Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering Sint-Katelijne-Waver Faculty of Engineering Technology KU Leuven. Inspiring the outstanding.
Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering The Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering, which is accredited by the International Institute of Welding, is the ideal stepping stone to a high-level job in the sector of welding techniques. This programme opens up a whole spectrum of professional possibilities and exposes you to an extremely varied field of action: petrochemistry, the aviation and space travel industry, civil construction, assembly plants, the nuclear sector, shipping and logistics, general construction, and more. As a welding engineer, you will carry out a wide range of duties, including research, design, production, maintenance, sales and quality inspection. A view of our welding lab
Discover KU Leuven Founded in 1425, the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) has been a centre of learning for almost six centuries. Today, it is Belgium s largest and highest-ranked university as well as one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. As a leading European research university and co-founder of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), KU Leuven offers a wide variety of programmes in English supported by high-quality, innovative, interdisciplinary research. Boasting an outstanding central location in the heart of Europe, KU Leuven is home to a vibrant community of international scholars spread out over its various campuses in Flanders and Brussels. 14% of the university s 54,000 students are international, representing 140 countries. KU Leuven s doctoral schools organise internationally oriented PhD programmes for over 4,000 doctoral students. This degree programme is organised in Sint-Katelijne-Waver at Technology Campus De Nayer.
Faculty of Engineering Technology The Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering is offered by the Faculty of Engineering Technology. The faculty gathers all programmes in (Bio)Engineering Technology, offered by the KU Leuven at 7 campuses throughout Flanders. Each campus is characterised by its own specific teaching and research specialisation. The strength of the Engineering Technology programmes lies in their unique combination of research-based curricula and practice-based courses, their close organisational and functional links with regional and international companies, and their student-oriented educational approach. Moreover, the faculty has developed a strong research cooperation with the research depart ments of the university s Science, Engineering and Technology Group, as well as with industry. Most staff members combine research activities with the practical implementation of know-how and technology in different companies or spin-offs. This link to the profes - sional field in research and scientific service creates a learning and working environment that interfaces closely with applied research, new technologies and industrial practice. AUTHORISED TRAINING BODY FOR INTERNATIONAL WELDING ENGINEERING The Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering builds on nearly 70 years of teaching in this field. It strives to meet changing industrial demands and keep up with major new developments in welding and joining. To that end, KU Leuven Campus De Nayer is certified by the Belgian Welding Association (BVL) via the International Institute of Welding (IIW) as an Authorised Training Body for International Welding Engineering. Its curriculum exceeds the IIW s minimum requirements for the education, examination and qualification of personnel seeking certification as welding coordinators. The programme is fully supervised by the IIW. Our students during a company visit to SMULDERS (Hoboken) producing jackets for off-shore wind turbines
Images taken during a company visit to Infrabel (Belgian Railways) while thermite welding a railway track Our graduates meet the highest standards The Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering is indispensable (and obligatory) for engineers seeking to work as Responsible Welding Coordinators. Engineers interested in R&D, quality, design, production, maintenance and particularly welding metallurgy will also find the programme instructive. Our graduates are particularly valuable to companies in which welding is a substantial part of business activities (construction companies, container and silo construction, the chemical and petrochemical industry etc.) Metal construction companies are obliged to observe the International Standard EN ISO 14731, which identifies the quality-related responsibilities and tasks included in the coordination of welding-related activities. As the need for qualified welding coordinators continues to rise, European and international standards are increasingly moving towards this standard. Additionally, other standards including the new EN 1090 standard (steel structures and aluminium structures), EN 15085 (railway applications), ISO 24394 (welding