The Nihal European University in Sudan

Informatics, a fundamental pillar of data processing, information and communications technology, formulates as a comprehensive discipline general laws upon which information processing is based. It also attempts to find standard solutions to practical problems in the information-technology field. The mastering of shared and increasingly complex networks is thus of growing importance.

We will strive to offer a broad-based training in the fundamentals of information processing as well as practically-oriented training in the most important partial areas of the field.

Students will be taught to analyze complex matters and essential problems as well as to recognize their possible solutions. They will be trained to classify values and to use numeric and other data in a sensible manner. Since the focus will be on teaching basic concepts and methods alongside the latest skills students in this area will acquire basic knowledge for lasting success in the professional world in order to outlast current trends while assimilating multiple changes and innovations.

The degree programme is structured so that students will develop the following skills:

• Mastery of mathematic methods
• Familiarity with the methods of informatics
• The use of such methods to set up abstract models
• The skills to deal with unexpected problems
• The skills of analyzing problems in their basic structure with the help of methods learned
• The skills to handle problems independently
• The methodological competence to be able to handle technical problems in programming successfully, especially in the context of complex systems, and the ability to balance technological, economic and social concerns
• Knowledge of selected exemplary fields of application
• Awareness of the multiple security problems involved in informatics systems, in particular those connected with networks
• The capacity of working with others to solve problems of an applied nature in a qualified manner while implementing the fundamentals of informatics
• Skills in organization and teamwork to take on tasks emerging from the division of labour in teams
• The necessary capacity of socialization to be able to work in corporate structures in an integrated and acculturated manner
• The capability to assimilate the results of others’ work
• The skills in presentation for communicating one’s results
• The knowledge of which techniques and processes are suitable for insuring the deployment of systems
• Experience in acquiring qualifications beyond one’s field
• Sensitivity in non-technical demands
• Good preparation for lifelong learning in the field of information technology
• Preparation for working in a variety of professional areas

The degree programme in informatics should be offered at the bachelor’s as well as at the master’s level. The bachelor’s programme will normally last six semesters. In the first year of studies the focus should be on transmitting the fundamentals of the discipline while in the following two years it will be possible for students to specialize by choosing one of four core elective areas.

In the course of the degree programme an eight-week practicum will be completed between semesters. In addition there will be a thesis project which should span three months in the case of a theoretical thesis and six months in the case of an applied one.

The required concentration should consists of courses from the following areas:

• Introduction to informatics (2 courses)
• Theoretical informatics
• Technical informatics
• Programming courses
• Software informatics
• Mathematics for computer scientists (2 courses in analysis and 2 in linear algebra)
• Numeric and stochastic fundamentals of mathematics
• Logic
• Fundamentals of computer technology
• Formal systems
• Cognitive systems
• Communication and data maintenance

The core elective area will be composed of the following:

• Theoretical informatics
  • Logic (a continuing course)
  • Theoretical informatics (2 continuing courses)
  • Discrete mathematics
  • Cognitive systems (continuing course)
• Technical informatics
  • Electro-technical fundamentals (2 courses)
  • Combinatoric and sequential fundamentals
  • Computational organization
  • Hardware practicum
• Practical informatics
  • Introduction to informatics (2 continuing courses)
  • Programming course (a continuing course)
  • Software practicum (2 courses)
• Graphic engineering systems
  • Fundamentals of graphic engineering systems
  • Designing CAD systems
  • Mathematic fundamentals of CAD
  • Programming in graphic data processing
  • Geometric modelling and visualization technology

The graduate degree programme for the Master’s in Informatics normally spans four semesters and includes the completion of a thesis project. It will be primarily research-oriented and consists of a further specialization in one of four special areas from the core electives available to bachelor’s students:

• Theoretical informatics
• Technical informatics
• Practical informatics
• Graphic engineering systems

In the degree programme in informatics students should be taught a broad spectrum of discipline-specific knowledge, skills and qualifications. The research concentrations should be based on the teaching foci in the areas of theoretical, practical and technical informatics as well as graphic engineering systems.

Possible research foci are in the fields of:

• Complex systems and networks
• Electromechanical quality engineering
• Data structures and efficient algorithms
• Visualization technologies in the CAD field

On the basis of data for similar departments and degree programmes we can assume that teaching and research in this department will require approximately 35 lecturers at various levels, 25 teaching assistants and eight positions for technical personnel. The requirements for space ought to be approximately 3,000 m², while equipment should also provided for establishing computer pools and a subnetwork.