Record number of students in the university's automation programs
07 Nov 2024
University West's unique range of educational programs in automation are attracting more students than ever before. Over 100 students from different parts of the world have travelled to Trollhättan to carry out practical lab exercises. "Our automation lab is fully booked this fall. For three weeks, we've been conducting lab exercises every day of the week," says Mikael Ericsson, Head of the Industrial Automation Department.
University West's broad and flexible educational range in automation attract students from around the world. This fall, distance learning students from Mexico, England, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden are participating in lab exercises here on site in Trollhättan.
"The demand for education and skills development in automation and robotics is high – not only in Sweden but throughout the world. This is linked to the industry's major transition to digitalized production," says Mikael.
"In recent years, we’ve built up a wide range of educations, and today we offer education at all levels – from undergraduate programs to master's and PhD programs. The programs are available both on campus and on distance, and can be studied full-time or part-time," Mikael explains.
This fall, a record number of students have chosen to study on distance. 110 individuals from various parts of the world are participating in the master level programs, while 50 students are studying on campus. Regardless of whether students are studying on distance or on campus, participation in practical exercises at the university's automation lab is mandatory on two occasions.
Extra robots for the lab
"To manage all the planned lab exercises this fall, we’ve had to rent additional robots for a few weeks. The automation lab is highly appreciated. It has eleven industrial and collaborative robots in different sizes and with varying levels of equipment and functionality. For the students, the practical sessions are very important, as they provide a deeper understanding of the robot and its functions. This knowledge and understanding we then use to build on in upcoming courses," says Svante Augustsson, Program Manager for Automation Engineering and teacher in automation and robotics.
"In addition, everyone who completes the course receives a robot driving license, which, among other things, grants them access to the automation lab," says Svante Augustsson.
Courses for professionals
The university also offers a wide range of courses for working technicians and engineers who want to build new skills.
"We are seeing more and more participants in our courses choosing to study alongside their jobs. For them, we offer both our regular engineering programs, courses, and short courses that we’ve developed in close collaboration with our industry partners," says Svante.
"Our automation lab is also available to companies that choose to conduct specialized training in robotics or automation for their staff," Svante adds.
Contact: Svante Augustsson, Högskolan Väst