Uni helps create engineering centre in Croatia

The University of the West of England is working with the Polytechnic and Technical School of Karlovac to set up a centre of excellence in mechatronics (mechanical and electronics engineering) in a manufacturing region of Croatia. The project will support regional learning and innovation in education and training, and better equip the local manufacturing industry to respond to the changing needs of the Croatian and global economy. UWE has been awarded 435,000 euros (£342,000) by the European Union to help set up the centre which will be hosted by the Polytechnic of Karlovac and the Technical School and is supported by regional stakeholders including government ministries and regional promotion organisations. Professor Darko Vyroubal, Vice Dean of the Faculty at the Polytechnic of Karlovac said the establishment of such a centre was desperately needed to introduce modern blended learning and business initiative to local industry which was losing pace with modern technology. Staff from Croatia travelled to Bristol recently for a study tour hosted by UWE’s Bristol Institute of Technology (BIT) which included industrial visits and visits to laboratories within the Institute and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. UWE team leader Farid Dailami said: “UWE is advising on course content, curricula and delivery methods as well as staffing and resourcing. We are determining regional industry needs and helping the Centre set up appropriate structures to respond to external demands. The UWE team is developing a range of innovative mechanisms for knowledge exchange, to enable equipment, facilities and expertise from the centre of excellence to be accessed by local industrial clients”. UWE said it was also in wider talks about supporting region-to-region business links between this area of Croatia and the South West of England.