INHolland Hogeschool Delft

The Aerospace Engineering programme of the Delft University of Professional Education is part of the School of Information and Engineering Systems. This School also offers programmes in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The School has a total of 860 students.*

The Department of Aerospace Engineering has 368 students, of which 20 are women. Approximately 60% of students have completed higher general secondary education, 20% pre-university education and 20% intermediate vocational education before starting the Aerospace Engineering programme. Delft University of Professional Education is the only institute of higher education in the Netherlands that offers Aerospace Engineering at professional university level. The study takes 4 years. Students with a background in intermediate vocational education in a field related to aerospace engineering are able to do a shortened course of 3 years. Each year about 70 to 80 engineers graduate. More than half of these find a job in the aircraft industry.

Our students work with modern equipment: three wind tunnels, a laboratory for fibre-reinforced plastics, materials testing machinery, modern design software etc. In addition, the Department has a laboratory for on-board computer systems, extensive simulation software and a collection of study resources including aircraft, construction diagrams, systems and engines.

The programme has been designed to be as broad as possible, with a focus on the skills necessary for an engineer at the level of higher professional education. From the start of their study, students are confronted with professional contexts. Much work is done as part of projects and from their second year of study onwards, the students do placements. The first placement of ten weeks gives students the opportunity to acquire some practical experience on the work floor of a manufacturing company, preferably in a company that focuses on the airline industry. The next placement is done in the third year of study. During this placement the student spends 5 months working with a company in the Netherlands or abroad, for instance in the design department, and is introduced to his future profession as an aerospace engineer. During his graduation period, he is required to work independently on an assignment at a company in the Netherlands or abroad.

In addition to technical expertise in the profession, considerable attention is also given to communication and organisational skills. We have very intense contact with companies. Consequently, we are kept informed of the demands that companies make on their staff, which we can pass on to our students. We also monitor closely the latest technological developments. Our aim is to provide companies with genuine professionals—engineers who can be employed in the widest possible range of jobs and who meet the constantly changing demands of the employment market.

* All figures are based on the study year 2000