Samara and Nanjing Universities Intend to Launch Joint Laboratories, Internships, Master's and Postgraduate Programmes

The bachelors of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) from China underwent an internship at Samara University and successfully defended projects in the presence of a joint examination board of both universities.

Cooperation between Samara and Nanjing Universities began in 2015, when joint programmes for baccalaureate were launched. In 2017, within the experiment, 10 bachelors from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics arrived at Samara University. They underwent an internship and worked on final qualification works under the supervision of the teachers of the Institute of Engine and Power Plant Engineering of Samara University. The defense of diplomas was held in Nanjing.

This year, the work was built in the same way with the only difference: eight bachelors of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics defended their work in Samara in the presence of a commission from the Institute of Engine and Power Plant Engineering and the NUAA team led by the Dean of the Faculty of Energy and Power Plants of Nanjing University, Professor Cui  Haitao.

At the beginning of the training for Chinese students, theoretical and practical classes were held on the design and theory of calculation of aircraft engines, power plant control systems, and the issues of ensuring the strength and reliability of thermal machines. For this purpose, the teachers of the Institute of Engine and Power Plant Engineering prepared training manuals and materials in English. The Professors of NUAA  appreciated this. 

The leadership and the professors of the Faculty of Energy and Power Plants of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics noted a unique approach to the preparation and defense of diplomas of bachelors graduate qualification works. The students worked in a group on all projects: two students performed work on rocket engines, and six students developed an aviation gas turbine engine for a light weight training aircraft.

"The colleagues from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics were interested in this approach, — said Deputy Director of the Institute of Engine and Power Plant Engineering, Associate Professor of the Department of Thermal Engineering and Thermal  Engines Dmitry Uglanov. — Our task is to teach students to think systematically, so that they design engines and power plants in a complex way. To do this, they need to learn to think unconventionally. For this reason, our teachers pay great attention to individual work with each student, so that students get all the necessary knowledge in the design, calculation and creation of power plants and engines. Team work on a common project allows them to learn how to work in a team to solve complex technical problems that one student cannot solve".

The defense showed that the combined efforts of Nanking and Samara Universities are productive. Cui Haitao noted the high level of diploma projects: "It is visible that the teachers of the Institute of Engine and Power Plant Engineering have done a lot of systematic work. In general, Samara University is favourably distinguished by the system approach. In China, mainly theory is taught and there are subjects of a more general nature. In Samara University, the disciplines are more applied and they cover many aspects". The Dean of the College of Engines and Power Plants of Nanking University emphasized that in their diplomas, future engineers solved the problems that were close to real production problems.

"I am happy to have come to Samara University, to study here is interesting and useful for my future career”, — said Meng Tingting, a bachelor of joint diploma programmes. — In Samara University more time is provided for individual training. At the same time the teachers conduct a large number of consultations to offer options and choose the optimal solution, but the final decision is made by the student. This approach helped me in studying rocket engines ".

The Chinese colleges intend to develop cooperation with Samara University. "Bachelor's education is the first stage, in the future we plan to organize joint teaching in magistracy and postgraduate study, and also to develop joint research in scientific laboratories", — said Cui Haitao. For example, the work on the opening of a joint laboratory already undergoes. In addition, Nanjing University is ready to accept Samara University students for internships on mutually beneficial terms as well as to create international classes, where the lectures will be read by the teachers of the Institute of Engine and Power Plant Engineering for NUAA undergraduates in China. In future, the Universities will form joint master's and graduate programmes in the field of engine building.