Master of Science in

Computational Mechanics

Module Handbook

Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya/CIMNE (UPC/CIMNE)

Swansea University (SU)
École Centrale de Nantes (ECN)
Universität Stuttgart (US)
Tsinghua University (THU)
1. WELCOME
Welcome to the Erasmus Mundus Masters in Computational Mechanics. This is an
innovative programme supported by the European Commission under the Erasmus
Mundus initiative, and designed to promote student mobility within Masters
programmes.
You will spend your first and second semesters in UPC/CIMNE (Spain) or Swansea (SU,
UK) before moving to Nantes (ECN, France), Stuttgart (US, Germany), UPC/CIMNE
(Spain) or Swansea (SU, UK) for your third and fourth semesters. Moreover, you can
develop your master thesis in Tsinghua University (TU, China).
The purpose of this handbook is to explain how the Erasmus Mundus Masters in
Computational Mechanics will work, and what you can expect from it. The information
is intended to help you find your feet and settle into postgraduate life as quickly as
possible. The handbook outlines what you can expect at each stage of your studies,
the resources available, the structure and staffing at each Institution where you will be
studying, and procedures for dealing with any problems you may encounter.
Please read this handbook carefully as it is in your interest to familiarise yourself with
the regulations and procedures.
Students who are uncertain about the information in this handbook should ask their
course coordinator or contact any of the departmental offices. We hope you will find
your time as a member of the postgraduate community at each institution rewarding
an enjoyable experience.

2. DISCLAIMER
The Consortium has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information
contained within this publication is accurate and up-to-date when published but can
accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions.
The Consortium reserves the right to revise, alter or discontinue modules and to
amend regulations and procedures at any time, but every effort will be made to notify
interested parties.
It should be noted that not every module listed in this handbook may be available
every year, and changes may be made to the details of the modules.

3. ERASMUS MUNDUS – THE EUROPEAN PROGRAMME OF ACADEMIC

EXCELLENCE AND WORLD-WIDE STUDENT MOBILITY
What is the Erasmus Mundus Programme?
The Erasmus Mundus programme is a cooperation and mobility programme in the field
of higher education. It aims to enhance quality in European higher education and to
promote intercultural understanding through cooperation with third countries.
With a budget of € 380 million for the period 2009-2013, the programme is intended
to strengthen European cooperation and international links in higher education by
supporting high-quality European Masters Courses, by enabling students and visiting
scholars from around the world to engage in postgraduate study at European
universities, as well as by encouraging the outgoing mobility of European students and
scholars towards third countries.
Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses
Erasmus Mundus supports European top-quality courses at Master level in order to
promote the EU as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. These are
integrated courses of one to two years offered by at least three universities from three
different European countries. They involve a study period in at least two of the three
universities and lead to the award of a recognised double, multiple or joint degree.

Scholarships for Third Country Students and Scholars

In order to encourage graduate students and scholars from all over the world to obtain
qualifications and experience in Europe, a scholarship scheme for highly qualified third
country nationals is linked to the Erasmus Mundus Masters Courses. Students receive
scholarships to follow the Masters Courses, scholars to teach or do research.
For further information on Erasmus Mundus:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus_mundus/

4. BEING A STUDENT ON THE ERASMUS MUNDUS MASTERS

PROGRAMME
Key Dates
Dates of Semesters:
Year 1

Semesters 1 and 2: UPC/CIMNE: 01 October 2013 – 30 June 2014

Swansea University: 01 October 2013 – 30 June 2014
(Exact dates to be confirmed)

Year 2

Semesters 3 and 4: UPC/CIMNE: 01 October 2014 – 30 June 2015

Swansea University: 01 October 2014 – 30 June 2015
Stuttgart University: 01 October 2014 – 30 June 2015
Ecole Centrale de Nantes:01 October 2014 – 30 June 2015
Tsinghua University: 01 January 2014 – 30 June 2015
(Exact dates to be confirmed)

Enrolment
The enrolment process is a means of recording data on students and for Institutions to
provide important information to students. During the enrolment process students also
declare that they will abide by the regulations of the universities concerned. Students
will enroll at their starting Institution.

Notification of Change of Address

The Consortium needs to be informed of any change of address – whether it is a
change in semester-time or home address. Normally students should inform the
Scheme coordinator at whichever Institution they are studying. The coordinator will
then have the responsibility for informing all other Institutions within the Consortium.
Whilst studying in Barcelona please notify change of address to: Ms. Lelia Zielonka,
lelia@cimne.upc.edu
If you study any part of the degree program at Swansea please make sure that any
change of address is updated on your University intranet account.
Students studying at Nantes and Stuttgart will be told the procedure for notifying
changes of addresses at the start of their study period at Nantes and Stuttgart.

Regulations
By enrolling in this course, students agree to abide by the Academic Regulations and
Assessment Regulations included in this handbook. In addition, each university may
have its own general or financial regulations that students will need to adhere to.
Information on these will be provided when you commence studies in that Institution.
Attendance and Progress
Students are expected to attend all lectures and examinations scheduled. It is
recognised however, that due to illness or exceptional circumstances, this may not be
possible in all instances. Students should report absences and reasons for them to the
scheme coordinator at whichever Institution they are studying. You may be required to
present a medical certificate where this is appropriate.
In addition, students are reminded that they should inform the Scheme Coordinator of
any circumstances they feel might adversely affect their performance. Failure to do so
will result in you not having legitimate grounds for appeal of assessment decisions.
The local coordinator will be responsible for informing the appropriate Examining
Board.
General Conduct and Behaviour
Students shall conduct themselves in an orderly manner. Please note that:
• If you willfully damage University property you must pay for its repair and may
be subject to disciplinary action.
• If you attempt to obstruct teaching, study, research or the administration of
any Institution within the Consortium you will be liable to disciplinary action.
• Unauthorized absence from any part of your course without proper cause will
render you liable to disciplinary action.
• You are under an obligation to inform the Consortium of any criminal
conviction prior to and during your period as a student.
Each Institution operates its own disciplinary procedures. Information on these will be
provided to students during their induction at that Institution.

