Warm Welcome to New Computer Science Students at the University of St.Gallen

StartWeek for Bachelor Students: Building Community and Exploring St. Gallen

The new Bachelor students commenced their academic journey with an informal kick-off event during the evening of their first day at the University. This gathering provided them with a unique opportunity to connect with each other as well as meet the administration of the School of Computer Science, and some of their lecturers and teaching assistants, for the very first time. This event set the tone for the upcoming weeks, fostering a sense of belonging and community among the newcomers.

As part of their orientation, the newcomers are participating in the StartWeek of the University of St.Gallen, where they are working on exciting case studies in collaboration with students from various degree programmes. Prof. Dr. Simon Mayer, Academic Director of the Computer Science programme, expressed, "The StartWeek is an excellent platform for our students to build a sense of community and become acquainted with both the University of St.Gallen and the vibrant city of St.Gallen. It is a foundation for academic and personal growth for them, and for us it’s great that we have our students back in town for the new semester."

Integration Week for Master Students: A Unique Experience in the Alpstein Mountains

The Master students, who have already embarked on their journey last week, were treated to an integration week that introduced them to the core topics of the Computer Science degree programme. “The basis of our Master Programme is formed by four compulsory courses within the field of Computer Science. In their second semester, the students choose their specialisation either within Data Science or Software and Systems Engineering. The inputs given by our faculty members during the Integration week provide our students with a valuable head start as they embark on a new semester,” says Prof. Dr. Anna-Lena Horlemann, Academic Director of the Computer Science degree programme.

The week culminated in a hike to the picturesque Seealpsee in the Alpstein mountains. Notably, they visited Fam. Gmünder at the Alp Spitzig Stein and explored their cheese dairy where the Seealpchäs is produced. The hike was joined by some faculty members and the Director of the School of Computer Science, Dr. Jochen Müller. Jochen Müller shared his enthusiasm, stating, "It's truly inspiring to welcome master students to our Computer Science programme for the third time at the University of St.Gallen. We're excited to meet these young, aspiring students who are not only interested in Computer Science but also eager to integrate Entrepreneurship and Management into their degree. It reflects the forward-thinking spirit of our programme."

Gender Diversity in the Cohorts: A Milestone Achievement

A significant milestone in terms of gender diversity in Computer Science is the fact that both the new Bachelor- and Master- cohort comprises around 20% female students, surpassing the nationwide average for Computer Science programmes of around 10-12%. This underscores the University's commitment to promoting gender equality within its degree programmes.

One of the measures taken by the University to encourage gender diversity is the organization of an Information Day for female high school students, Women*@HSG, scheduled in November each year. The School of Computer Science is very pleased to have achieved such a high proportion of women in its degree programmes.

Wishing Success to New Students

As the new students embark on this exciting phase of their lives, the School of Computer Science wishes them all the best for their studies and their experiences as students in the city of St.Gallen. The journey they are about to undertake is not only academically rewarding but also a crucial step towards defining their future personal and professional paths. The School of Computer Science is honoured to be a part of this transformative journey for these bright young minds and looks forward to accompanying them on their way towards becoming Computer Scientists.