Twenty Years of Computer Science: A Successful Bet

A recent inaugural evening marked the beginning of the Faculty of Informatics’ 20th anniversary celebrations. Established in 2004 as the fourth Faculty of Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), the Faculty has grown and strengthened its position over the years, becoming a world-class centre of excellence. Currently, it has over 650 students from more than 40 countries and boasts 1,300 alums worldwide. Additionally, the Faculty has received international recognition for its innovative educational programmes and cutting-edge research.

The opening event began with a welcome speech by Rector Luisa Lambertini , who highlighted the growth and establishment of the Faculty of Informatics as a world-class centre of excellence over the decades.

After the Rector’s greetings, the current Dean of the Faculty of Informatics, Marc Langheinrich , took the floor. He emphasised that the Faculty’s success-making it the third largest in Switzerland in this field, following the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)--is largely attributed to the 29 professors and over 100 researchers who are part of it.

Following this, there was an engaging panel discussion featuring the six professors who co-founded the Faculty: Mehdi Jazayeri (the first Dean), Alex Wolf , Amy Murphy , Antonio Carzaniga , Michele Lanza , and Fernando Pedone. They shared anecdotes and memories from the Faculty’s first twenty years with the audience.

In addition to officially launching the celebrations for the Faculty’s milestone anniversary, the evening provided an excellent opportunity to engage with the founding Dean, Mehdi Jazayeri. Below is an interview conducted by the Institutional Communication Service.

Dear Professor Jazayeri, the Faculty of Informatics has officially begun its 20th anniversary celebrations. Having witnessed its inception and growth, how do you feel about this milestone’
"I am thrilled and could never have imagined that the Faculty would grow so much. When we started, we had 42 Bachelor students and 8 PhD students. Today, there are more than 600 students-it’s incredible! I was also delighted to meet two of my former students, both of whom are now successful individuals. They shared with me how pleased they were to have chosen USI for their education".

Let us take a step back a couple of decades: why did you decide to focus on informatics in Lugano at the beginning of the millennium’ What was the vision’
"Our goal was to establish a Faculty of Informatics that would achieve a high level of quality, and we were pleasantly surprised by how quickly it came to fruition. We understood that success would require more than just individual efforts; we needed to assemble an outstanding team. It’s important to highlight that creating a Faculty carries risks, particularly for young professors who may be putting their careers on the line. However, we also recognised the significant opportunity for growth that this venture presented. At the time, I believed we could leverage the city of Lugano to attract both students and faculty, as it is often regarded as a magical place both at home and abroad. I was not wrong".

Twenty years later, how do you assess the journey taken’

"The balance sheet is positive. I would say we have won the bet we made twenty years ago, and the growth of the Faculty is proof of that. Of course, challenges have always existed and continue to arise. For instance, our curriculum was designed for a limited number of students to foster an environment where students and professors could work closely together. This approach works well with a small student population, but as the Faculty has grown, we need to find the right solutions to maintain that balance, including managing the diverse personalities within such a large Faculty. Ups and downs are part of the journey. Still, I want to emphasise that the path taken by the Faculty is undoubtedly positive, as it has consistently overcome the obstacles encountered along the way".

Informatics, closely associated with technology, has experienced significant changes over the last twenty years. Looking toward the future, it is reasonable to expect similar transformations, especially with the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence. So, what is the key to staying current, particularly in the field of education’
"In the first 15 years of the Faculty, at the end of each semester, we professors would hold a retreat-an off-campus meeting-to discuss the various courses and decide how to adjust them based on our observations of the current situation and prospects. I’m unsure if these retreats are still held today, especially since the number of professors has increased (they are still held, EN). Each professor focuses on their field and often believes it deserves the most attention. Maintaining harmony and ensuring everything fits together can be challenging but essential. It requires a dedicated group of individuals responsible for synthesising the core concepts that should be included in the courses".

Regarding education, you have received numerous awards for the innovative teaching programme you introduced in Lugano when the Faculty was founded. Can you explain what it consists of’
"When we started, we observed there were universities of applied sciences that emphasised practical activities and traditional universities that focused on theoretical studies. Both approaches are important. Our goal was to create a way to combine these two aspects by teaching theory alongside practical application. To achieve this, we developed ateliers, courses where students could apply the theories they learned through practical projects, working in groups. Each semester featured a specialised workshop, culminating in presentations where each group showcased their projects. This approach was notable, especially when compared to the United States, where students typically do not present their work until completing their doctorate. In our programme, students are required to make presentations starting from the first semester, defending their ideas from early on. Additionally, because students had their own laptops, they could immediately apply what the professor explained during lectures. By the end of their studies, each student had all their completed work stored on their computer. For us, it was crucial that students gain practical experience from the theories they learned in class".

Overall, combining education with both practice and research, do you see a particular strength of USI’s Faculty of Informatics’
"Definitely the teaching aspect. At other universities, the emphasis is often on research. They have excellent researchers but may not be genuinely interested in teaching, even though that is their responsibility. In contrast, we prioritise the importance of having professors at USI who are passionate about teaching. We’ve created an environment encouraging educators to excel in their teaching rather than just fulfilling an obligation".

How pleased are you today to see that more women are choosing to dedicate themselves to this field’

"For me, having women in the Faculty of Informatics has always been important. The first year was challenging; Amy Murphy was our only female professor. However, starting from the second year, we managed to involve more female faculty members, and now we have a significantly high percentage of women. To encourage a diversity of opinions, it is essential for both genders to be represented, and the entire Faculty has benefited from this. Moreover, the strong presence of female professors has been crucial in attracting more female students who feel more comfortable in an environment with gender diversity. As founders, we emphasised this long before the equality rules were introduced. By the time those rules came into effect, we were already well on our way to achieving gender balance in our Faculty".

One last question: what future do you envisage for the Faculty you have directed’ How do you imagine it will look in another twenty years’
"This is a very difficult question, as it’s challenging to imagine the Faculty even five years from now. Who knows’ However, I want to emphasise a concept we originated: ethical computing or responsible computing. Since computing is pervasive today, the work of a computer scientist has a significant impact on many aspects of the world. Engineers must adopt a mindset of strong responsibility for what they create rather than simply viewing it as a tool for use. I hope to see a shift in thinking that incorporates ethics and accountability into our work, recognising the broader impact it has on the world".