Complaints
The Consortium is committed to ensuring a high quality educational experience for its
students, supported by appropriate academic, administrative and welfare support
services and facilities within each of its Institutions. In order to help us to help you and
improve our delivery and support, you are under an obligation to raise and resolve any
issues that you may be dissatisfied about at the Institution in which you are studying
as soon as they arise. Most issues can be resolved quickly. If problems persist issues
can be raised with the course coordinator or in Swansea at Student/Staff committees.
In exceptional circumstances students might feel the need to pursue a complaint
through the formal complaints procedures. Details of these procedures will be available
in the respective Institutions. It would be envisaged that formal complaints will have
been resolved before moving on to the next Institution within the Consortium.
Should a student be unable to resolve a complaint to their satisfaction within the
Institution concerned, he/she may approach the Board of Studies of the Consortium.
An independent member of the Board will be asked to conduct an investigation into
the complaint.
Extensions to deadlines
Please speak to your personal tutor/advisor or scheme coordinator at whichever
Institution you are currently studying for advice if you believe you have extenuating
circumstances which might be affecting your studies. Seek advice on whether to apply
for an extension to any course assessment deadline or to your overall deadline.
Extending the deadline for individual assessments
The assessment deadlines for each module will be given to you by the module tutor
and or the module handbook at the outset of the semester. There should be no excuse
therefore for missing these deadlines. In exceptional circumstances due to ill health or
exceptional personal reasons you may find that you are unable to meet a deadline. In
this case you should contact the relevant professor as soon as you become aware that
there is an issue and before the submission date in question. You should state your
case in writing and provide appropriate documentary evidence to support your
request.

Transcripts and Diploma Supplement

Students will be issued with an academic transcript and a Diploma Supplement at the
end of their studies (free of charge). The diploma supplement is a document, which
aims to facilitate academic and professional recognition of qualifications across Europe.
It provides a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies
that were pursued and successfully completed by the individual named.

Graduation
The degree shall be conferred upon successful candidates at an awards ceremony,
date and location to be confirmed. The degree certificate(s) to be issued shall include
reference to the collaborative nature of the degree and shall include the name of each
Institution involved in the teaching. Exit qualifications shall not normally be awarded to
candidates at a ceremony, but such awards shall be conferred upon candidates
administratively.

The Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association

In the spring of 2006 the European Commission and student representatives from all
Erasmus Mundus programmes launched the Erasmus Mundus Alumni Association.
The association is free to join for Erasmus Mundus students. You can register at the
webpage http://www.erasmusmundus-alumni.edu and get instant access to an online
student forum, a newsletter and a database of students and former students.
5. ORGANISERS
An international Consortium of four leading European Educational and Research
Institutions in cooperation with the International Center for Numerical Methods in
Engineering (CIMNE). All Institutions of the Consortium have a long standing tradition in
the field Computational Mechanics, with the highest standards both in research and
teaching.
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC (Spain)
http://www.upc.edu/
Swansea University, SW (UK)
http://www.swan.ac.uk
Ecole Centrale Nantes, ECN (France)
http://www.ec-nantes.fr
Universität Stuttgart, US (Germany)
http://www.uni-stuttgart.de
Tsinghua University, TU (China)
http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/
CIMNE is an autonomous international research organization specialized in the
development and application of numerical methods in engineering.
http://www.cimne.com
Practical information about the organizing Institutions is included in section 12, at the
end of this handbook

6. PRESENTATION
The Master of Science in Computational Mechanics is designed for students who wish to
develop their knowledge and competency in the field of computational mechanics with
applications in solids, fluids and interdisciplinary fields. The goal is to provide the
students with the skills for the modelling, formulation, analysis and implementation of
simulation tools for advanced engineering problems, as well as skills for understanding
these approaches in the broader context of engineering science. Students will benefit
from a leading group of faculty and an exciting international environment. Students may
take the Masters as a professional terminal degree, or in preparation for a PhD. degree.
The programme lasts two academic courses (120 ECTS) and includes a Masters Thesis as
well as Practical Training in an industrial or applied research environment. The first and
second semester are aimed at providing a solid background on computational mechanics
and numerical methods as well as entrepreneurship awareness, transversal skills and
practical industrial training. Students can select to follow the first and second semesters
either at UPC or SU. The third and fourth semesters are designed as a minor in order to
gain a deeper knowledge in a particular area within computational mechanics and must
be pursued in an institution different to the institution where they stayed for the first two
semesters.
The first semester consists of a set of core modules (20 ECTS) complemented by
transversal modules (10 ECTS) including a module in entrepreneurship skills. The core
modules are taught jointly at UPC and SU.
The second semester consists of a set of elective modules (15 ECTS) complemented by
a practical training module (15 ECTS) at industry or an applied research centre.
The third and fourth semesters (60 ECTS) consists of a minor aimed at providing a
deeper knowledge in a selected area by means of a set of elective modules (25 ECTS)
and transversal modules (5 ECTS). The third and fourth semesters must be followed in a
second institution different from the selected for the first semester. The Masters thesis is
supervised and developed in the second institution during the third and fourth semesters.

7. ADMISSIONS
Admission Requirements
A candidate must hold a Bachelor of Science or Engineering, or an appropriate science
degree deemed to be a satisfactory standard for the purpose of postgraduate
admission (at least 180 ECTS) and awarded by an Institution recognized by one of the
members of the Consortium. Applications must include a statement of purpose
(one/two pages), a CV, complete academic transcripts and three letters of
recommendation. A score of at least 6.5 IELTS (or equivalent TOEFL or TOEIC) is
required for students from non-English speaking countries.
Application Process (via web) http://www.cimne.com/cdl
For further questions please contact the masters Secretariat science@cimne.upc.edu

Visas and Residence Permits

Students are responsible for securing their own visa, if a visa is needed. However, all
consortia partners will assist you in applying for visa. Visa regulations can be very strict.
Students are advised to abide by the regulations very carefully to prevent delay of your
application.
It is important that:
• you check if all the forms are filled in completely,
• you send all the required documents within the time fixed,
• you make copies of the original documents. When original documents are
required, keep a copy for your own administration. If possible, save a digital
copy of all important documents.
You are strongly advised to apply for the visa for both countries that you are intending to
study in before you leave your home country. If this is not possible you should be able to
apply for the visa for the second country that you will be studying in after you arrive on
the course. However, you will need to ensure that you bring all of the necessary
documentation with you and must be prepared to travel to Madrid/ London to make the
application.
Tuition Fees
The fees for the duration of the course will be €8000 for European Union students (that is
students from the twenty-seven Member States in the European Union) and €16,000 for
other students. CIMNE will collect fees in four instalments at the start of each semester.
Recall that member states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Bulgaria, Romania.
Please note that a limited amount of bursaries may be available to offset the difference in
fees between European and non-European fees for those students who are not already in
receipt of an Erasmus Mundus stipend for the scheme. For further information contact
Ms. Lelia Zielonka at lelia@cimne.upc.edu
Financial Support
A limited number of grants offering total or partial support to cover the course tuition
fees are available. Further information will be posted at the Masters web page
www.cimne.com/cm-master.