for aerospace applications) and EN ISO 3834 (quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials) all call for qualified welding coordinators. In the majority of construction companies that use welding as a joining technique, the role of welding coordinator is completed by an International Welding Engineer or an Inter - national Welding Technologist. An engineer holding an IWE-certification is automatically qualified to work at the highest level of coordination, as specified in the standard. Admission requirements There is a limited number of places available for the programme. Candidates who passed one of our Master's programmes in engineering or engineering technology in the year previous to enrolling need to contact the Programme Director: patrick.vanrymenant@kuleuven.be. New students are obliged to apply for the programme via the International Mobility and Admissions Unit. For more information, go to www.kuleuven.be/admissions
Programme According to the IIW s minimum training and education requirements for certification as an International Welding Engineer, all courses taught in the programme are classified in one of the four following fundamental modules: welding processes and equipment materials and their behaviour during welding construction and design fabrication, applications engineering The Advanced Master s Programme in Welding Engineering is an advanced academic programme comprising 60 ECTS. The programme consists of a group of common compulsory courses (40 ECTS), culminating in a written examination and completed by a Master s thesis (20 ECTS). One of our students diving during a company visit to HYDREX, renowned for their expertise in underwater welding repair. Embedded in the programme are specific company visits, which not only give our students hands-on exposure to the everyday job of a welding engineer, but also cover highlyspecialised, state-ofthe art processes and applications. ADVANCED MASTER IN WELDING ENGINEERING 60 ECTS COURSE ECTS SEMESTER Welding Processes and Equipment 1 6 1 + 2 Welding Processes and Equipment 2 6 1 Welding Metallurgy 1 (Carbon and Low-alloyed Steel) 6 1 Welding Metallurgy 2 (High-alloyed Steel + Nonferrous Metals) 6 1 + 2 Corrosion and Wear 4 2 Production Engineering and Quality Management of Welded Structures 6 2 Design and Calculation of Welded Structures 6 1 + 2 Master s thesis 20 1 + 2 For detailed descriptions of this programme s courses, please consult www.kuleuven.be/ma/mnmwes
DEGREES AND CERTIFICATIONS Upon successful completion of the 60 ECTS above, students are awarded an MSc degree in Welding Engineering. Upon successful completion of the common compulsory courses (40 ECTS), you gain access to the International Institute of Welding (IIW) oral examination. A passing score results in IIW accreditation as a certified International Welding Engineer (IWE) and European Welding Engineer (EWE). After graduation In many countries, there is a permanent and growing need for scientists and engineers who are knowledgeable and trained at the academic level in the field of welding engineering. Academic training is essential due to the increasing complexity of industrial production processes and the growing number of rules and regulations governing them, both in Europe and internationally. Our graduates find employment in local SMEs, large multinational industrial companies as well as private and public organisations at home and abroad. There is a real need for experts with the capability to conduct research, carry out quality control analyses, and perform inspections, monitoring and certification in the broad field of welding. Some graduates start a career as independent consultants. Be sure to visit the website of EULASA, our welding engineering student association, for more insights: www.eulasa.eu Images taken during a company visit to Infrabel (Belgian Railways) while thermite welding a railway track
KU LEUVEN Oude Markt 13 box 5005 3000 LEUVEN, Belgium onderwijscommunicatie@kuleuven.be www.kuleuven.be Learn more www.kuleuven.be/ma/mnmwes www.fet.kuleuven.be/programmes General information www.kuleuven.be/english www.kuleuven.be/internationalprogrammes www.kuleuven.be/admissions www.kuleuven.be/tuitionfees Publications www.masterskuleuven.be/internationalbrochures Faculty of Engineering Technology Technology Campus De Nayer, Sint-Katelijne-Waver Jan De Nayerlaan 5 2860 Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium www.fet.kuleuven.be Programme Director Dr. Patrick Van Rymenant Patrick.vanrymenant@kuleuven.be www.fb.com/leuvenuniversity This brochure provides the most complete and accurate information available concerning this master s programme offered at KU Leuven. However, amendments to the composition of this programme may be approved at any time. Consequently, KU Leuven is in no way legally bound by the information provided in this brochure. The most recent information on all our academic programmes can be consulted at www.kuleuven.be/internationalprogrammes Last updated: February 2015 v.u.: Isabelle Van Geet, Oude Markt 13, 3000 Leuven