Civil Engineering Masters to Perform Important Research Utilizing State of the Art Equipment at Bordeaux University
By Naz Baker
A visit to a laboratory for scientific exploration is a profoundly enlightening and educational experience. Laboratories across the world are meticulously designed to support scientific research and experimentation, and an excursion to a well-established international laboratory can offer valuable insights into the process of making scientific discoveries. Dr. Jawdat Tashan, who serves as the Director of the Civil Engineering Program at UKH, organized an educational excursion to Bordeaux University in France for three postgraduate students enrolled in the Civil Engineering (Structures) Program at the University of Kurdistan Hewler (UKH). The duration of this visit spanned from March 19, 2023, to March 25, 2023.
Right to left: Bland Azad, Yusra Iflah, Dr. Jawdat Tashan, Mohammed Fouad.
During their time in the I2M laboratory at Bordeaux University, the students had the opportunity to witness advanced scientific equipment and cutting-edge techniques in operation, while also engaging in discussions with leading researchers in their respective fields. This visit served as an outstanding means of expanding the students’ comprehension of the scientific process and fostering a deeper appreciation for the progress taking place in various scientific domains.
The postgraduate students in Civil Engineering from UKH were also able to actively partake in research projects that harnessed advanced technologies and materials at Bordeaux University, further enriching their educational journey.
The visit was successful, and the Civil Engineering department was invited to revisit Bordeaux University again in the future and to work on their advanced equipment. The department managed to transfer this visit into an official research partnership with Bordeaux University; a research internship agreement on August 2023 for three of our Structural Engineering PG students was signed. Currently, all the three master’s students are conducting their research at Bordeaux University. Dr. Tashan provides daily guidance and supervision for the students there. Scheduled an end-of-November visit to Bordeaux University, to ensure their research experience is enriching and successful, and foster international collaboration. Dr. Tashan serves as the academic advisor representing UKH, while Dr. Nadia Saiyouri is the academic advisor at the host university (Responsable Département Génie Civil et Environnemental (GCE), Vice-présidente de l’Association Universitaire du Génie Civil, Vice-présidente du Cluster ODEYS).
The research internship is not limited to the current students; future PG students from other disciplines may also undertake a portion of their research studies at Bordeaux University, allowing them to gain exposure to new academic environments and resources. The participating students brief their colleagues about this enlightening experience, which encourages more students to join soon.
The University of Bordeaux was founded by Pope Eugene IV in 1441, the university has a unique history marked by societal events and reforms. It is now one of the most influential universities in France and in Europe. The university has campus sites in the Bordeaux city center and extends over to the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
The university currently has 52,000 students and 6,100 staff. In the past 5 years the researchers and professors in the university managed to publish more than 27,000 scientific publications, mainly in top tier journals in different fields. The university has 130 joint research projects, and now UKH is becoming the newest addition to this outstanding portfolio of elite universities and research institutions.