‘Studying at RPTU is practical and future-orientated’

His alma mater is practical, future-orientated and an ideal place for international students - this is how Aakarsh Goel looks back on his time at RPTU. He was able to complete his Master's thesis in Computer Science at SmartFactory KL e.V. - a technology initiative based in Kaiserslautern that brings together leading companies from research and industry.

Aakarsh Goel, a native of India, has been living in Germany for around three years - he recently completed a Master's degree in Computer Science at RPTU. A subject with its finger on the pulse of the times - he specialised in intelligent systems, software engineering, machine learning and artificial intelligence. ‘I had previously completed my Bachelor's degree in India and then worked there for four years as a software engineer - in the field of website development,’ he reports - and adds that he deliberately chose a Master's programme at RPTU because the university is very international: ’The courses are offered in English.’ RPTU is also a renowned computer science centre. Even as a student, you benefit from the close cooperation with the research institutes located in the neighbourhood - including the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE. Aakarsh Goel: ‘I've had the opportunity to work as a student assistant at DFKI since my second semester.’ He was able to experience all of these benefits before starting his studies: ‘Back then, I decided that this was the best place to study.’ A decision he has not regretted. After all, studying at RPTU is very future-orientated: ‘The courses are regularly updated. The latest technologies, developments and findings are incorporated into the teaching.’

Collaborated with leading companies for his Master's thesis

The fact that his degree programme is also very practice-oriented is made clear by his Master's thesis: in terms of content, it can be assigned to the areas of quality control, machine learning and autonomous systems - and is entitled ‘Machine Learning Model Lifecycle Monitoring: A Focus on Drift Detection in Deep Learning for Quality Control’. Aakarsh Goel: ‘Put simply, I investigated how the accuracy of intelligent computer programmes can be maintained in factory settings.’ In a truck factory, for example, these intelligent systems check whether bolts and nuts are correctly seated by analysing real-time images taken with calibrated cameras. ‘Over time, these systems can face challenges due to new patterns, such as changes in lighting and background.’ Changes which, incidentally, are known as ‘drift’, as Goel explains. ‘The focus of my work is on automatically detecting and correcting these drifts to ensure that overall quality remains reliable and efficient.’

The special thing: He was able to realise all of this as part of his employment at SmartFactory KL e.V.. A technology initiative based in Kaiserslautern, which brings together leading companies from research and industry - and which jointly carries out thematic research and development projects focussing on Industry 4.0 and the factory of the future.  Incidentally, SmartFactory is closely linked to RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau: RPTU Professor Martin Ruskowski is Chairman of the Board.

Aakarsh Goel greatly appreciates the fact that he was already in close contact with a large number of companies as a Master's student - and, as he emphasises, he also benefited from the excellent equipment that SmartFactory has to offer during his practical work.

Broadly positioned - and ready for the international labour market

And what else does the graduate take with him? What conclusions does he draw from his time in Kaiserslautern? ‘RPTU is a good place for international students,’ summarises the 28-year-old. ‘There is an international community. There are lots of events. And the university does a lot to make us feel at home.’ International students are very welcome as student assistants in the departments and neighbouring institutes. It's a great way to earn money - and to gain insights into current research.

Aakarsh Goel has his Master's degree in Computer Science in his pocket - what are his plans for the future? ‘I would like to stay in Europe for the next two or three years, preferably in Germany.’ In a few years, he wants to return to India - and work in industry there. For now, however, he is looking for a job here in Germany: ‘I am very broadly positioned with my degree and believe that I will find something soon.’ Thanks to his sound education, he is ready for the local and international labour market.