8. MOBILITY AND LANGUAGE POLICY

Students study in two of the consortium institutions. They meet all together in Barcelona
at the beginning of the second academic year in order to interact, meet each other and
exchange impressions regarding their experience after the first academic year. They
pursue their first and second semesters in the first institution (UPC/CIMNE, SU), which is
responsible for teaching 60 ECTS. Their third and fourth semesters (60 ECTS) are
conducted in the second Institution (obviously, different from that of their first two
semesters), which is any of the four: UPC/CIMNE, SU, ECN, US. Mobility of students is
restricted to the period between the second and third semesters and, those that realize
their Master Thesis in China, have an extra mobility in the middle of the second year.
The choice of Institution depends mostly on the student’s preferences and also on an
even distribution of students among the Institutions. Students present their preferences
in the admission form. The Board of Studies at its winter meeting decides both if a
student is admitted and his/her corresponding mobility. This decision is communicated to
the student before the registration period.
All partner Institutions have wide-ranging experience with international exchanges and
have well-developed logistical systems to coordinate the welcome and assistance of
international exchange students. At each partner Institution international offices, in
cooperation with the local academic host (viz. department, institute, etc.), will coordinate
the logistics including housing facilities, visas, social security and other relevant
information before arrival.
The International Offices provide support during the stay, with dedicated staff offering
supervision and advice. Upon arrival each student will be assigned a mentor, a native
speaker, who will ensure that the student is welcomed and settled into his/her
accommodation. Social and cultural integration will be facilitated by ensuring that
international students are where possible co-located with native students. Support and
advice for specific health treatments is also provided. The language of instruction and
examination is English throughout the Programme. Before being admitted to the course
non-native English speaking students must demonstrate high levels in both written and
spoken English, with an IELTS minimum score of 6.5 or equivalently internationally
accredited qualification. All theses must be written in English and any public defense
must also be conducted in English.

All Institutions comprising the consortium offer students intensive national language
classes in order to assists students with the integration into the respective countries. This
includes Catalan in Barcelona and Welsh in Swansea.
9. PROGRESSION AND AWARD REGULATIONS (ASSESSMENT RULES)

1. STRUCTURE OF SCHEME

Academic Host institutions and mobility ECTS credits

calendar

20 ECTS core modules

Semester 1 10 ECTS transversal modules
(general background)
(Oct-Jan)
UPC/CIMNE SWANSEA
(1/2 students) (1/2 students) 15 ECTS elective modules
Semester 2 15 ECTS industrial training
(practical training)
(Feb-Aug)

Mobility UPC/CIMNE
(Sep) (All students)

25 ECTS elective modules

Semester 3 5 ECTS transversal modules
(Oct-Jan) (specialisation)
UPC/CIMNE SWANSEA STUTTGART NANTES
(1/4 (1/4 (1/4 (1/4
students) students) students) students) 30 ECTS Masters thesis
Semester 4 (research)
(Feb-Aug)

The scheme consists of two parts: Year 1 (first and second semesters) provides basic
background in computational mechanics as well as a practical training component. Year
2 (third and fourth semesters) includes a series of specialised modules into a particular
field of computational mechanics and a research/directed independent learning
component.
The first semester is taught simultaneously in UPC/CIMNE and Swansea University.
Students study commonly agreed core modules, totalling 20 ECTS, which are examined
under common regulatory procedures. In addition, students study 10 ECTS in transversal
modules, namely a course in “communication skills in a foreign language” and a course in
“entrepreneurship for engineers”. Students must accumulate 30 ECTS by passing each
module at 50 or above to progress.
Students continue in UPC/CIMNE or Swansea University for their second semester, where
they must accumulate new 30 ECTS. Students study 15 ECTS in elective modules in
computational mechanics to deepen the knowledge acquired during the first semester.
Students must also accumulate 15 ECTS in a “practical training” module which they will
develop within an industrially oriented environment. Students must accumulate 30 ECTS
by passing each module at 50 or above to progress
The third and fourth semesters are taught at a second designated institution from within
the Consortium (from a choice of UPC/CIMNE, SU, US and ECN). Students must
accumulate 60 ECTS (25 ECTS of which should be in specialised subject areas) and 5
ECTS will be in the form of a transversal module. The final 30 ECTS consists of a Masters
directed independent learning thesis into a cutting-edge research topic within
computational mechanics.
Progression Boards will be held at the end of every semester to determine the academic
progression of the students to the subsequent semester.

2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

2.1 Institutions shall inform students, by means of handbooks and module literature,
the means by which modules shall be assessed and the method of reassessment for
redeeming a failure.
2.2 All formal written examinations sat at the Partner Institutions shall, so far as
national practice allows it, be marked in the anonymous state. This means that
Candidates in such examinations shall be identified only by their student number
until such time as both first and double marking have been completed.
2.3 Partner Institutions shall so far as possible, and in keeping with national practice,
mark other forms of assessment in the anonymous state also. It is, however,
recognised that feedback from certain elements of assessment form an integral part
of the learning experience and that, for practical reasons, it might not be possible to
follow the policy at all times. Methods of assessment, which involve observation,
interaction and oral/aural elements, and in particular the Year 2 element of the
degree, shall not be subject to anonymity.
2.4 Progression/ Examining Boards shall be presented with all marks of assessment
undertaken during the Semester(s) concerned. Marks for modules of the scheme
shall be recorded out of a hundred according to the marking criteria in 3 below.
2.5 Resit marks must be clearly identified in the presentation of marks to the
Progression/ Examining Board.
2.6 All results will be disclosed to students electronically by CIMNE after the formal
Progression/Award Boards.
2.7 To ensure consistency of marking within the Consortium a sample selection of
examinations and course work will be double/ second mark. I.e. a member of staff
from another Institution within the Consortium or an external examiner, employed
by the Consortium to ensure consistency of marking, will second mark a sample of
work to ensure overall standards.
2.8 The Consortium will employ an external examiner i.e. a member of staff external to
any of the Institutions involved in the Consortium to review the scheme and ensure
parity of marking and overall quality of the programme.

