Parallel Distributed Computer Systems

Master’s programme in PDCS at VU University Amsterdam

• PDCS emphasizes experimental computer science rather than theory  
• PDCS involves the design, implementation, testing and performance analysis of complex systems software 
• The curriculum includes many software lab courses, which are aimed at training you to carry out scientific software experiments that solve challenging research problems  
• For some projects, you will cooperate in small teams to train you in collaborative research 
• The programme aims to prepare you specifically for research work at commercial or government laboratories, or for a PhD study at a university  
• PDCS is unique in the Netherlands and one of the few of its kind in the world. It is organized mainly by the Computer Systems Group at VU University Amsterdam, which enjoys an outstanding international reputation in both research and education

An outstanding group

The teaching staff is headed by Professor Andrew S. Tanenbaum, a winner of the ACM Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award, the ACM/SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contributions to Computer Science Education and the IEEE award. The Master’s programme in Parallel and Distributed Computer Systems is primarily a product of the Computer Systems Group at VU University Amsterdam, which enjoys an outstanding international reputation in both research and education. Our staff are world-class scientists in operating systems and computer networks, in distributed systems and grid computing, as well as in the security aspects of all these systems. The textbooks they have written are used at universities all around the world.

Scientific staff
http://www.cs.vu.nl/en/sec/cs/staff.html

Mentor-based system

Each student is assigned a member of staff as their mentor for the entire programme. Applied work is closely supervised by one of the PDCS staff, as are all individual projects, including the Master’s project.

Research

For more information on research projects, go to: http://www.cs.vu.nl/en/sec/cs/

Publications

For more information on publications, go to: http://www.cs.vu.nl/en/sec/cs/publications.html

If you would like to know more

Meet us? 
Contact the programme coordinator 
Order the brochure