The master programme, offered by CENIT@EA, imparts theoretical scientific background knowledge, as well as practical methods, techniques, and tools that equip the engineer to deal with software development for embedded systems issues. The master's “Embedded and Mobile Systems” (EMoS) has a duration of four semesters. The programme covers 180 credits in total, with one credit equalling ten hours of workload. The EMoS master is structured in modules and prepare the students for their professional life by including different practical projects that address the local and regional developmental needs and challenges. All 25 CENIT@EA classes are delivered in modular form. A module is construed as a compilation of course materials that enable acquisition of independent and self-contained competences within a particular duration.
A course constitutes one or several modules. The multilateral team of academicians and professionals are involved establishing the proposed CENIT@EA to produce competitive, qualified graduates in knowledge, research experience, and application of skills through internships in industry. The internship provides a practical experience to students in Embedded and Mobile systems through the design and execution of projects to address challenges at industries in East Africa. A student in a master’s programme at NM-AIST is required to earn at least 180 credits by coursework and dissertation; made up of core (common, programme and specialty core), and elective modules, graduate seminars as well as research work. With approval of the respective departments, a candidate is able to take more modules to enhance his/her research performance. Core modules are those that a student must course in order to complete the degree programme, while elective modules are those that students select from amongst a list of recommended modules. Those may include modules from other degree programmes.
The following research topics stand in the centre of CENIT@EA and are addressed in the master’s programme as well as in thematic trainings, internships, and summer schools with external experts.
Mobile Computing is a technology that allows transmission of data, voice and video via a computer without having to be connected to a fixed physical link. Mobile computing involves mobile communication, mobile hardware, and mobile software. Communication issues include ad hoc networks and infrastructure networks as well as communication properties, protocols, data formats and concrete technologies. Hardware includes mobile devices or device components. Mobile software deals with the characteristics and requirements of mobile applications.
Embedded Systems are computer systems with a dedicated function within a larger physical system– be it mechanical, electrical, chemical, etc. or blends thereof –, often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete cyber-physical device tightly integrating software, digital hardware, sensors and actuators, and increasingly also networking functionality, as in the internet of things. Embedded systems control many devices already in common use today and form the backbone of expected smart physical systems. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of all microprocessors are manufactured as components of embedded systems.
Project Management is the discipline of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria. A project is a temporary endeavour designed to produce a unique product, service or result with a defined beginning and end (usually time-constrained and often constrained by funding or deliverable), undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value.
Soft Skills are a combination of interpersonal people skills, social skills, communication skills, character traits, attitudes, career attributes, social intelligence and emotional intelligence quotients, among others. They enable people to effectively navigate through their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their goals with complementing hard skills.
Entrepreneurship has traditionally been defined as the process of designing, launching and running a new business. Typically, it begins as a small business such as a start-up company which offers a product, process or service for sale or hire. The people who create these businesses are called entrepreneurs.
Information Systems is an academic study of systems with a specific reference to information and the complementary networks of hardware and software that people, and organizations use to collect, filter, process, create and distribute data. An emphasis is put on the condition that an information system has a definitive boundary, users, processors, storage, inputs, outputs and the communication networks.
