Sep 3 2007
When you talk optics you will have to say Jena. And when you talk about the scientific education of optical experts, the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena has a reputation acknowledged throughout the world. The university also is the only one in Germany and one of five partners from all of Europe, which, starting in the fall of 2007, will offer the masters-programme „Optics in Science and Technology“ (OPSITECH). This course of study is aimed at master students and university faculty from all over the world, who will be supported from EU-scholarships. That, the European Commission has now decided, and it will support up to 25 non-European OPSITECH-students with up to 21,000 Euros in each of the next 5 years if they comply with the “Erasmus Mundus” programme of excellence.
The programme allows students from non-European countries to complete their masters within two years. They will have to study in at least two different countries and will then receive a double-diploma of the universities involved. “Such a double-diploma is very prestigious” says Professor Dr. Richard Kowarschik. The Jena expert of optics is sure, that “it will open many doors to the graduates”. He also refers to the strengthening of Jena as an optics site, which the new masters programme will accomplish. Aside from the non-European optics-élite expected, achieved students from Jena and Germany can apply to register as well, and from both pools of applicants an international committee will select the participants.
Beside the Friedrich-Schiller-University the Institut d’Optique (Orsay-Palaiseau) as well as the TU (technical university) Delft, the Imperial College London and the TU in Warsaw are partners in the OPSITECH program. “It was a lot of work to coordinate the educational program within the five partners”, Professor Dr. Thomas Pertsch admits, but as the one responsible for the Jena programme he is certain, that it was worth its while.
Modern optics in all facets with a basic part as well as special contents offered bye each participating university, according to their field of expertise, will be offered with the new masters programme. The Jena University is specialized in optical measurement techniques and materials, optical sensing, fiber lasers and nanostructured optics. Aside from the university, “almost the entire optics-network of Jena is supporting the programme”, Pertsch says about the participation of optical science institutes and the optics industry not directly affiliated with the university.
The physicists agree, that the programme will render optics-experts who had an excellent training on the one hand, and will thus be of interest to the science and economy of Jena on the other. Even if the graduates choose to work outside of Jena, they will “spread the word on Jena’s reputation in optics to the world”, Prof. Kowarschik is convinced. He expects the students to do just that in German, for the courses are offered in both the English and German language, maybe causing the international students to learn German on their way, the education dean of the physics school hopes.