Project code: 85382, OLH-2005-00790/Ha-7

ESF programme: 3/4.2

Timetable: March 1, 2005–June 30, 2007

Funded by: Provincial State Office of Oulu, City of Oulu, Town of Raahe

Implemented by: University of Oulu, Department of Information Processing Science

The Masters Programme in Information Security is to be implemented through flexible and distance education in two locations in co-operation between the local units of the University of Oulu, i.e. the Department of Information Processing Scicne in Oulu and the Raahe Unit of the University of Oulu in Raahe.

The project is co-ordinated by the Department of Information Processing Science at the University of Oulu which will also be responsible for the contents of teaching. The project will be led by Kari Pankkonen, Development Manager. Both of the locations have facilities for distance education acquired through other resources and the readiness to offer teaching locally. The information security laboratories needed in the project will be equipped appropriately through other funding schemes. The Raahe laboratory will be built in the connection of the polytechnic. The Department of Information Processing Science at the University of Oulu is committed to provide the production and support resources, bridge services and communication connections required by distance teaching and to produce the digital learning materials.

The newest educational technology will be used in a number of ways in the programme, with the aim of implementing real-time portions teaching sessions in a ”virtual space” by making use of the distance education technology already available to the implementers of the programme. In addition, digital learning contents will be produced for use by the students on a media server and on other distribution media applicable for learning purposes so far as the courses to be developed in the project are concerned. Interactive learning materials, information distribution and some of the study courses will be produced for the Web-based OPTIMA learning environment. Both the locations have access to appropriate computer classrooms and the possibility to use a wireless LAN. Exercises and project work will be implemented by local tutors and teachers. The laboratory work involved in the studies will be implemented in co-operation with the Raahe Unit of Oulu Polytechnic. The experiences and technical systems gained in previous Masters programmes of the Department of Information Processing Science will be utilised in the implementation of the studies.

The target group consists primarily of persons who have completed a polytechnic degree or accumulated a sufficient number of academic credits. The total number of students is 55, with 30 students in Oulu and 25 students in Raahe.  Five of the Oulu students have been selected to complete a degree in the Degree Programme in Mathematical Sciences. A person to be selected in the Masters programme shall have completed an upper vocational degree, a polytechnic degree or a first or more advanced university degree, or at least 60 credits of university studies that contribute to the degree. The goal is that the students should be capable of completing their studies to supplement the credits given for their previous studies by June 30, 2007. The students are, however, guaranteed the right and practical possibilities to complete the degree in Oulu even after the termination of the project through other resources available at the Department of Information Processing Science.

The teaching contents (300 ECTS) of the Masters programme are offered by the Department of Information Processing Science. The degrees to be awarded will be confirmed by the Faculty of Science at the University of Oulu. Project funding will be used to produce 140 credit points of studies and to provide the prerequisites for completion of the degree (Master’s thesis representing 30 ECTS) after the termination of the project through other resources available to the Department of Information Processing Science. A considerable part of the teaching will be implemented through distance education from Oulu. In Raahe, tutoring and supervision will be offered mainly by local teachers for exercises and laboratory work and for projects to be carried out for companies and public administration, and some of the lectures will also be given there. Some of the teaching to be offered in Raahe will be produced together with the Raahe Unit of Oulu Polytechnic. Some of the courses will be arranged independently of time and place through digital learning materials, an online learning environment and other technology in support of learning that will be made available to the students. We consider this to be an important issue, as some of the students are working and will be carrying out their studies in the evenings and at weekends.

The Masters programme is arranged in response to an immediate educational need, as there has been no programme with such a comprehensive coverage leading to an academic degree in the field of information security in Finland. The need for experts is growing remarkably in the public sector, industry and IT companies. The development of general information security expertise and the training of information security experts also form part of the Information Society Programme for Education, Training and Research for the years 2004-2006 launched by the Ministry of Education. The Masters programme functions as a pilot project for a common study programme and as a starter of international co-operation in teaching and research. The Master’s theses to be produced in the programme will support the launching of research activities in the area – the Pehr Brahe Software Laboratory (joint laboratory of the University of Oulu, the Raahe unit of Oulu Polytechnic and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) in Raahe, for instance, provides a good basis for information security research and for Master’s theses and advanced training implemented in connection with the research.

Graduates from the Masters Programme in Information Security have a good chance to find employment in the Oulu and Raahe areas. The studies can offer opportunities for changing careers, changing jobs or career progress. The need for labour in the IT business is still growing, and the demand for labour is expected to be good in both locations of education at the time of graduation. The need for information security experts in the public sector, industry and IT companies is growing remarkably, and the prospects for employment in this field of education are good. The education will also offer opportunities for a career as a researcher of information security. Improved information security and protection of privacy can also add to the trust of citizens and organisations in the information society. The business operations of companies required increased information security in all fields of business. The development of online and mobile services, the variety of terminal devices and publication channels, e-commerce and the access of external interest groups into the information systems of companies and organisations pose increased challenges for information security in the companies.

The Department of Information Processing Science is contributing to the projects of the University of Oulu to develop the university strategy and teaching in tight cooperation with the regional units and partners of the university. The Department is also involved in the development of the university’s information and communication technology as part of the Finnish virtual university.

Projects connected with the project applied for

In terms of teaching, the project is cooperating very closely with the Software Production and Mobile Services masters programmes currently under way at the Department of Information Processing Science. Shared digital learning materials and their production resources will be utilised in the teaching to a certain extent.

As a project parallel to this project, there are plans to launch an international teaching cooperation programme coordinated by the Meri-Lappi Institute in 2005 with the universities of Oulu (Department of Information Processing Science), Luleå and Lapland, and Kemi-Tornio Polytechnic. This project will produce about 75 ECTS of common studies that can be used as optional studies in the Information Security Masters Programme of the Department of Information Processing Science.

The Masters programme will provide a basis for further international teaching cooperation in issues related to information security. Preliminary negotiations have been carried out with universities in three EU countries (Charles University in Prague, Copenhagen Business School, Pécs University in Hungary) and with Petrozavodsk State University in Russia.

Further information:

Kari Pankkonen, Development Manager (e-mail: kari.pankkonen@oulu.fi, phone: +358 40 7350532)

Professor Juha Kortelainen (e-mail: juha.kortelainen@oulu.fi)

http://www.tol.oulu.fi/opiskelijoille/muuntokoulutus/tietoturva/index.html