Master in AI for Sustainable Technologies

Master in AI for Sustainable Technologies is one of 12 English-taught Sustainable Development programmes at master’s level in the register, offered by 9 institutions. 10 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 727 to EUR 1,453; this programme lists EUR 727 a year. 7 are at a public university, where EU, EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition within the standard duration plus two semesters.

What you study

The programme centres on two ideas: Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Technology Development. You combine technical skills in Data Science and Software Engineering with the ability to design and discuss Sustainable AI. The curriculum includes AI and Humanity, which looks at how AI technologies can alter society and values, and why solutions should not be adopted uncritically from non-European value systems. Individualisation is built in: in your project work in the second and third semesters you can deepen your subject and method competencies in selected application areas such as Language Technologies, Reinforcement Learning, or Industrial & Medical Image Processing. Coaches from technical fields and thematic areas are available during in-person sessions.

How the programme is organised

This is a part-time Master of Science in Engineering (MSc) over four semesters and 120 ECTS, taught at the Urstein Campus in Puch. The language of instruction is German, and about 40 percent of the classes are held in English. Teaching times are planned as follows: one afternoon from 15:15 (Monday or Tuesday or Wednesday, always the same day), up to 6 units; Friday all day from 08:15, up to 8 units with a lunch break; on average every second Saturday all day, up to 8 units, with about 50 percent of these Saturdays online. Each semester has a block week (Monday to Friday) in the middle of the semester. In the third and fourth semesters, attendance according to the curriculum drops from 20 SWS to around 17 SWS and 7 SWS. There are 15 part-time study places per year. In the third or fourth semester you can complete a semester abroad at one of the partner universities.

Who it suits

You should be comfortable with data science and software engineering and want to apply them to sustainable technology. The programme stresses interdisciplinary collaboration, agile approaches, and fact- and audience-oriented communication, so it suits people who want to present their ideas in portfolios and presentations and aim for leadership positions in business and society. Project work under coaches lets you bring your own ideas and develop future-proof solutions. Master's students are integrated into the research focuses of the Department of Information Technologies and Digitalisation, so an interest in scientific approaches helps.

Admission, language and next steps

Applications go directly to Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, not through a central portal. The institution's own programme page gives the application period and the admission requirements. The teaching language is German and English: the programme is partly taught in English, and you should check which parts. Credit is in ECTS. As a university of applied sciences, FH Salzburg sets its own tuition; the programme page states the tuition and student union fee per semester. The next step is to read the programme page for application details and entry requirements.

Artificial intelligence and data science are technologies that permeate almost every aspect of life and work, becoming indispensable. With the master’s programme in AI for Sustainable Technologies students will become responsible shapers of a future where AI is used in a sustainable manner.

There is no central application portal in Austria: you apply to the institution, here Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. Universities of applied sciences set their own application periods and admission procedures, so read them on the programme page. Entrance examination, as the register states it: Admission procedure. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, the student residence permit and housing.