Advanced Studies in Communication Systems and Networks as Free Choice Studies, Vähintään 30 op

The whole modern society is strongly relying on broadband data communications and corresponding communication networks and services. This covers all areas of life, personal and professional. This trend is expected to continue and expand further, through the ongoing and all-encompassing digitalization process, which will eventually penetrate all industries and the whole society. This, together with the emerging Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet (or Industry 4.0) paradigms, raises the capacity, latency and other performance requirements of the communication networks, and wireless communications in particular, to a whole new level compared to the existing systems and solutions.

Another prevailing trend in the society and industries is related to robotization and other different autonomous moving objects and machines, such as self-driving cars and drones, which also rely strongly on highly efficient and reliable wireless communications solutions. Digitalization, IoT and robotization are all areas that are also strongly connected to high-efficiency wireless positioning and localization information, both indoors and outdoors. An additional longer term aspect is related to the concept of nano-networks, e.g., in medical field, where nano-scale objects such as different implantable nano-chips and sensors communicate and network with each other. This ties in well with one of the current global mega-trends, namely health technologies, in particular in terms of seeking to provide personalized and proactive healthcare for citizens.

By studying this study module, you obtain deep and thorough theoretical and practical understanding and skills to act as an expert in the future programmable and connected world.

For a chosen focus area this includes:

- advanced practical skills;
- good theoretical knowledge of essential aspects;
- advanced understanding of modern subjects and trends in the communications engineering field;
- open problems in the chosen area.

• Networking focus area
  This area covers various aspects of wired and wireless packet switched networks and Future Internet. The developed core competence includes local and wide area wireless and wired networks providing an in-depth knowledge of concepts like TCP/IP protocols suite, MAC-level algorithms and methods, and networking paradigms (e.g. peer-to-peer networking). Optional studies cover various advanced subjects including the network planning and dimensioning, traffic modeling, performance analysis, and simulation of wireless networks. Also fundamentals of block-chain technology is covered. Related research areas include the development of concepts and technologies for the future evolution of cellular systems (beyond LTE and 5G), internet of things, and nanonetworking. Special courses are tageted on covering these research areas.

• Radio Systems and Networks focus area
  This focus area develops skills for deep understanding and practical optimization and planning of wireless radio communication systems and networks, like 3GPP LTE, LTE-Advanced, 5G New Radio and future 6G, as well as IEEE 802.11 type WiFi systems, based on comprehensive understanding of radio communications, radio propagation and system-level RF issues. It introduces the fundamental aspects of optimizing the radio access system performance through the modulation, detection and coding techniques and through the design of the radio network topology and radio resource management functions. In-depth understanding of waveform, digital modulation and coding related aspects is also developed during the studies.