computer science phd in switzerland

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General information about the ph.d. studies, ph.d. brochure.

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Department of Computer Science

Application and admission.

Students holding a Master's degree in computer science or a related field are cordially invited to apply for doctoral studies in Computer Science.

Application and admission are possible at any time; there are no deadlines.

Applicants need a Master's degree with a strong background in computer science or a closely related field. Also, applicants need to be proficient both in written and spoken English. Language tests are not required. However, if you have documental proof, please include it in your application. Typically, personal interviews are conducted with candidates considered for admission. GRE tests are not mandatory. However, if proof of results is available, please include it in your application.  

Applications are always accepted in one of two ways:

Option 1 : You can contact a professor in an area of your interest to find out whether they have openings and may be interested in supervising you as a doctoral student.

List of professors and research groups: Research Groups

Once you have found a supervisor, you must submit your application via eApply. Details and further information you will find here .

Option 2 : You can submit your application online via our central application system . This way, your application will automatically be available to and reviewed by our entire faculty. The application is free of charge.

The online application is exclusively electronic. Please provide the following documents:

• Scans of diplomas of completed degrees
• Scans of grade records for all attended universities
• Statement of objective (text only in English)
• Contact information of three references providing recommendations

Note that all uploaded files should be unprotected PDFs each not exceeding 2 MB in size.

Once your application is submitted, it will remain active for four months. In this period, you may be contacted by any interested faculty member. Otherwise, you will receive a notification at the end of this period.

Doctoral students are employees and students. Therefore, upon admission, they receive an employment contract and a confirmation of provisional admission. Only after having passed the aptitude colloquium, which must take place after twelve months at the latest, doctoral students are admitted definitively.

Enrolment in myStudies at the beginning of every semester is compulsory right up to the decision on conferral of the doctoral degree.

In addition to conducting research, doctoral students are also teaching assistants and supervise student projects from the bachelor's and master's programmes. Open positions for teaching assistants are to be found here .  

Doctoral students generally have an employment contract. At D-INFK, the salary rates for doctoral students are Rate 4 or Rate 5, which enables them to cover their living expenses  comfortably in Switzerland.

Additional information on admission costs, tuition and semester fees, and living costs can be found here .  

Faculty of Science

Doctoral degree program in computer science.

The goal of a doctorate in computer science is the development and dissemination of new knowledge in computer science. A doctorate usually takes three to four years and ends with the award of a doctorate in computer science.

A doctorate is carried out in close collaboration with a supervisor from the Institute of Computer Science. Possible research topics are mostly in the areas covered by the research groups of the institute. These include computer graphics, computer vision, communication and distributed systems, software composition, and logic and theory. Interested persons can contact a leader of a research group directly to clarify the possibility of a doctorate and to discuss potential research topics.

It is expected that scientific papers will be independently prepared during a doctoral degree and published in international journals. Research results will also be presented at conferences in lectures and posters. Furthermore, cooperation with international research groups is often one of the activities during a doctorate. The dissertation ends with a written thesis and a final examination in the form of a lecture.

Legal basis

• Studienplan für das Fach Informatik (Bachelor, PhD, Minor) vom 01.08.2011 mit Änderungen (PDF, 62KB)
• Anhang zum geltenden Studienplan Informatik (PDF, 762KB)
• Promotionsreglement der Philosophisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Bern (PromR Phil.-nat. 19) vom 12.12.2019 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
• Regulations governing doctoral studies at the Faculty of Science of the University of Bern (PromR Phil.-nat. 19) of December 12., 2019 (PDF, 244KB)

Universität Fribourg Course offerings

Universitas friburgensis.

Computer Science

Fribourg profile.

Fascinated by software , logic , computing infrastructures or artificial intelligence ? Take your career to the next level with a PhD in Computer Science!

Why study Computer Science? Computer Science is today at the heart of our society. Computational techniques are transforming all aspects of our daily lives, from Smart Cities infrastructures to transportations, banking, the media or the manufacturing industry. Demand for highly qualified computer scientists is high, both in Switzerland and around the world. With a PhD in Computer Science, you will be able to face the tsunami of data that we are confronted to and help both our society and companies evolve towards a more efficient digital society.

Our PhD Programme in Computer Science The University of Fribourg is proud to offer a PhD programme in Computer Science that will make you ready to tackle key scientific problems both for academia and the industry. Computer Science has a transformative impact on many facets of our society. Research topics that can be explored as part of a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Fribourg are quite diverse, and include:

• Applied Statistics and Modelling
• Decision Support and Operations Research
• Document, Image and Video Analysis
• Data Science and Big Data Infrastructures
• Foundations of Dependable Systems
• Digitalisation and Information Systems
• Software Engineering
• Human Computer Interaction
• Smart Cities and Cognitive Computing

Apart from detailed knowledge in the field, PhD students will also learn to conduct independent research projects, to guide bachelor and master students, to interpret and present scientific data, and to put their work into a general context. We also actively promote exchanges and interactions with other universities and with companies by organising workshops and research visits. We give all our PhD students the opportunity to present their work at international conferences and to meet people working on similar questions from close and far.

