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After completing a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design at TU Delft, Sophie knew pretty quickly that she wanted to continue her studies with a focus on medical science. “I took a minor in medical science, in which I found that working in healthcare and contributing to a better quality of life actually satisfies me more than designing products that are used on a daily basis.” She transferred to a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and, through an internship, ended up at LUMC, where she finished her studies in the neonatology ward. “The hospital had a vacancy for a PDEng student, but they were still looking for a clinical assignment. The neonatologist with whom I worked proposed our project to them, including to me.” According to Sophie, the best part of taking a PDEng is that you develop yourself in the broadest way possible. A position as a technician working within the technical services allows you to see multiple clinical wards and learn how everything related to technology is organized in hospitals. Sophie: “The broad and deep insight of this PDEng program is unique. It’s easier to compare the program with a traineeship than with a PhD because in the latter, you are more focused on one specific research topic. TU/e’s PDEng program also contains a solid course program which allows you to get in touch with other PDEng trainees. I found this very valuable: although we all worked in different hospitals, we had to complete the same sorts of assignments and projects. I learned how things are organized differently in other hospitals and was able to discuss my assignments with fellow trainees, which was extremely informative.”

On Thursday, October 22nd, the 4500th PDEng diploma in the Netherlands was awarded. Software Technology trainee Hossain Muhammad Muctadir was completely surprised during the graduation ceremony that took place in a small group at the TU/e campus. He was very pleased to receive this honor. 

Since October 1st, the Top Sector Chemistry (TKI) has been providing financial support to the PDEng programmes within the scope of chemistry. 4 PDEng programmes at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and Delft University of Technology (TUD) receive a contribution of 20,000 euros per trainee, up to a maximum total amount of 400,000 euros.  In this way TKI, just like the Top Sector High Tech Systems and Materials before, is investing in industrial partners and PDEng programmes in this crisis year.

Sophie Cramer PDEng Qualified Medical Engineering wins Audience Award best thesis TU/e

The Top Sector High Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM) allocated 1 M€ of the PPS (public-private partnership) allowance to support PDEng projects from the 4TU Stan Ackermans Institute.  From 1 July onwards, PDEng end-projects at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the University of Twente (UT), could benefit from extra financial support (20 k€ each). With their contribution, HTSM intended to support the PDEng programmes and their industrial partners in this crisis year in which the collaborative innovation with industry must continue.

“The benefits of being a student, learn, get work experience and get paid”

Every year PDEng trainees demonstrate how the knowledge gained is converted into innovative business solutions for industry or healthcare. An annual project book is published in which exemplary projects are presented. The project book 2019 was published at the beginning of this year.

Watch the video of 3 PDEng programmes 

The PDEng Data Science combines statistics, computer science, mathematics, and design theory with the business acumen to explore data sets, gather insights, visualize results, and communicate meaningful findings to stakeholders. The programme is a joint initiative of Eindhoven University of Technology, Tilburg University, and the Data Science Centre Eindhoven. Together they founded The Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS). The diploma award ceremony took place at JADS, which is located in the city of ‘s Hertogenbosch.

From November 1st Prof.dr. P. (Paul) Koenraad is director of 4TU.SAI, thereby succeeding Prof.dr. J.C. (Jan) Fransoo who has held the position since 2013. Koenraad will take up this position next to his role as Dean of the TU/e Graduate School.  Koenraad has been working at Eindhoven University of Technology since 1990 in the Applied Physics department where he became professor in the Photonics and Semiconductor Nanophysics (PSN) group in 2006. In 2005 he was awarded a Vici subsidy for his research, the highest personal subsidy from the research funding organization NWO. Apart from his role as professor of semiconductor materials, Koenraad led the PSN group for ten years. Former director Fransoo will now become research Dean of the Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg.

Friday 6 October Romanian Tudor Văcăretu from the PDEng program User System Interaction at TU/e received his diploma from prof.dr.ir. F.P.T. Baaijens, Rector Magnificus of the TU/e. He’s the 4000th technological designer that graduated in the Netherlands since the introduction in 1986 and may use the degree Professional Doctorate in Engineering.

We’re at the Bosch Security Systems headquarters in Eindhoven. Ten of the twenty Eindhoven University of Technology trainees are waiting nervously until all stakeholders of Bosch have found a place in the room. The final presentation of their eight-week project is about to start. A short period in which the technological design trainees worked as a team on a real life assignment coming from the industry. A period in which they actually delivered a working prototype for Bosch.

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland; RVO) subsidises companies who offer internships or other ways of learning on the job. These subsidies help compensate the costs associated with student supervision and salaries. Companies who work with PDEng trainees also qualify.

Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences: ‘Prepare engineers for industry’ Last month, the foresight report ‘The PhD system works’ of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences was published. The Academy concluded that the Dutch PhD system works, is future-proof and highly qualified, delivering independent minds. However, it is important to better prepare candidates for careers outside academia, and there must be room for other forms of qualification after the master's degree, such as the PDEng. The report recognises the need for what the PDEng programs of 3TU.SAI have been offering for many years: engineers preparing for work at a high level in industry. Whereas a PhD candidate delves deep into an investigation, a PDEng bends to the application of knowledge to design something new. Unlike PhD candidates, PDEngs are getting prepared for a career outside academia. In the first year of schooling, alongside substantive courses, the training of soft skills gets intensive attention. PDEngs are being prepared for the new and unexpected and learning to break through walls whilst keeping a bird’s eye view. Not only should there be a good technological design, it also should be able to solve the actual problem, be financially viable, have support among users and so on. The second year of the PDEng training consists (mainly) of an individual major design project which is carried out at a company. In addition, the report of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences confirmed that the degree of Professional Doctorate is in place at the PDEng courses, which are classified next to the promotions in the third cycle of the European Qualifications Framework. 

The renewed Orientation year for highly educated persons offers the best of two worlds. The criteria of the scheme have been relaxed, offering international talent more opportunities to look for work in the Netherlands.  The aim of the orientation year is to offer international talent an opportunity to start working as a highly skilled migrant or, for example, to start their own business. Under the new scheme, more groups will be eligible for the orientation year. In addition to graduates in the Netherlands or graduates studying at a world-class university abroad, the scheme can now also be used by researchers. Multiple orientation years It is no longer necessary to apply for an orientation year directly after graduation. Those interested in an orientation year may apply within three years after graduating or completing their research. This offers them the opportunity to first go back to their countries of origin and return to the Netherlands later to look for a job. A further plus is that, under certain conditions, the orientation year may be applied for not once, but multiple times. Each time a graduate obtains a new degree or a researcher has completed new research, they may again apply for an orientation year. No work permit requirement The work permit requirement (TWV) and the points system that applied to the Orientation year for highly educated migrants have been fully revoked. This means that people may work without a work permit (TWV) during the orientation year and are permitted to do all kinds of work, from a temporary job or part-time job to a paid or unpaid internship. For the application form and more procedural information on the new orientation year, go to www.ind.nl.