What makes TUL different from other universities?
I'm sure that Lodz University of Technology is the perfect place to multiply your opportunities. Among our greatest assets are the excellent career prospects of our graduates. Engineering education is highly valued on the job market, and additionally, the experience gained during internships and placements proves extremely useful when looking for a job. We continue to expand the group of companies and institutions we cooperate with, which allows students to meet employers from the first semesters.
Lodz University of Technology is also distinguished by the diversity of its educational offer - 60 fields of study, including courses conducted free of charge in English and French. We are aware of the importance of internationalisation, which is why many of our courses offer a double diploma - a diploma from a technical university and a diploma from a partner university from abroad. I'd like to remind you that TUL is a leader in student exchange. I hope that as soon as possible we'll be able to travel freely within the framework of, for example, the Erasmus programme.
In what areas can you develop your interests at TUL?
At the beginning, I mentioned "multiplying opportunities" - behind this slogan stands a diverse offer of student organisations and student research groups operating at the University. We create conditions for students to pursue their passions and interests, not only scientific, but also artistic or sports ones. I would like to add that in 2023 Lodz University of Technology will host the EUG European Universities Games, in which competitors from 40 countries will compete. We want this unique time of studying to be a time of personal development, an opportunity to meet inspiring people and to provide solid foundations for building a further career.
We focus on key areas for our university, which translate into a wide range of fields of study and specific research fields, including innovative applications of artificial intelligence, robotics, industry 4. 0, nanomaterials, cyber-physical systems, the internet of things, 5G networks, construction and architecture, materials and environmental engineering, chemical technology and analytics, chemistry for industry and medicine, or biotechnology, biomaterials, fashion and textronics, physics, biomedical engineering, as well as design, papermaking, IT, electronics or management and logistics. There is something for everyone!
Admissions to Bachelor's degree programmes at TUL are open until 13 July. What has the university prepared for the best candidates?
Starting from the academic year 2021/21, we begin the programme TUL for the talented. As part of this programme, we will present an offer for both the most talented students already at the university, but also for secondary school students, so that they can develop their passions with TUL. As part of this programme, we are preparing specially dedicated competitions and scholarships - e.g., for winners of Olympiads.
Another new addition to the offer of Lodz University of Technology is the E2TOP programme (Excellence in Engineering: Talents in Research with Opportunities Programme). It is addressed to people who are particularly determined to develop their scientific passions already during their studies. Winners of the programme will pursue an individual study path, conduct their research under the guidance of a mentor, and will be given the opportunity to study at the best research centres in the world. In the first edition, it is addressed to newly admitted students, but in the long run, senior students will be able to apply.
What is new in this year's admission procedure?
Among other things, we have refreshed the curriculum of the second-degree programme in Mechanical Engineering, which is now called Master of Mechanical Engineering. The studies are conducted entirely in English and the main change concerns the forms of teaching. The proposed programme is largely based on the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competences through the implementation of projects. The vast majority of key subjects has been transformed into project form, with the assumption that students will carry out projects related to a given subject in small groups. This will enable instructors to use modern teaching tools and methods such as: flipped education, case study and problem-based learning. I would like to encourage candidates to follow the website www.rekrutacja.p.lodz.pl, where you can find not only descriptions of the fields of
study, but also ask questions to students of various departments, get to know our beautiful campus. Due to the lack of opportunities to participate in educational fairs in recent months, we have prepared many videos dedicated to candidates. I would also like to remind you that it is possible to submit recruitment documents via traditional mail, there is no need to submit them in person.
Today you are the Vice-Rector for Education and an academic teacher, but you yourself graduated from the TUL. What made you choose it?
I chose the Lodz University of Technology because I heard about a unique initiative - the International Faculty of Engineering, commonly known as IFE. I was fascinated by the innovative and ground-breaking, in our part of the world, concept of education in a foreign language, with the participation of foreign staff. I was not wrong. I completed the Telecommunications and Computer Science programme because I have always been interested in communication technologies and computer science. Today, thanks to a solid education, but also to international contacts and open-mindedness, which IFE helped me with, I deal in my research with fascinating issues of cooperation between people and computer systems, including robotics or systems based on artificial intelligence. I cooperate with the best universities in the world, my students go to Harvard and Singapore on scholarships - in short, I can do interesting things in the best international company. Many years have passed since I studied at TUL (I graduated in 2002), but IFE continues to be a driving force of educational innovation. This applies both to education at the whole University, where we implement active learning methods on a wider scale, but also to other universities, including foreign ones. I think it's really worth studying at Lodz University of Technology!