PhD students also have the opportunity to take graduate courses, by following free courses and workshops organised by the CUSO Doctoral Program in Computer Science in Western Switzerland. Funding for PhD projects is available in two main ways: 1) through project funds attributed to individual research groups. Interested candidates are encouraged to select a research group in which they would like to carry out their PhD (see Contact for a current list) and contact the group leader directly to ask for a possible opening; 2) through funds acquired by the PhD candidate (including Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships for Foreign Scholars and Artists : http://studies.unifr.ch/go/en-swiss-gov-scholarships ). Before applying for funds, candidates should contact the group leader they would like to work with.

Studies organisation

Structure of studies.

No ECTS credits can be earned.

Doctoral school

https://informatique.cuso.ch

In order to be admitted to a doctorate the candidate must have been awarded an academic bachelor's and master's degree or an equivalent qualification from a university recognised by the University of Fribourg.

Before applying for a doctorate the candidate must contact a professor who would be willing to supervise the thesis work.

There is no general right to be admitted to a doctorate.

The respective conditions of admission for each doctoral study programme are reserved.

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Department of Informatics

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd program, welcome note.

The Doctoral Program of Informatics is where academia and industry meet, where theories are developed and challenged in praxis, where new knowledge is created, and where scholars emerge. The Department of Informatics offers Switzerland’s best application oriented informatics and, internationally, ranks among the best institutions in its field. Application areas range from business information systems to social sciences, linguistics, natural sciences, and medicine. The Department creates joint research ventures and integrates their results in the teaching of students. In addition, internationally renowned visiting professors regularly give courses on special topics. All of us in the Department of Informatics wish you good fortune as you pursue your advanced degree, and we hope you will contact us if we can help you along the way.

Direct Links

Programs Description of our Doctoral Programs

Admission Information about the admission process

PhD: While studying All the information you need while doing your PhD (e.g. Curriculum, PhD Proposal Defense, PhD Thesis, PhD Defense, Publication)

Summer Schools Information about the current and past PhD Summer Schools

IfI Colloquium Information about the current and past IfI Colloquium Series

Team/Advisory Service Contact information

PhD Theses Archive

Here you find the PhD theses published at IfI since 1968.

Weiterführende Informationen

Best practice guideline for doctoral education at the university of zurich.

• Best Practice Guideline

Bereichs-Navigation

Unterseiten von phd.

• Admission/Registration
• PhD: While studying
• Summer Schools
• IfI Colloquium
• Team/Advisory Service
• Previous IfI Colloquia

Phd Degree in Computer Science & IT, Switzerland

Explore the best universities for Phd degree in Computer Science & IT in Switzerland, based on their reputation and research in the field.

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Phd programme, doing a phd at the zhaw school of engineering.

The ZHAW School of Engineering offers students with a Master’s degree the opportunity to do a doctorate in cooperation with its partner universities. While studying for your PhD, you work on applied research projects at the university of applied sciences and are supervised jointly by professors from the ZHAW and its partner university.

You thus benefit from the strengths of both types of university and, with your dissertation project, also contribute towards raising the profile of research at the School of Engineering. The School of Engineering, for its part, creates favourable conditions and prerequisites for supporting high-quality research.

As a doctoral student, you are enrolled in a regular PhD programme at a partner university and are required to go through its admission process. After completing the programme, you will receive a doctorate from the partner university in question. Most PhD networks are also open to students with a Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences. They are, however, required to complete the processes (specific to each faculty) that are necessary for admission to the partner university. In addition to formalised PhD programmes, it is also possible for individual agreements to be concluded between partner universities, doctoral students and ZHAW.

https://www.zhaw.ch/en/jobs/vacant-positions/

Formal PhD programmes with partner universities

ZHAW is part of the PhD Network Data Science . We thus participate in the University of Zurich’s PhD Programme in Data Science . A broad selection of topics is available for doctoral studies in data science and these explicitly include data-intensive areas of Industry 4.0, such as predictive maintenance, data analytics and risk management, and cloud computing.

ZHAW graduates with a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) are also eligible for the joint doctoral programme run by ZHAW and the Università Ca' Foscari in Venice. They can complete their doctoral studies in data science over a period of four years. They spend one year in the Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics at the University of Venice and three years at the ZHAW School of Engineering. MSE graduates from ZHAW can participate directly in the programme without having to catch up on additional ECTS from the Master’s degree programme.

Important to know

• The doctorate is always awarded by the partner university. It is therefore the regulations of the partner university that are decisive.
• In most cases, doctoral students at ZHAW School of Engineering are employed as scientific assistants; the dissertation is normally embedded in a fairly large research project (Innosuisse, SNSF, Horizon Europe).
• ZHAW School of Engineering supports dissertation projects that are related to one of its main research areas.
• The dissertation topic is agreed on directly by the doctoral student and their supervising professors from the university of applied sciences and the partner university.
• Doctoral students are expected to display a high degree of independence and discipline and to actively exchange ideas with the contact persons in the institutes and centres.

