The programme was approved by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Senate on October 5, 2006, University of Maribor Senat on October 17, 2006, and by the Council for Higher Education on December 8, 2006. On 9 November 2012, the Senate of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science accepted the application for re-accreditation of the study programme, and the Senate of the University of Maribor accepted it on 24 January 2013. On 20 March 2014, the Council of the National Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Quality Assurance in Higher Education adopted a decision extending the accreditation of the study programme.

Conditions for advancement to the second study year: A student advances to the second study year if they collect at least 54 ECTS credits by passing the first study year exams. Conditions for advancement to the third study year: A student advances to the third study year if they have passed all first study year exams and if they collect at least 54 ECTS credits by passing the second study year exams. The conditions for promotion under extraordinary conditions and the conditions for repetition are defined by the Statute of the University of Maribor https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Statut-Univerze-v-Mariboru-uradno-precisceno-besedilo-UPB-13.pdf

The undergraduate first-degree higher professional study programme Information and Communication Technologies does not contain individual parts.

A graduate of the study programme for obtaining a first-degree higher professional education may continue with master’s studies in the second-degree study programmes in accordance with the conditions determined by the higher education institution announcing the postgraduate study programme.

Diplomirani inženir informatike in tehnologij komuniciranja (VS) is trained for development, production, and maintenance of information systems in the economy, public administration and in various service sectors.

Information on study programmes offered by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are available on the following website https://feri.um.si/en/study/programmes/.

There are no other obligations.

Examination and assessment of student learning outcomes is performed in accordance with the criteria and methods defined in the Rules on the Examination and Assessment of Knowledge at the University of Maribor https://www.um.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Pravilnik-o-preverjanju-in-ocenjevanju-znanja-na-Univerzi-v-Mariboru-stev.-A4-2009-41-AG-uradno-precisceno-besedilo-UPB1.pdf In the case of an individual study unit, the type and manner of taking the examination and the conditions for taking the examination are determined by the curriculum, which is an integral part of the study programme. The curriculum determines the share of each method of examining and assessing the knowledge, which contributes to the final assessment. For all subjects in all study programmes of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, knowledge assessment is regulated by a single Assessment Scale, which is available at the following website: https://feri.um.si/studij/vprasanja-in-odgovori/. Methods of continuous examination and assessment of knowledge are encouraged, thus enabling students to continuously monitor their own progress in their studies.

Fundamental objectives of the study programme are the following: The objective of the first-degree higher professional study programme Information and Communication Technologies is for the graduate to acquire basic knowledge of three closely related fields, which are computer science, information systems, and management of communication technologies. We want to pass on advanced expertise from a wide range of previously mentioned fields to future graduates, so that they are in line with the guidelines for the development of information society technologies with current market needs and the vision of developing labour market needs in the future. The study programme emphasises the system of recognisable and comparable levels of study; namely, for the higher professional level of study, which through the structure of subjects and the profile of the graduate is clearly placed in the professional qualification of computer science at the appropriate level in the European labour market. The study programme directly offers students useful knowledge for independent problem solving or for autonomous and professionally competent operation in development, production or maintenance teams. In addition to the necessary technological knowledge, which is the core of the study programme, the students also acquire appropriate management knowledge and multidisciplinary knowledge, which enable them to work in generally heterogeneous groups in the field of information society technologies and services in the broadest sense. In its content area, the study programme is oriented distinctly applicatively and enables competent and competitive integration of the graduate into the information society in various professional roles.

General competencies acquired through the study programme In the study programme, the graduates will acquire the following general competencies: • Detailed knowledge of the study and professional fields; • Advanced computer skills, ability to use, manage and design complex computer systems; • The ability to apply the acquired knowledge through a wide range of roles in which they may find themselves in the future; • The ability of analytical and systematic thinking, which enables them to solve specific challenges and problems in the field of the study programme; • Solving problems in the industrial environment; • Effective group work; • Organising and implementing scientific or industrial research projects; • Writing assignments and reports in accordance with the professional standards; • Preparing and conducting seminars in accordance with the professional standards; • Organising time independently and efficiently; • The ability to integrate and participate in interdisciplinary groups in various roles in order to develop complex ICT solutions and systems in various problem areas; • The ability to search for additional knowledge in the field of the study programme, taking into account professional methods and critical thinking; • The ability to assess situations, services and products related to the field of the study programme, as well as to be critical and self-critical; • The ability to identify, formulate, analyse and solve technical problems; • The ability to decide on the manner and nature of work, work procedure, working hours, applications, etc.; • Mutual skills; • Oral and written expression and communication in engineering circles and society in general; • Research skills and the ability to find new sources of knowledge and use methods of communication within and between disciplines in order to achieve effective solutions.

