumo, rector of the Politecnico di Torino. “What better way for students to prepare to make important contributions in the world marketplace than to take advantage of the stellar engineering and computing programs that both of these institutions have to offer.”

The Politecnico di Torino is in the process of developing a new industrial complex, the Cittadella Politecnica, that will eventually house research and development centers for a number of private companies such as General Motors and Microsoft. In addition, the Politecnico di Torino has partnerships with a range of internationally renowned research institutes and technology transfer centers.

One of the most prestigious institutions in Europe, the Politecnico di Torino is rated one of the top 10 European technical universities by the highly regarded Academic Ranking of World Universities, compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education. The Politecnico di Torino is a member of the Consortium Linking Universities of Science and Technology for Education and Research (CLUSTER). Georgia Tech is the only U.S. institution that is an honorary member of CLUSTER.

A dual graduate degree is also available through a partnership with Georgia Tech’s School of Computer Science and the School of Informatics at the University of Trento, located in Trento, Italy. The computer science program requires the same four-semester program divided between Georgia Tech and the University of Trento, and will emphasize the development of computing and networking applications.

“The College of Computing has had an ongoing relationship with the University of Trento and the Trentino region of Italy for the last three years,” said Richard A. DeMillo, distinguished professor and John P. Imlay Jr. Dean of the College of Computing. “We are providing these students the chance to experience firsthand the new opportunities that come with globalizing education.”

The University of Trento is considered among the top universities in Italy and ranked first in many scientific areas by CENSIS, a social study and research institute. Trento is an autonomous province of Italy and invests heavily in research and education as evidenced by the Microsoft Research lab for Bio-Informatics which is partially funded by the region.

"In collaboration with our colleagues in Electrical and Computer Engineering, we have developed a significant relationship with the University of Trento and the Politecnico di Torino that we anticipate expanding to other top-rated universities in Italy including the Politecnico di Milano," said Michael McCracken, program director for the dual degrees in Computer Science and assistant dean of the College of Computing.

“Not only will students have the opportunity to complete two graduate degrees in two years, but they will also have the possibility of obtaining an internship with a multi-national firm in Italy as well as scholarship support,” said Dr. Anthony Yezzi, program director for the new dual degrees. “These programs are appealing because students can obtain two degrees in considerably less time than pursuing them individually, as well as jump start their career in the global market.”

Students must be admitted to Georgia Tech prior to enrolling in either of the dual degree programs. The deadline for fall applications is May 1, 2008. Additional information on the requirements for the dual degree programs may be found at http://www.ece.gatech.edu/academic/polito/DualProgramUSA.htm
and http://www.cc.gatech.edu/education/study-abroad/trento.

Angela Della Costanza Turner, executive advisor to Georgia Tech’s Office of International Education and president of the Italy-Atlanta Foundation, is a major proponent of the new degree programs. “We hope to encourage the Italian business communities in both Italy and the United States to sponsor scholarships,” she noted. “The program has huge potential and will help educate our next generation of computer scientists and computer engineers.”

There are a limited number of $12,000 scholarships available through the Actions for Transatlantic Links and Academic Networks for Training and Integrated Studies (ATLANTIS) program. As part of this initiative, students will spend an additional summer semester at the Technical University of Munich in Germany or can also opt to obtain their second degree from Munich and spend a summer in Italy. Both Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and School of Computer Science are participating in ATLANTIS. More information on this joint grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the European Commission can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/eu-usa/index_en.html. In the future, scholarships may also be available as a result of industry sponsorships.

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About Georgia Tech
The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation's premiere research universities. Ranked seventh among U.S. News & World Report's top public universities, Georgia Tech’s more than 18,000 students are enrolled in its Colleges of Architecture, Computing, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management and Sciences. Tech is among the nation's top producers of women and African-American engineers. The Institute offers research opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students and is home to more than 100 interdisciplinary units plus the Georgia Tech Research Institute. More information is available at www.gatech.edu.

About Politecnico di Torino
Located in the foothills of the Alps, the Politecnico di Torino is the oldest technical university in Italy. With 27,000 students attending programs in both English and Italian, it is considered to be one of the most prestigious institutions in Europe and is rated as one of the top 10 European technical universities by the highly regarded Academic Ranking of World Universities, compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education. More information is available at http://www.polito.it/.

About the University of Trento
The University of Trento has become one of the leading universities in Italy. With more than 15,000 students, Trento ranks first in many scientific areas and is considered a premier institution for the study of social sciences, engineering and law. The university is located in Trento, a historic city at the base of the Alps. More information is available at http://portale.unitn.it/ateneo/homepage.do?utente=Visitatore&rootchannel....