How will the ZHAW School of Engineering support me with my dissertation project?

• Financial support through PhD programmes and internal calls
• Time support, including for caregivers
• Networking within the PhD community
• Access to foreign universities and networks (e.g. Horizon Europe Doctoral Network, PhD networks)

ZHAW employees and students will find further information in the Intranet .

Interested? Then venture to take the next step

A dissertation project requires careful planning and preparation in both the professional and private environment.  We will be happy to offer you a consultation.

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Department of Astrophysics

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd programme in data science, graduate school for data science.

Data Science is a relatively young scientific discipline aimed at addressing important scientific and societal problems by focusing on obtaining, analyzing, and interpreting data. It has become an indispensable part of both academia and industry. Indeed, Data Science is now widely regarded as the fourth pillar of scientific discovery complementing theoretical, experimental, and computational approaches. 

The PhD Program in Data Science is aimed at preparing aspiring data science professionals for a successful career in academia or industry. To achieve this goal, enrolled students will engage in world-class research at one of the best Universities in Switzerland. They will also have access to a multidisciplinary curriculum and be able to collaborate with experienced faculty members from a large number of departments across the University.

Students have to be offered a PhD position by an individual faculty member of a participating research group. The faculty member together with the PhD candidate can then select an appropriate PhD program that best fits the academic profile of the candidate. The data science PhD program is tailored for students with a strong technical background in machine learning or data science, for example. Decisions regarding enrollment into the PhD program will be made by an admission committee.

Requirements

A Master's degree in Science, Mathematics, or Computer Science or an equivalent degree. Additional requirements may be attached to specific PhD openings. Further requirements may be listed in the regulations of the doctoral program.

Successful applicants have a strong scholastic record, a creative mindset, are able to communicate their work effectively, have a basic knowledge of programming and statistics, and, most of all, enjoy solving problems in Data Science.

In order to graduate, students need to fulfill the following requirements:

• Deposition and defense of a written dissertation about the student's independent research project
• Acquisition of 12 ECTS credits of advanced courses
• Additional requirements imposed by the admission committee, the doctoral committee, or the University

Curriculum 

The program includes a curricular part of at least 12 ECTS credits. Participating students can choose from a broad selection of research topics and classes in coordination with or as stipulated by their doctoral committee. The curricular part of the doctoral studies covers both the specific topic area of the research project and a general education in Data Science and data modeling in Natural Sciences. ECTS credits may also be awarded for active participation in conferences or other activities of relevance for the doctoral study.

Featured Courses

• Academia Industry Modeling (AIM) week
• During AIM week, teams of PhD students and post-doctoral fellows complete a one-week focused research project on applied problems proposed by industry partners. Industry representatives and participating faculty coordinate the formulation of the problem and supervise the research teams. Topics can cover all scientific interests and domains represented in the PhD program and in particular their interfaces.
• Modeling of Complex Systems In this hands-on course, the students learn how mathematical models can be used to describe and understand the dynamics of real-world systems in essentially all applied sciences, such as physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, economics, social sciences etc. The course covers concepts like integration methods, mechanistic and descriptive modeling, stochasticity, and Monte Carlo simulations. On the practical side, students will model and implement dynamical systems, understand the theoretical background and limitations, and practice understanding and communicating of models.

Official PhD regulations for the Data Science Programme:

Doctoral Program Regulations (PDF, 206 KB) Ordnung zum Doktoratsprogramm (PDF, 107 KB)

For PhDs starting after 1 June 2022 the updated regulations apply:

Ordnung zum Doktoratsprogramm (ab 2. Juni 2022) (PDF, 152 KB)

Doctoral Program Regulations (PDF, 93 KB)

Admissions to Promotion - Useful links and documents:

Admission to Doctoral Studies at the University of Zurich

Factsheet Admission to a PhD Program at the Department of Astrophysics (PDF, 621 KB)

Checklist for PhD students

"Confirmation of Supervision for Doctoral Students" (PDF, 242 KB)

"Acceptance Confirmation Structured Doctoral Program" (PDF, 225 KB)

Annual committee meeting minutes (PDF, 1 MB)

Confirmation Sheet - TA Hours (PDF, 224 KB)

Fact sheet PhD Defence (EN) / Merkblatt (DE)

Program Director Prof. Dr. Jan Dirk Wegner [email protected]

PhD Computer Science & IT programs in Switzerland

Bioinformatics.

University of Geneva

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings is the only global university performance table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Computer Sciences

Information systems.

Webster University Geneva

Computer science, computer science for the humanities.

International Institute in Geneva

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne

University of Zurich

People-oriented computing, software systems, informatics, computational science and engineering, robotics control and intelligent systems, deadline information, best universities with computer science & it in switzerland.

Bachelor Computer Science & IT programs in Switzerland

Master Computer Science & IT programs in Switzerland

Most Popular Computer Science & IT programs in Switzerland

PhD Computer Science & IT programs in Switzerland

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