Politechnika Krakowska– Cracow University of Technology has a new specialisation in Rail Vehicle Engineering in the programme run by the Institute of Rail Vehicles at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering offered in collaboration with NEWAG – a leading Polish manufacturer of cutting-edge rolling stock and with other top companies in the rolling stock industry.
In response to future employers’ needs, the specialisation combines theory and practice. In specialist courses students will learn theoretical aspects and gain skills and practical experience in design, construction, technology, certification and operation of rail vehicles which will make it easier for them to find jobs with companies related to rail transport and in other business sectors. The new specialisation is a response to a dynamically developing rail vehicle market and consequently, an increased demand for trained engineering staff in this branch.
Close collaboration with the rail vehicle industry is the main assumption of the specialisation. Student teams of up to 15 people will meet the requirements of the “master– disciple” idea, namely providing close contact between students, academic faculty and highly qualified professionals in the field.
Classes will be taught by professors of Cracow University of Technology as well as by industry professionals and representatives of companies and industry institutions dealing with designing and manufacturing rail vehicles and their subsystems and components.
The biggest innovation, as compared to other specialisations offered, will be paid industry placements for engineers held at selected companies which will last the whole final semester during which students will be able to use in practice the knowledge and skills gained at university. They will work using IT systems they have mastered during IT labs at college. Their engineering final theses will be based on projects they worked on during their industrial placements and will be supervised by two supervisors: an academic faculty from the University and industry representatives.