Erasmus + is an exchange program for students, teachers and researchers from EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway and Turkey. The program provides an opportunity to study, undergo internships or teach in another country, get acquainted with the European system of education and perspectives. Studying abroad through the Erasmus + program is a great opportunity to demonstate your abilities and talents, an unlimited opportunity for self-improvement and development.
Choice
For me everything began with the website of the Department of Academic Mobility them where various exchange programs for students are presented. I chose Erasmus +. Among the countries that offered their engineering universities, I chose the Polytechnic Institute of Valencia in Spain. I emphasize that the choice must be made carefully. I advise you getting acquainted with the universities rating on the Internet. Choose a country not only because there is a cool university there, but also with an understanding of its culture. If living there is uncomfortable, then the level of your own efficiency can be reduced. Then I read the list of required documents, asked for advice in the building №31 and applied indicating good average mark for all years of studying, my scientific works and a foreign language certificate. When in a few months I found out that I won the contest, I began to draw up the documents.
In Spain
The first impressions of the Valencia Polytechnic Institute were that it is a small scientific town, where everything is equipped for studying and comfortable work. Another positive moment: the university is 20 minutes on foot from the Mediterranean Sea, so it makes sense to work hard, and after have a good rest at sea, because weather conditions allow it to be done all year round.
The structure of the Polytechnic Instititute includes faculties of different directions, from mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biomechanics to design, engineering aerospace technology, architecture, radio and video, information technology, robotics and more. Education there is very intense, although it does not differ much from the level at the KPI. Almost all classrooms have climate control systems, projectors, interactive whiteboards, and computers. The institute is open until 10 am, and during exam period even at night. The library has everything you need to study any subject - from computers to printers, access to external electronic libraries.
Peculiarities of studying
The most unusual thing is that they do not have credit books. Information during lectures is provided both on slides and on the board. All lectures, laboratory and homework assignments are sent to the general server of Valencia Polytechnic Institute, which only students and teachers have access to using their login and password. The system is called "Poliformat", here you can find all the information about the university, as well as your personal web-mail box, where you receive reports about forthcoming tests , laboratory classes, events taking place in the institute, etc. It concerns not only the educational process, but also investment projects, recreation, competitions, etc. Here you get home aasignment, and send it to the teacher using the same mailbox.
The next window is the ability to track your rating, choose free language courses, and improve your own professional skills. Also on "Poliformat" you can apply for a doctor's visit, choose the time and visit him without a queue.
Assessment of knowledge
The evaluation system is arranged in such a way that the laboratory classes are checked not by the teacher, but the program in real time, and at the end of a class, for example, you automatically receive the result. This applies to tests and laboratory classes that make up 50% of your ranking. The other 50% can be obtained during the exam periods. Exam periods take place three times a year: end of October, December and mid-February. Tests are marked without students, they find the result on their "Poliformat" page. You can retake the examinations once at the end of February, but each time you are given two times less time. Politechnics imposes high demands on the educational process, each student studies for the sake of his future, and level of writing tests, laboratory classes and exams confirms that.
Practical work
As for the development and use of knowledge, the institute makes it easy for students to put it into practice. It happens as follows: instead of practical classes, there are only laboratory work, for example, from the discipline "Control Automatic", which studies the combination of software and its use in practice. In laboratory work, we were able to write a program using MATLAB and using the "MatLab Simulink" function, to link it, for example, with a machine tool, a robot, a conveyor, a simulator of the propeller. I find this an amazing advantage.
In general, most subjects are related to programming, any process is trying to teach to describe through the system code, which is extremely useful, because robots, automated systems are widely used in industry and tasks for them are given through the code.
The possibilities for self-development in the Polytechnic Institute of Valencia are enormous. Using the acquired knowledge, you can offer your idea to the teacher, and if it is interesting for research, you will be allocated funds and place with all the necessary equipment. I made sure that it works on my own experience.
My research
Studying at the Aerospace Faculty, I was able to mosel and calculate the strength of a glider, together with groupmates at the laboratory classes of the "Production of aerospace bodies". This is an unmanned aerial vehicle for civilian and military use with ground-based control.
The project consisted of several stages:
1. Detailed calculation of the strength and hydro-aerodynamic properties of design profiles, the calculation of the air intake contact with the surfaces of the fuselage and the tail section, the construction of the load distribution pattern on the wings depending on the wing profile using the program CAD system NX (Nastran) to calculate the strength of certain hazardous points of accumulation of pressure.
2. After a detailed calculation and construction of the glider in the CAD system NX (Nastran), the next step is the combination of the NX system with the machine tool to form the parts for further production of the shell of the glazer (pictured) in the laboratory. Using composite materials, a special epoxy adhesive, aluminum tubes to provide a certain rigidity of the system, we gradually manufacture the aircraft itself. After manufacturing the case, at the expense of investors, we buy the engine and propeller and install the electric system. Next, we take out the aircraft for the city and test that is the completion of the project.
I gave an example of one of the projects I carried out at Valencia Polytechnic Institute. It was a good experience to get acquainted with the basic ideas and the theory of designing aircraft. These skills can be used in the future at work, for example, the company of aerospace technology, shipbuilding, mechanical engineering.
Moving forward
So, after such a trip, the level of qualification increases dramatically. Having an idea of your future, you can decide: whether you want to work in your industry, what to do to be competitive in the European market, and so on. The presence of a grant not only reflects the student's diligence and willingness to work - in the future, it gives more chances of finding a job in a specialty with good career and financial prospectives. Erasmus + is an opportunity to be better, be one step ahead.