3. MARKING CRITERIA
Due to the Collaborative nature of the scheme, the Consortium is committed to the ECTS
grading structure. Examinations and assessment will be marked out of a hundred. The
marks equate to ECTS grades as follows:
 100 − 90 89 − 80 79 − 70 69 − 60 59 − 50 49 or less
Mark
ECTS A/A+ B C D E F/FX
Descriptor Excellent Very Good Good Satisfactory Sufficient Fail
Outstanding Above Generally Fair but with Performance Some/
performance average sound work significant meets the Considerable
with only standard but with a shortcomings minimum work required
minor errors with some number of criteria before the
errors notable credit can be
errors awarded

4. MODULE RULES
4.1 Modules shall be assessed individually, as prescribed by the relevant Institution(s).
The assessment method of a module may take the form of an unseen written
examination paper, set projects or other course work assignments, but must be
appropriate to assess whether a student has met the learning outcomes of the
module. A student may also be required to demonstrate to the appropriate
examining board, satisfactory completion of any period of professional training or
practical experience, failure of which may lead to failure of the module, despite a
mark of 50 having been gained for the other assessed work.
4.2 In addition to satisfying the assessment requirements of a module, each student
must satisfy the attendance requirements as stated in the handbook. It is the
responsibility of Institutions to monitor satisfactory attendance and assessment in
each module. Students who do not satisfy the attendance and assessment
requirements of a module will be reported to the appropriate Board in the partner
Institution concerned.
4.3 A mark will be assigned to each student, based on his/her performance.
4.4 The Pass mark for modules will be set at 50. Credits will be awarded to candidates
who pass a module. All modules pursued must be passed. (However, see 4.5
below).
4.5 The late submission of assessed work shall result in a mark of 0 being awarded and
a decision of fail being recorded, unless an extension has been granted prior to the
deadline. There are no other penalties.

5. PROGRESSION RULES
Progression from Year 1 to Year 2
5.1 A Progression Board shall be held in Barcelona at the end of the first Year to
determine whether or not students qualify to proceed to the second year, to be
pursued at another designated Institution within the Consortium.
5.2 Students must accumulate 60 ECTS credits (by passing modules with a mark of 50
or better in each module) to progress to Year 2.
5.3 Students whose performance is deemed, by the Progression Board, to be extremely
weak (i.e. who accumulate less than 10 ECTS credits on their first attempt at a
Semester) will FAIL to proceed further and will be given opportunities to redeem
their failures.
5.4 Students who fail a module(s), but have accumulated 10 ECTS or more (by passing
modules at 50 or above) will fail to progress and shall, at the discretion of the
Progression Board, normally be permitted one further attempt prior to the start of
the second year to redeem their failure in each such module. (See section 7
regarding the marking policy for redeemed modules).
5.5 Students who are eligible to progress to the next year shall not be allowed to repeat
any module for which credit has been awarded in order to improve their
performance.
5.6 Students who fail to complete the year have the right of appeal in accordance with
the appeals procedure adopted by the Consortium Board of Studies.

Progression from Year 1 (end of Semester 3) to Year 2 (Semester 4)

5.7 Each Partner Institution shall hold a Progression Board at the end of the third
Semester to determine whether or not students qualify to proceed to Year 2 (the
fourth Semester) at the same Institution.
5.8 Students who accumulate 90 ECTS credits, by passing all modules during Semesters
1, 2 and 3, shall have been deemed to have passed Year 1 and shall qualify to
proceed to Year 2 (research directed independent learning).
5.9 Students whose performance is deemed, by the Progression Board, to be extremely
weak (i.e. who accumulate less than 20 ECTS credits on their first attempt at Year
1) will FAIL to proceed further and will not be given an opportunity to redeem their
failure(s).
5.10 Students who fail a module(s), but have accumulated 20 ECTS or more in Year 1
(by passing modules at 50 or above) will fail to proceed to the next Semester and
shall, at the discretion of the Progression Board, normally be permitted one further
attempt before the beginning of the third Semester to redeem their failure in each
such module. (See section 7 regarding the marking policy for redeemed modules.)
5.11 Students must complete Year 1 of the scheme of study successfully (i.e. completion
of Year 1 must be confirmed by a Progression Board) before being permitted to
proceed to Year 2 (the directed independent learning / project stage).
5.12 Students who are repeating failed modules and who fail to qualify to proceed to the
next Semester at the second attempt will be informed that they have failed the
scheme but will be considered for an exit award where appropriate.
5.14 Students who fail to progress to Year 2 have the right of appeal in accordance with
the appeals procedure adopted by the Consortium Board of Studies.
5.15 To qualify for an award, students must accumulate credits as follows:
Postgraduate Diploma in Computational Mechanics 60 ECTS credits
Masters Degree in Computational Mechanics 120 ECTS credits

