UCD's New programme MSc Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture: Insights from Programme Director, Dr. Dimitrios Argyropoulos

The UCD College of Engineering & Architecture has recently launched a Master's in Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture. Programme Director Dr. Dimitrios Argyropoulos from the UCD School of Biosystems & Food Engineering answers some questions and introduces us to this exciting new course.

Tell us a little about this master’s being offered at UCD?

Digital Agricultural Technology (AgTech) is key to a sustainable food future, revolutionizing the landscape of agriculture and creating exciting career opportunities worldwide. The importance of Digital AgTech goes beyond just improving agricultural practices, it provides us with the tools to meet the growing demand for food without straining the world's natural resources. As technology continues to advance, Digital AgTech will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of agriculture and food production, making it an exciting field to work in.

What is unique about this master’s?

This degree programme is one of the first in the world, to integrate data science and cutting-edge digital technology into agriculture. The UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering has recently established Ireland’s 1st Digital AgTech lab, which will provide students with hands-on training on cutting-edge Digital AgTech in agri-food areas such as agricultural robots, drones smart sensors, analytics and predictive insights with unique agricultural Internet of Things (IoT) data.

What type of student should consider taking this master’s?

This programme is aimed at students and industry professionals who wish to build their knowledge and skills-base to address the complexities of developing, deploying and managing digital technology in the agricultural sector. This programme has been specifically designed for graduate students of various disciplines e.g., agriculture, biological science, physical science, environmental related, engineering, computer science or other. No prior knowledge of programming is assumed. Students will take modules with learning outcomes aimed at providing fundamental skills required by modern technology companies in agriculture.

Tell us about the course content and the structure of the master’s.

Students will take core modules covering the fundamental skills required by modern technology companies in agriculture and complement them with advanced specialized modules. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to select themed clusters of modules—for example, three modules in precision farming, three modules in sensing technology, three modules in computers and electronics, and three modules in data science—to reflect specific technical interests or needs for upskilling. All modules will be delivered mainly face-to-face, including blended learning formats (online lectures and assignments supported by occasional face-to-face tutorials) and intensive formats (one or two weeks full-time). Furthermore, students will undertake an applied, work-related research project during the summer trimester.

What does the UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering have to offer students and what facilities are available to the students on this master’s.

The programme is delivered by a highly research-intensive and multi-disciplinary school, which is also Ireland’s premier agri-food related research entity. Additionally, it is home to Ireland’s 1st Digital AgTech lab, offering hands-on experience in a range of novel Digital AgTech such as robotics, drones, smart sensors, satellite imaging, IoT, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) for managing and optimizing agricultural operations.

How will it benefit them and their future career?

Ireland is home to the world’s top 10 technology companies. It is known as the IT Capital of Europe and is among the world’s most technologically developed nations. There are excellent job opportunities, with 5,000 job vacancies in the sector at present. Big Tech companies have recently, to a greater or lesser extent, entered farming and food industries. In addition, a dynamic transformation is taking place in the world of agriculture, triggered by the rapid emergence and growth of AgTech startups. This highlights the immense career possibilities and promising future for our graduates in the areas of precision farming, decision support in agriculture, IoT, smart sensors, intelligent algorithms, data, and predictive analytics.

Types of companies our graduates work in:

-??????? Agricultural machinery (e.g., Agco, CNH Industrial, Claas, John Deere)

-??????? Precision farming (e.g., Amazone, Lemken, Rauch, Dairymaster)

-??????? Decision support in agriculture (e.g., Corteva Digital Ag, Syngenta Global)

-??????? IoT, data, and predictive analytics (e.g., BASF, Bosch, IBM, Microsoft).?

Is there anything else we should know about this programme?

The school's academic staff have a major global research impact, producing over 100 peer-reviewed journal papers annually.

About Dr. Dimitrios Argyropoulos:

Dr Dimitrios Argyropoulos is Assistant Professor of Biosystems Engineering at the University College Dublin, Programme Director of the MSc Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture and Principal Investigator with the UCD Institute of Food and Health. He leads the Digital AgTech Lab in the School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, with focus on the application of "smart systems" to the agri-food and bio-resource sectors. Dr Argyropoulos has a strong track record in research and innovation. He has developed collaborative multi-disciplinary research programmes with industry and has led several national and EU funded international research consortia. He is currently leading the €11 million Horizon Europe Watson project, an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary project of 44 partners across 20 countries addressing the application of digital and intelligence-based technologies on food authenticity and traceability across the supply chain. He is Principal Investigator in 10 ongoing European projects on sustainable and digitised agri-food value chains and a member of various European agri-food tech and engineering networks, societies and associations.

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