TRAINING THE STUDENTS FOR WORKING IN IT INTENSIVE TECHNICAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS Prof. Simona LACHE Transilvania University of Brasov Romania

TRAINING THE STUDENTS FOR WORKING IN IT INTENSIVE TECHNICAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

Prof. Simona LACHE

Transilvania University of BrasovRomania

CONTENT

• Transilvania University of Brasov – entrepreneurial university: models of U-E cooperation

• EUI-Net: European University – Industry Network

• INTENGIT Project - INTensive ENGineering IT Students Training Model – developing competences and skills for working in IT intensive technical applications

Vth Conference Europe - Latin America on Cooperation and Education, November 5-11, 2006,Martinique - France

Transilvania University of Brasov – entrepreneurial

university• 15 faculties: technical (7) and non-technical (8)

• Over 21,000 students

• STRATEGY: to develop an education and research frame for:– Quality education, insuring to the graduates a fast insertion in the

labor market;

– Competitive research, on top issues making the University a leading name in certain fields (e.g. clean technologies);

– Real cooperation with the economic and social environment.


Transilvania University of Brasov – entrepreneurial

universityThe Department of Links between the University and the Economic,

Social and Cultural Environment www.unitbv.ro/descaims to be the interface between university and the extra-academic

environment


Students education and training: by developing cooperation in practical placement, graduation / dissertation theses with subjects proposed by the economic environment; identifying the needs of the economic environment and changing the academic curricula in terms of these needs;

Research and development: scientific research and technological transfer;

Training in alternative systems: life-long education, open distance learning, low frequency, by launching the university offer into the economic environment, on one hand, and by identification the needs of the extra-academic environment and their tuning to the university offer, on the other hand. ;

http://www.unitbv.ro/desc

Model for University–Enterprise Cooperation

University – Enterprise cooperation in the research field is developed in several forms:

– research support

– cooperative research

– knowledge transfer

– technology transfer



Research support:


• it involves contributions of both money and equipment to the university by industry;

• it provides great flexibility to upgrade laboratory and develop programs in certain areas of interest;

…


Research support:


The cooperation model at Transilvania University of Brasov ;

UTBv – Siemens PSE: three laboratories developed, in the field of telecommunication, automation and informatics (the last is under development);

UTBv – Motorola: one laboratory equipped for research and didactic activities in telecommunication;

UTBv – Ina Schaeffler: research activity in the field of automotive industry, development of a training centre consisting of two laboratories for CAD/CAE/CAM;

UTBv – Viessmann: research activity in the field of renewable energy, development of the Solar Thermal Laboratory;

UTBv – Autoliv: one lecture room and one CAD/CAM laboratory for training graduates in Automotive Safety Systems Engineering, master programme.

UTBv – LMS International: Competence Centre in Simulation and Analysis of Engineering Systems. …


Cooperative research:the university develops cooperative research consortiums with industry to pursue research and development in some common areas of interest

– direct cooperation with the industrial company – through research contracts (financed by the company);

– cooperation with industrial companies in the framework of national research projects – Excellence Research Programme (financed by the government)

– cooperation with industrial companies in the framework of international research and education projects – FP5, FP6, FP7, Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates/Erasmus


…


Knowledge transfer:involves many activities that include both formal and informal means of communication, interactions and personnel exchanges at student and faculty level


…

Involvement of the companies in the university curricula;

Student work on corporate problems for their theses and dissertations Cooperative education programs, internship and job placement for students and recent

graduates provide means for knowledge transfer

– Organizing master courses oriented on the company needs: the target group consists of young graduates, employed by the company; the curriculum is set-up by a joint team of academics and company specialists, so it is done the evaluation process.