6. UNFAIR PRACTICE
6.1 Students must ensure that they do not engage in any form of unfair practice,
whereby they take action which may result in them obtaining for themselves or
others, an unpermitted advantage.
6.2 Unfair practice is defined as any act whereby a person may obtain for
himself/herself or for another, an unpermitted advantage. This shall apply whether
 candidates act alone or in conjunction with another/others. An action or actions
shall be deemed to fall within this definition whether occurring during, or in relation
to, a formal examination, a piece of coursework, or any form of assessment
undertaken in pursuit of the Erasmus Mundus MSc in Computational Mechanics.
6.2.1Examples of unfair practice in examination conditions are as follows:
• introducing into an examination room any unauthorised form of materials such
as a book, manuscript, data or loose papers, information obtained via an
electronic device such as a programmable calculator, pager, mobile phone,
hand held computer or any source of unauthorised information;
• copying from or communicating with any other person in the examination
room, except as authorised by an invigilator;
• communicating electronically with any other person;
• impersonating an examination candidate or allowing oneself to be
impersonated;
• presenting evidence of special circumstances to examination boards which is
false or falsified or which in any way misleads or could mislead examination
boards;
• presenting an examination script as your own work when the script includes
material produced by unauthorised means. This includes plagiarism.
6.2.2Examples of unfair practice in non-examination conditions are as follows:
• Plagiarism. Plagiarism can be defined as using without acknowledgment
another person’s work and submitting it for assessment as though it were
one’s own work, for instance, through copying or unacknowledged
paraphrasing (see 6.2.3 below);
• Collusion. Collusion can be defined as involving two or more students working
together, without prior authorisation from the academic member of staff
concerned (e.g. Programme leader, lecturer etc) to produce the same or
similar piece of work and then attempting to present this work entirely as their
own. Collusion may also involve one student submitting the work of another
with the knowledge of the originator.
• Commissioning of work produced by another;
• Falsification of the results of laboratory, field-work or other forms of data
collection and analysis.
6.2.3Examples of plagiarism are as follows:
• use of any quotation(s) from the published or unpublished work of other
persons which have not been clearly identified as such by being placed in
quotation marks and acknowledged;
• summarising another person's ideas, judgements, figures, software or
diagrams without reference to that person in the text and the source in the
bibliography;
• use of the services of `ghost writing’ agencies in the preparation of assessed
work;
• use of unacknowledged material downloaded from the Internet;
 • submission of another student's work as your own;
6.3 Students suspected of having engaged in unfair practice or assisting another
student to engage in unfair practice, either in coursework or examination will be
subject to the unfair practice procedures at the Institution in which they are
studying.
6.4 Institutions will investigate any cases of unfair practice identified at their Institution,
by means of their usual procedures and inform the Consortium of their results.
6.5 Students accused of engaging in unfair practice will be given an opportunity either
in writing or person to present their case.
6.6 Students found guilty of unfair practice will be subject to the following penalties:
6.6.1The issue of a written reprimand to the candidate, a record of the reprimand should
be kept;
6.6.2The text to be ignored when marking, resulting in a reduced mark;
6.6.3The cancellation of the candidate’s marks for the assignment;
6.6.4The cancellation of the candidate’s mark in the module concerned;
6.6.5The cancellation of the candidate’s mark in the module concerned and the
preclusion of redeeming the failure until the next academic session;
6.6.6The cancellation of the candidate’s marks in all of the modules for the particular
level of study;
6.6.7The cancellation of the candidate's mark in all of the modules for the particular level
of study and the disqualification of the candidate from any future Consortium
examination;
6.6.8In the event of an Institution deciding that the above penalties are inappropriate,
the Institution may use its discretion to decide upon an appropriate penalty.
6.7 The Institution should consult the student’s case history and academic record before
imposing a penalty. In order to ensure consistency in the application of penalties,
the Consortium will develop a guidance note/ Code of Practice on the normal
penalties for Unfair Practice. The normal penalty for unfair practice in non-
examination conditions (1st offence) shall be the cancellation of the candidate’s
mark(s) in the module(s) concerned. However, the Institution may wish to take into
consideration the seriousness of the offence and impose a harsher penalty in
accordance with the Code of Practice. Alternatively it might take into account
mitigating circumstances. The Institution should be convinced that the mitigating
circumstances have a direct bearing on the case and, in particular, had influenced
the action of the student concerned.
6.8 Students have the right of appeal, against substantiated allegations of Unfair
Practice, in accordance with the appeals procedure adopted by the Consortium
Board of Studies.
7 REDEEMING A FAILURE
7.1 Students who fail a module in the first or second Semester will fail to progress and
shall, at the discretion of the Progression Board, normally be permitted one further
attempt before/ shortly after the beginning of the next Semester to redeem their
failure in each such module, provided that this can be achieved within the time limit
 for the degree. The mark for this further attempt shall be up to the capped
threshold of 50 in each such module, irrespective of their actual level of
performance.
7.2 With regards students who fail a module the Progression Board has the discretion to
allow a student to:
• be re-examined in the module as a whole (mark capped at 50, final attempt);
or
• be re-examined in those parts of the module which he/she has failed where
more than one piece of work contributes towards the final module mark. (mark
capped at 50, final attempt)
• be re-examined without any restriction on mark. This would only be allowed
where the student has demonstrated special circumstances to the Board. See
section 8.
7.3 Students must not expect, as of right that they will be allowed to redeem failures,
allowed to repeat failed modules or be allowed to continue. The Progression Board
may take into account other circumstances relating to the candidate’s case, such as
attendance and performance in classes, before taking any progression decision. A
Progression Board would not be expected to allow a candidate to progress unless
he/she had satisfied the minimum criteria and demonstrated competence to
undertake work required at the next stage.
7.4 A candidate who is to be re-examined in set projects or other forms of course
assessment shall not be permitted to re-submit modified versions of his/her original
work, but shall be required to submit for examination new work on different topics
from those, which originally failed to satisfy the examiners.
7.5 Candidates who are attempting to redeem a failure and who fail on the second
attempt, will be informed that they have failed the scheme but will be considered
for an exit award where appropriate.
7.6 Candidates who pass the failed modules and accumulate at least 30 ECTS credits, at
50 or above, in modules at the appropriate Level qualify to proceed to the next
Semester.
7.7 The Consortium reserves the right to charge a re-submission / re-examination fee in
respect of failed modules or the re-submission of the directed independent learning.

8 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
8.1 A student who is absent for the whole of a written examination (or who fails to
submit set projects or coursework by the required date(s)) will be deemed to have
failed the modules(s) in question. In the case of illness or other exceptional
circumstances, the Progression Board may grant an extension to the submission
date or permit a supplementary examination to be held as appropriate. It is
recognised that the marks of such students will not be subject to the ceiling of 50.
They will be considered as ‘First Sit’ students, which mean that they will be marked
according to the same grading scale as students who attempt the examinations/
course work for the first time. The mark(s) of such candidates shall be considered at
the “Supplementary Exam Board”.
8.2 Students who attend an examination/ submit coursework as directed but fail a
module due to illness or other exceptional circumstances may, at the discretion of
the Progression Board, be allowed to sit the examination/submit course work again,
as a ‘First-sit’ candidate. This means that they will be treated in the same way as
students who take the examinations/ submit the coursework for the first time and
their marks will not be capped (i.e. not subject to a ceiling of 50). The mark(s) of
such candidates shall be considered at the “Supplementary Exam Board”.
8.3 Students who miss a submission deadline/ are absent from an examination or who
fail a piece of coursework or an examination due to illness or other exceptional
circumstances should notify the course leader at the Institution in which they are
studying before the examination or deadline for submission or if this is not possible
as soon after the examination/ deadline as is possible and before the date of the
examination board. To be considered as a ‘First Sit’ candidate the student will need
to provide written evidence (for example medical certificates) to the Board.
8.4 In the same way as students who fail modules at the first attempt ‘First Sit’
candidates who have failed modules shall be allowed to redeem failures at the next
available opportunity, usually by carrying the modules and resitting them the
following year, by:
• being re-examined in the module as a whole (mark capped at 50, final
attempt); or
• being re-examined in those parts of the module which he/she has failed (mark
capped at 50, final attempt)
8.5 Further information on Swansea University’s extenuating circumstances policy
can be found at:
http://www.swansea.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/assessmentissues/extenuat
ingcircumstances/