With each individual study unit, students acquire general, as well as specific, curriculum-defined competencies that together contribute to the objectives of the study programme. The graduates of the first-degree higher professional study programme Information and Communication Technologies acquire the following subject-specific competencies: • Knowledge and understanding of the basics of computer science, information systems, and information and communication technologies; • Knowledge and understanding of basic and advanced methodological approaches to the construction of information solutions and the ability to use them in practice; • Use of the engineering approach at all stages of the information system life cycle; • The ability to select appropriate methods and techniques, and their systematic use in the modelling of business processes, defining requirements for computerisation, planning and implementation of the information system, verification and management of the information system and information technology in the organisation; • Knowledge and understanding of the basic operation of typical software tools that the engineers need in their daily work, the ability to evaluate them and select the appropriate software tool; • Design and development of algorithms and data structures, and their implementation in modern programming languages and environments; • Knowledge of computer architectures and information and communication technologies; • Knowledge of databases and their use; • Conceptual, logical and physical design of databases, database management systems and the use of query languages; • Knowledge and understanding of decision-making methods and models, and their use; • Project management from the preparation of the project plan, the formation of a suitable project team, monitoring the implementation of the project to the metric evaluation of performance; • Knowledge and understanding of communication principles and communication methods with the emphasis on group work and electronic communication; • Use of software platforms, libraries, markup languages, and integrated development environments, • Development of web applications and dynamic web pages; • Development of server applications and business components; • Knowledge and understanding of basic concepts of mathematical analysis; • Knowledge and understanding of various types of algebraic structures; • Application of knowledge of linear algebra in solving certain geometric problems; • Use of the basic probability calculus; • Knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of discrete mathematics; • Ensuring the security and protection of information solutions.

In the higher professional study programme Informatics and Technologies of Communication can enrol those who: a) have passed the Matura examination, b) have passed a Vocational Matura examination from any kind of high school programme, c) have completed any kind of high school programme of four years duration before 1st June 1995.

If a decision is taken to restrict enrolment, the candidates referred to in Point a) will be selected according to the following criteria: • Overall success at the Matura Exam (60% of points); • Overall success in the third and fourth year of the Secondary school (40% of points); The candidates referred to in Point (b) shall be selected according to the following criteria: • Overall success at the Vocational Matura Exam (60 % of points); • Overall success in the third and fourth year of the Secondary school (40% points); The candidates referred to in Point (c) shall be selected according to the following criteria: • Overall success at the final exam (60% of points); • Overall success in the third and fourth year of the Secondary school (40% of points).

Transitions between the study programmes are possible in accordance with the Higher Education Act, the Criteria for transitions between study programmes, and other regulations. In accordance with the Criteria for transitions between study programmes, the candidates enrol: • In the second or higher year of the higher professional study programme Informatics and Technologies of Communication, when it comes to the termination of education according to the first study programme and continuation of studies according to another study programme of the same degree, or enrolment of a higher education graduate in a new study programme of the same degree. Candidates from the fields of information and communication technologies, technical and natural sciences and mathematics can transfer to the first-degree higher professional study programme Informatics and Technologies of Communication. • Enrolment of a higher professional study programme graduate in the second year of the higher professional study programme of the first-degree study programme Informatics and Technologies of Communication is possible in the field of information and communication technologies, technical and natural sciences, and mathematics. The transition is possible if the candidate meets the following conditions: • They meet the conditions for enrolment in the first year of the higher professional study programme of the first-degree study programme Informatics and Technologies of Communication; • They transfer from the study programme, which at the end of the study ensures the acquisition of comparable competencies or learning outcomes; • Upon transition, at least half of the obligations under the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (hereinafter referred to at: the ECTS) from the first study programme, which relate to the compulsory subjects of the second study programme were recognised. The competent commission of the Senate of the faculty at which the candidate intends to continue their studies decides on the transition from one study programme to another. In accordance with the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in the Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, the candidate must submit to the Faculty the following: • An application for the recognition of knowledge and skills at the University of Maribor: • A certificate of completed study obligations (exams) with the obtained grades and number of credit points; • A validated curricula according to which knowledge has been acquired; • A proof of payment of the procedure. When transferring from one study programme to another, completed study obligations may be recognised for the candidate, taking into account the content, scope and complexity of knowledge of the new programme, and may be assigned new obligations to complete the new study programme.

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science recognises the acquired knowledge, qualifications or abilities on the basis of the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in the Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, which regulates the procedures for identifying, verifying and recognising knowledge and the criteria for recognising knowledge acquired through formal and non-formal learning before enrolment and during the studies at the University of Maribor. The faculty recognises the knowledge and skills of the candidates, gained before enrolment, if, in terms of scope, their content and complexity fully or partially correspond to the general or subject-specific competencies determined by the study programme in which the candidates wish to enrol or are enrolled. The basis for the recognition of knowledge and skills are the certificates or other documents: - publicly valid documents (certificates, diplomas), - certificates of completed work of the study programme or completed obligations in the study programme, - certificates of education and training providers on successful completion of education/training, certificates and other documents, - products, services, projects, publications and other author's works of candidates, - evidence of registered patents, - relevant references on practical training and work experience, - knowledge acquired through self-education and informal learning and other evidence/knowledge assessed by the Commission for Academic Affairs UM FERI. The process of identifying, verifying and recognizing knowledge and skills begins on the basis of the candidate's application, which he submits on a special form, which is an integral part of the aforementioned rulebook.

A student who completes all the obligations prescribed by the study programme and thus collects at least 180 ECTS credits completes their studies.