Leonardo da Vinci student mobility – knowledge transfer at European level


Technology transfer:it is generally based on the collaborative research with the industry; different models have been developed along the years: business incubators, science parks, technology parks, etc. all being created to foster entrepreneurship and business development


Education&Research

Market

Production

Product development

UNIVERSITY

COMPANIES

LIFE-LONG EDUCATION

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND

BUSINESS INCUBATORPRO-ENERG

Customer

EUI-Net Strategic Axes

• Started in October 2004 as an ETN - 71 partners from all European countries

(universities & companies)• First stage priorities (2004-2007)

– Building the partnership– Building a core group of committed partners– Establishing of a functional Network– Defining the scope of activities


www.eui-net.org

http://www.eui-net.org/


• Activities :– “Tuning” exercise: curriculum and practical placement

requirements relevant for the industrial sector– Network identity and visibility: website, regular Workshops, EUI-

Net Conference, Newsletters…– Work on employability– The keyword of the Network – SYNERGY:

Teaching and research in the U-E context University – Enterprise for growths and jobs




• Teaching and Research SynergyA first successful event: Workshop in Tallinn, 4-5 May 2006

1. Teaching & Training in Research: PhD supervision.

2. Actors of the Teaching & Research process: added value for industry.

3. Integrating research results in teaching.

4. University - Industry Teaching & Research Synergy – best practice and case studies.



• Teaching and Research Synergy

Workshop conclusions:

Demonstrated highest interest of partners and commitment for the Network goals

Best practice Models and Guidelines - book under preparation

Pointed out the innovation and entrepreneurship as a priority focus of EUI-Net for the future


• EUI-Net priority until 2010: University – Enterprise SYNERGY

GROWTH

JOBS

Training

Training

Human resourcesNew marketsInnovation (New businesses)

Employability

Entrepreneurship

University-Enterprise cooperationU-E synergy for: Entrepreneurship and training

(Growth) & (Jobs)

Model for U-E Networking

UNIVERSITY

Existing knowledge

Research

RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Scientific Communities

NETWORK

Fairs, workshops, conferences,shared knowledge base, etc.

ENTERPRISES

Teaching

LOCAL/ REGIONAL/ NATIONAL COMMUNITY

Social partners

Fundamental knowledge

Applied knowledge

Technological knowledge


Example of U-E cooperation


UTBv – LMS International

COMPETENCE CENTRE IN SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS OF ENGINEERING SYSTEMS

OB.1 Training human resources able to integrate in software development teams for simulation and analysis

in mechanical engineering.

OB.2 Solving research projects proposed by LMS,

by UTBv teams - on contract basis.

University

Enterprise

Research projects

proposals

Cooperation Model

Requirements for curricula updating /

development of custom oriented training

schemes

Example of U-E cooperation


UTBv – LMS International

LMS contribution:– Modern design and equipment in the university space,

appropriate for training and research activities.– Software and equipment necessary for training and research

activitities.

Activities within the partnership:– Training the students within the laboratory classes, using the LMS software and equipment; – Annual/ graduation/ dissertation projects with subjects proposed by LMS;– Practical placement at LMS;– LMS participation in educational projects (Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci, etc.) and research

projects (European and national);– Research projects proposed by LMS and solved by UTBv teams, on contract basis.

INTENGIT Project

• INTENGIT – INTensive ENGineering IT

• Result of the needs analysis performed by the Department of Links between University and the Economic Environment – UTBv

• Responds to a theme with strong echoes in the reality the European society is facing nowadays: the university – industry relationship in the view of developing “a European area of cooperation in the field of education and vocational training” and for “building up of the knowledge, skills and competences likely to foster active citizenship and employability”


INTENGIT Project

AIM

to promote the innovation by developing an integrated approach for training in IT and engineering, in the view of providing skills and competences to the students through placements in European companies that develop integrated solutions (testing systems, CAE/Simulation software, engineering services) used for design and engineering of mechanical products


INTENGIT Project

OBJECTIVES1. Development of a managerial frame at trans-national

level (based on cooperation between project partners), in order to ensure all the conditions for achieving the project objectives.