9 SPECIFIC RULES – YEARS 1 and 2

INDUSTRIAL PROJECT
9.1 Practical training (Industrial project) is an essential element in the curriculum
providing inside knowledge in computational mechanics project development and
management. Professional or R+D profiles will be provided in industry or in applied
research organizations which are in close collaboration with all Institutions in the
Consortium. This training can be closely related to the Masters thesis.
9.2 The student will be given a nominated contact within the placement generally a line
manager. The student will also be assigned a tutor at the Institution.
9.3 The Industrial project is worth 15 ECTS and will last for at least 7 weeks of full-time
dedication (or an equivalent period)
9.4 It can take place any time during the second semester, in agreement with the host
Institution for this period.
9.5 Due to the nature of the project there will be no mechanism for redeeming a failure
should a student fail.
9.6 Students who fail the industrial project, will be informed that they have failed the
scheme but will be considered for an exit award where appropriate.
9.7 Students who fail to complete the industrial project have the right of appeal in
accordance with the appeals procedure adopted by the Consortium Board of
Studies.

Thesis/Directed Independent Learning

General Principles
9.8 A supervisor will be appointed for each candidate who will be responsible for
ensuring that studies are carried out in line with the Institution’s good practice
guidelines.
9.9 Normally, no designated supervisor who has been involved in the preparation of the
directed independent learning shall act subsequently as an examiner for it.
9.10 The student should submit three typed copies and one electronic copy of the
directed independent learning to the Exam Coordinator, in the format prescribed by
the Consortium Board of Studies and notified to the student by the Institution at
which the work takes place.
9.11 Directed independent learning submitted for examination shall normally be openly
available and subject to no security classification or restriction of access. However
Partner Institutions may, place a bar on photocopying of and/or access to the
submitted directed independent learning for a specified period of up to five years. It
shall be the responsibility of the candidate’s project supervisor to make an
application to the Consortium Board of Studies and any appropriate body in the
partner Institutions as soon as possible and before the result is known. This request
will be reported to the Year 2 Award Board.
9.10 A candidate is at liberty to publish the whole or part of the work produced during
the candidate’s period of enrolment at the Institution, prior to its submission as a
whole, or as part of the directed independent learning, provided that in the
published work it is nowhere stated that it is in consideration for a higher degree.
Such published work may later be incorporated in the directed independent learning
submitted for examination.
9.11 Retention and disposal of the directed independent learning shall be in accordance
with the policy of the awarding Institution.
Examination
9.12 Due to national differences in the countries making up the Consortium, the marking
criteria and assessment rules (for instance the length of the directed independent
learning and the requirement to make a public or private defense) for the directed
independent learning element of the degree will vary slightly depending on which
Institution the student completes his/ her directed independent learning in.
Students should familiarise themselves with the regulations of the Institution in
which they submit their directed independent learning.
9.13 In all Institutions the directed independent learning will be examined by both an
internal examiner (who will not be the student’s supervisor) and an external
examiner (who may be a member of staff from another Institution within the
Consortium). The marking structure followed will be in accordance with national
 rules and will reflect the marking structure for final award detailed in section 11
below.
9.14 If the directed independent learning is failed by the examiners, the candidate may
re-present it once only, not more than three months from the date of the official
communication to the candidate of the result. A fee shall be payable to the
Institution concerned for the examination of such a re-presented directed
independent learning.
9.15 At year 2, a candidate who fails to submit the directed independent learning/project
by the deadline specified for the scheme, and who has not been granted an
extension of candidature due to special circumstances will fail the degree but might
be considered for an exit award.

10 EXTENSIONS OF CANDIDATURE DUE TO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

10.1 The time limit for the completion of the degree may be extended in exceptional
cases only. A reasoned application, supported by appropriate independent evidence,
must be submitted by the candidate’s tutor for consideration, to the Consortium
Board of Studies, and any appropriate Institutional academic committees.
Requests for an extension shall be considered with reference to the following
criteria:
(a) Normally, suspensions / extensions will be granted only on compassionate grounds,
or in cases of illness, serious domestic difficulties or exceptional commitments,
which can be demonstrated to have adversely affected the candidate. A full and
reasoned case, supported by appropriate, satisfactory, medical or other independent
evidence, and a work-plan for completion of the directed independent learning
within the extension requested, must be made by the department for consideration
by the Consortium Board of Studies, in the first instance, and thereafter by the
appropriate committee of the awarding Institution.
(b) In cases which arise as a result of illness:
• Satisfactory medical or other relevant documentary evidence must be supplied.
(The extent and nature of the illness as described in the certificate are
invaluable in assessing the case).
• A clear statement must be supplied, showing that the Institution concerned
has evaluated the situation in which the candidate finds himself / herself as a
result of the illness and that it considers the requested extension to be
appropriate for completion in accordance with the work-plan. Such a statement
will, wherever possible, follow direct contact between candidate and
Institution.

