First Mechanical Engineering graduates at UG receive their diplomas

On 11 November, the first graduates of the two-year master's programme in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Groningen will receive their diplomas. The new engineering programme, which is in English language, offers students the opportunity to prepare themselves for a career in the digital and high-tech industry or in scientific research.

The official graduation ceremony will be attended by representatives of the partners in the Smart Factories graduation programme: the Province of Friesland, the Smallingerland Municipality and Innovation Cluster Drachten.

Master's programme in Mechanical Engineering

The University of Groningen (UG) has started the master's programme in Mechanical Engineering in the academic year 2019-2020. This engineering programme falls under the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) and offers the tracks Advanced Instrumentation, Smart Factories and Smart & Green Energy Systems in 2022-2023.

Factory of the future

Thanks to the cooperation between the UG (Campus Fryslân), Innovation Cluster Drachten (ICD), the Smallingerland municipality and the Province of Fryslân, the specialisation course Smart Factories was developed as part of the Mechanical Engineering study programme.

The unique thing about this programme is that during their second year, students do their graduation project at a company affiliated with ICD. Together with the high-tech companies, the UG teaches students to design smart, highly-customized and zero-defect manufacturing processes for the factory of the future.

Career in technology

This set-up also makes it easier for students to find out more about the high-tech SMEs in the northern region and offers them the opportunity to stay in the Northern Netherlands while pursuing a rewarding and challenging career in high-tech industries.

Designing a new machine at Philips in Drachten

Johannes Tjepkema is one of the graduates. He completed his master's degree with a design assignment at Philips Drachten. He worked in the R&D team designing a new machine. Tjepkema: “I really enjoyed the work placement assignments offered by the participating companies of Innovation Cluster Drachten! Each assignment required me to draw up a plan, implement it and engage the right people.”

Quality control system for baby products

Marco Oosterhaven is also a graduate. He completed both the master's programme in Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering & Management. For Mechanical Engineering, he did a research project on the development and applicability of a new piezoelectric actuator with memory characteristics. He completed his studies with a design assignment at Philips Drachten, where he designed a quality control system for baby products. “For me it was ideal that this study programme is available in the north, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen it. Thanks to the help of ICD it was easy to find a job!”, Marco said.

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• The master's programme in Mechanical Engineering was developed thanks to the financial support of the European Union by means of the European Regional Development Fund.
• The festive ceremony on 11 November will take place in the Lutherse Kerk in Groningen, in the presence of Professors Bayu Jayawardhana - Director of the Mechanical Engineering master's programme at UG - and Rob Timmermans - Vice Dean of the FSE Faculty - as well as Pietie Kloosterman from the Province of Fryslân, Mayor Jan Rijpstra and Wim Burgers from the Smallingerland municipality and Joost Krebbekx, Programme Manager of Innovation Cluster Drachten.