2. Education and training of highly qualified human resources required for working in a complex environment integrating IT and engineering, by providing the appropriate training frame for acquiring / improving knowledge, skills and competences at undergraduate / M.Sc. / Ph.D. level.

3. Improvement of education and training carried on in the university by creating of added value through trans-national cooperation. The added value consists of developing student centred training programs that integrate IT and engineering, promote team working and will finalize with tangible products.


INTENGIT Project

OBJECTIVES4. Development and implementation of innovative training

methods by providing practical placement in a challenging and competitive working environment oriented on integrated solutions - testing systems, CAE/Simulation software, engineering services - that are used for the development and engineering of mechanical products.

5. Development of new forms of partnership between Romanian training institutions and European companies, for promoting both parts interests.

6. Evaluation of trans-national activity performed during the placement and dissemination of good practice regarding the integrated approach for training in IT and engineering. The dissemination will be achieved at different levels and on different subjects.


INTENGIT Project

TARGET GROUPS

The preliminary Needs Analysis identified the necessity of training two categories of beneficiaries:

– IT students, in relation to specific software development issues or tools,

– Mechanical and electrical engineering students which will be involved in the methodology research and application engineering projects of the company.


INTENGIT Project

TARGET GROUPS– The IT graduates, required for developing software

applications, need to have background in mechanical design and/or automation & control, since the applications are mechanical oriented.

– The graduates in mechanical and electrical field need to improve their programming skills for being able to perform testing of systems and CAE/Simulation.


INTENGIT Project

ADDED VALUE• compensation of the weak points identified in relation with the practical

oriented activity – by the trans-national mobility:– provides increased chances for students on the labour market,– develops the innovative spirit of young people and entrepreneurship skills.

• updated knowledge according to the new approach of training on IT intensive technical engineering applications;

• more insight on product-oriented and custom-oriented design;• skills on team working and networking (by dealing with work in a trans-

national company);• market oriented activities.


INTENGIT Project

MODEL


European company

Local University

Local division of the European

company

Student practical placement – LdV Programme

Knowledge transfer

Application of knowledge transfer by graduates (former beneficiaries of the

INTENGIT Project )

INTENGIT Project

TUTORING & MENTORING


Weekly discussionRO student - EU mentor

Analysis of resultsEU mentor

Changes in the work plan – if needed

EU mentor

Analysis of the proposed changes

RO supervisor

Revised work plan

direct communication direct communication

e-mail

e-mail

direct communication / e-mail

e-mail

e-mail

INTENGIT Project

VALIDATION OF THE AQUIRED SKILLS• Accreditation in the host institution: a certificate is delivered,

based on the Graduation/ Dissertation/ Ph.D. file, the beneficiary activity report and the oral presentation of the work performed during the placement.

• Accreditation in the sending institution: the process is part of the graduation exam – for the students at undergraduate and master level, and part of the doctoral training program – for the students at Ph.D. level.


INTENGIT Project

VALIDATION OF THE AQUIRED SKILLS• In addition: the beneficiaries test the knowledge, skills and

competences acquired during the training stage, by developing activities within the local company (usually a subsidiary of the European company).

• Taking advantage of the qualified experience and competences, the students analyze, together with the specialist assigned by the company, the projects developed during the training stage, both from technical and economic point of view, and try to implement them within the company.


Conclusions

The entrepreneurial university approach – more and more common nowadays

Some U-E cooperation models have been already produced and the process is continuing

EUI-Net: the promoter of synergy, as source for growth

INTENGIT: provides added value in students training for working in IT intensive technical applications


Acknowledgement

This paper has been supported by the European Commission, in the framework of the Socrates Erasmus

Programme and the Leonardo da Vinci Programme

Our thanks goes there!


Acknowledgement

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!


Documents

TRAINING THE STUDENTS FOR WORKING IN IT INTENSIVE TECHNICAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS Prof. Simona LACHE Transilvania University of Brasov Romania