11 FINAL AWARD
11.1 At the end of the fourth Semester, the final Joint Award Board for all students will
be held at one of the partner Institutions to determine award decisions on students
pursuing all Erasmus Mundus Masters schemes offered by the Consortium. The
Board shall be attended by representatives from each Institution and a Senior
External Examiner, appointed by the Consortium Board of Studies to be responsible
for overseeing the schemes overall. It will be serviced by a senior administrative
officer from one of the partner Institutions.
11.2 The students’ overall performance on the schemes shall be considered and the remit
of the Board will be to:
• Receive notification and formally endorse Year 2 results;
• Receive notification and formally endorse any requests for Bar’s on Access;
• To determine the overall award and in particular to consider cases of
candidates who might be eligible for the awards of Distinction/ Merit in the UK,
Matricula de honor/ sobresaliente in Spain, Très Bien/ Bien in France or 1-1.5
in Germany;
• Consider statistical data on all schemes offered by the Consortium;
• Conduct an annual review of all schemes.
11.3 The full set of results for each candidate considered at a Year 2 Award Board, shall
be presented to the examiners. The result profile of the relevant students will
include:
• The Year 1 results, also including the Year 1 average and the Year 1 decision;
• The results of the directed independent learning;
• The results of the industrial project;
• An indication of any failures in modules at the first attempt (as this will
influence whether a student will be eligible for the highest grade in the UK.)
11.4 Both Parts of the degree must be completed successfully before a candidate may
qualify for the award of a degree
11.5 A candidate’s Year 1 results may not be subsequently reviewed to determine the
outcome for the whole scheme.
11.6 Appeals against award decisions shall be considered in accordance with the appeals
procedures adopted by the Consortium’s Board of Studies, and administered by the
partner Institution concerned in conjunction with their own awarding Institutional
regulations.
11.7 Successful students will be awarded a joint Masters degree from both the first and
second Institution in which they study, unless the national/ institutional practice in
the institution concerned prohibits it, in which case a double Masters degree from
both the first and second Institution in which they study will be awarded.
11.8 Degrees will be awarded according to national assessment structures, namely:
 United Distinction Merit Pass Fail
Kingdom (Candidates who pass all (Candidates who
modules and achieve an pass all modules
overall mark of not less and achieve an
than 70% for the whole overall average
scheme, having achieved mark of not less
65% or more in Year 1 than 60% and not
and 70 (UK marking more than 69.99%
rules– ECTS A/B) in Year for the whole
2, shall be eligible for the scheme, having
award of a Masters Degree achieved 57% or
with Distinction. ) more in Year 1 and
60 (UK marking
rules– ECTS C/D) in
Year 2, shall be
eligible for the
award of a Masters
degree with merit.
Spain Sobresaliente Notable Aprobado Suspenso
France Très Bien Bien Assez Passable Echoué
bien
Germany 1.0-1.5 1.6-2.5 2.6-3.5 3.6-3.8 3.9-4.0 4.1-5.0

These equate to ECTS descriptors as follows:

ECTS A/A+ B C D E F/FX

Descriptor Excellent Very Good Good Satisfactory Sufficient Fail
(outstanding (above (generally (fair but with (performanc (Some/
performance average sound work significant e meets the Considerable
with only standard but with a shortcomings) minimum work required
minor with some number of criteria) before the
errors) errors) notable credit can be
errors) awarded)

11.9 In order to be eligible for a Distinction in the UK, students must pass all modules
and achieve an overall average mark of not less than 70% for the whole scheme,
having achieved 65% or more in Year 1 and 70% or more in Year 2.
11.10 In order to be eligible for a Merit in the UK, students must pass all modules and
achieve an overall average mark of not less than 60% and not more than 69.99%
for the whole scheme, having achieved 57% or more in Year 1 and 60% or more in
Year 2.

12. THE VIRTUAL CENTRE

The Virtual Centre of CIMNE provides a 24 hours 7 days a week forum for communication
among students as well as with their teachers, regardless of their geographical location,
and administrative staff. The Virtual Centre also hosts web based course content made
available to the students for each module. Most of the existing modules have been
developed over a number of years in each of the Institutions making up the Consortium
and a significant amount of high-quality web based course content is available. The
Virtual Centre also provides mechanisms for disseminating official notices of the
Consortium and obtaining student feedback.
The course material includes lecture notes and some textbooks. A collection of examples
and exercises will be provided as well as computer codes introducing the students to the
finite element method in practical applications.

13. STUDENT SERVICES AND RELEVANT CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions related to the Masters course students should contact:
Masters Secretariat
International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE)
Edificio C1, Campus Norte UPC, Gran Capitán s/n
08034 Barcelona, Spain
Tel. + 34 -93 401 74 41, Fax + 34 -94 401 65 17
e-mail: science@cimne.upc.edu

For up-to-date information students should check www.cimne.com/cm-master. In

addition, other useful links are:
In Barcelona
UPC Institutional and International Relations Office
www.upc.edu/ari/english/home
Barcelona Centre Universitari
http://www.bcu.cesca.es/angles/index.htm
In Swansea
Academic Registry
Email: collaborativeprovision@swansea.ac.uk Tel: 01792 295604
International Student Advisory Service (ISAS)
Email: ISAS@swansea.ac.uk Tel: 01792 295984/602243
In Nantes
International Relations
Building D, BP 92101, F-44321 Nantes Cedex 3, FRANCE
international@ec-nantes.fr
In Stuttgart
Office of International Affairs
http://www.uni-stuttgart.de/ia/internat/index_eng.html
In Pekin
Office of International Affairs
http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/then/6001/index.html
STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME
The Masters Programme consists of four Semesters. It amounts to 120 ECTS credits and
lasts for two academic years. Students attend two Institutions: the first Institution
(either Barcelona or Swansea) is responsible for teaching 60 ECTS and the second
Institution (Stuttgart, Nantes, UPC/CIMNE or Swansea) the remaining 60 ECTS. The
programme aims at providing a theoretical and practical background in a specific field
within computational mechanics. A series of transversal skills and entrepreneurship
orientated modules are included in order to provide awareness and knowledge into those
aspects required to translate concepts of computational mechanics into an industrial
environment. The programme concludes with a Masters thesis (30 ECTS) which should
help the student to deepen his/her knowledge within a particular topic of computational
mechanics, usually set at the frontier of cutting-edge computational mechanics
technology. Table 1 displays the general structure of the programme, detailing the
number of ECTS (i.e. compulsory, elective, transversal, entrepreneurship) to be taken at
the various institutions of the consortium.

YEAR 1 (30+30 ECTS) YEAR 2 (30+30 ECTS)

Taught and practice based element Minor and research element

1st Institution 2nd Institution

First Semester Second Semester Third and Fourth semesters

Minor elective Transversal

Core modules
modules modules
(20 ECTS)
(15 ECTS) (5 ECTS)
Minor
modules
Transversal and (25 ECTS)
entrepreneurship Practical training Masters thesis
modules (15 ECTS) (30 ECTS)
(10 ECTS)

