Information system technology
IST is the abbreviation for information system technology , a course that was newly introduced in Germany in 1999 . This engineering course offers an interdisciplinary education at the interface between computer science , electrical engineering and information technology . The aim of this course is to train engineers sought by the industry who have knowledge of both hardware and software development.
background
The miniaturization of networked computer systems allows them to be built into technical products of all kinds. Hardware and software are increasingly forming a unit and can often no longer be developed separately from one another.
Information system technicians are engineers who understand more about software engineering and information management than engineers from electrical engineering and information technology and understand the basics of circuit technology and control technology better than pure computer scientists.
The reason why it became necessary to establish this new course of study can easily be explained
using the example of automotive electronics: In the 1970s, information processing, transmitting and storing systems found their way into vehicle construction. What began as an injection control with just a few lines of programming has evolved from airbag ignition, ABS, ASR, ABC and ESP to navigation and communication systems to complex programs with millions of lines.
Areas of application
The areas of application of an information system technician are extremely diverse. The focus is on the automotive industry, medical and communication technology, but also in other areas such as household appliances and entertainment electronics. In all of these areas, the proportion of microprocessor-controlled systems with embedded software has increased dramatically in recent years.
Course offer
IST is currently offered at the following German universities:
- TU Darmstadt ( Bachelor / Master )
- TU Dresden ( diploma )
- TU Braunschweig ( Bachelor / Master )
- Ulm University ( Bachelor / Master )
In Austria, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in Hagenberg offers the courses in hardware-software design (Bachelor) and embedded systems design (Master) in the field of information systems technology.