Table 1: Structure of the programme

1. First and second semesters.
The first and second semesters (60 ECTS) are taught at a host institution, which can be
either UPC/CIMNE or Swansea University. The first semester (30 ECTS) provides
fundamental background in computational mechanics with four core modules amounting
to 20 ECTS, as well as transversal modules amounting to 10 ECTS, resulting in a final
total of 30 ECTS. As part of the transversal skills modules, students will be exposed to a
module in “entrepreneurship for engineers” in order to raise their awareness into those
vital aspects required to translate knowledge in computational mechanics into an
industrially orientated environment. Students will also enroll on a course on
“communication skills in a foreign language” to improve their knowledge of the local
language of the country of the second host institution. The first semester is
simultaneously taught at UPC/CIMNE and Swansea University, with identical core
modules and a unified examination/evaluation procedure.
The second semester (30 ECTS) provides extra background in computational mechanics
with a series of courses amounting to 15 ECTS into important aspects of solid and fluid
mechanics. The semester ends with a Practical Training (15 ECTS) module, which is an
essential element in the curriculum providing students with the opportunity to apply their
skills and knowledge in computational mechanics in an industrial context.
Students will be placed in engineering industries, consultancies or research institutions
that have an interest and expertise in computational mechanics and will carry out an
agreed practical project either during a single continuous placement of seven weeks or
via an equivalent series of shorter visits. The nature of the project will very much depend
upon the placement but can involve structural mechanics, solid mechanics, fluid
mechanics or hydrodynamics. Typically, students will be trained by the relevant industry
in the use of their in-house or commercial computational mechanics software. The
outcome of this project will be a report and a presentation to be completed at the end of
the first academic year. The report and presentation will be assessed by two internal
examiners who will also consider a formal written report submitted by the industrial
supervisor.
At the end of the module, students should have gained expertise on the application of
computational mechanics in an industrial context. The project should allow them to
appreciate the practical aspects of computational mechanics and the way in which is
being used in industry to solve real engineering problems. Students will gain knowledge
and expertise in the use of the particular range of commercial software used in the
industry where they are placed. At the end of the module students should be capable of
writing a comprehensive technical report on the work developed and present it to a small
audience.
1st Semester Swansea University &
UPC/CIMNE
(30 ECTS)

Compulsory Modules ECTS

Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations 5
Finite Element Method 5
Continuum Mechanics 5
Advanced Fluid Mechanics 5
Transversal modules (compulsory) ECTS
Entrepreneurship for engineers 5
Communication skills in a foreign language 5

2nd Semester Swansea University

(30 ECTS)

Structural Engineering Elective Modules ECTS

Computational Plasticity 5
Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics 5
Fluid Structure Interaction 5
Fluid Mechanics Elective Modules ECTS
Computational Fluid Dynamics 5
Reservoir Modelling and Simulation 5
Computational Electromagnetics 5
Industrial placement (compulsory) ECTS
Practical training 15

2nd Semester UPC/CIMNE

(30 ECTS)

Structural Engineering Elective Modules ECTS

Computational Solid Mechanics 5
Computational Structural Mechanics and Dynamics 5
Fluid Mechanics Elective Modules ECTS
Finite Elements in Fluids 5
Industrial placement (compulsory) ECTS
Practical training 15
2 Third and fourth semesters
The third and fourth semesters are pursued in the second host institution. They are
organized into minors, consisting of a set of modules emphasizing, or bearing particular
relevance to, a specific area in computational mechanics. Each institution offers two
minors (cf. Table 2), the contents of which are adapted to its expertise, and defines the
compulsory and elective modules for each minor. While some modules fall strictly within
one minor, other modules deal with transversal advanced topics relevant to more than
one minor.
The student must choose a partner institution for the second academic year, different
from that where he/she conducted the first academic year. In agreement with the local
requirements of the second institution, the student must select a set of modules adding
up to 25 ECTS, in such a way that at least 15 ECTS qualify for a minor.
The Masters Thesis (30 ECTS) can be research or industry oriented. The student carries
out the thesis on a topic related to one of his/her areas of specialisation. The Master
thesis includes the seminar series in computational mechanics developed in each
Institution during the 2nd academic year. These seminars will be compulsory for senior
students. The thesis should be submitted by end of the second academic session. Once
completed, the Masters thesis will be defended in front of a local committee, with the
external assessment of at least one faculty member of another institution of the
consortium. The final mark of the thesis will be awarded by the Board of Studies of the
Masters programme during its summer meeting.
 First semester Second semester Third and fourth semesters
(30 ECTS) (30 ECTS) (30 ECTS)

Hydrodynamics
Engineering

Engineering
Mechanics
Mechanics

Structural

Engineering

Materials
Institution Transversal

Solid

Fluid
Core and
modules entrepreneurship Elective Industrial Transversa Masters
skills modules l
Training thesis
skills

UPC/CIMNE

Swansea
University

ECN

University
Stuttgart

Tsinghua
University

Table 2: Institutions providing each part of the structure of the programme and their corresponding
expertise
3rd & 4th Semester Swansea University

(60 ECTS)

Structural Engineering Elective Modules ECTS ECTS

(Term1) (Term2)
Dynamics of Structures 5
Computer Modelling 5
Computational Plasticity 5
Advanced Structural Analysis 5
Nonlinear Continuum Mechanics 5
Fluid Mechanics Elective Modules ECTS ECTS
(Term1) (Term2)
Computational Fluid Dynamics 5
Reservoir Modelling and Simulation 5
Computational Electromagnetics 5

Fluid Structure Interaction 5

Other (subject to timetable constraints and ECTS ECTS
availability) (Term1) (Term2)

Optimisation 5
Engineering Design Optimisation 5
Computational Intelligence in Engineering 5
ECTS ECTS
Transversal modules (5 compulsory ECTS) (Term1) (Term2)
Strategic project management 5
Communication skills for research engineers 5
ECTS ECTS
Master Thesis (compulsory) (Term1) (Term2)
Case Study(*) 5
Supervised MSc thesis(*) 15 15

(*) A supervisor will be appointed for each candidate who will be responsible for ensuring
that studies are carried out in line with the institution’s good practice guidelines. At the
end of the semester each candidate must submit his directed independent learning to the
exam coordinator in the format prescribed by the consortium Board of Studies. A defense
will be organised. The directed independent learning will be examined by both an internal
examiner (who will not be the student’s supervisor) and an external examiner (who may
be a member of staff from another institution within the consortium).
3rd & 4th Semester UPC/CIMNE

(60 ECTS)

Solid Mechanics Elective Modules ECTS ECTS

(Term1) (Term2)
Computational Mechanics Tools 5
Multiscale Computational Mechanics 5
Coupled problems
Advanced Discretization Methods 5
Fluid Mechanics Elective Modules ECTS ECTS
(Term1) (Term2)
Computational Wave Propagation 5

Programming for Engineers and Scientists 5

ECTS ECTS
Transversal modules (5 compulsory ECTS) (Term1) (Term2)

ECTS ECTS
Master Thesis (compulsory) (Term1) (Term2)
Supervised MSc thesis(*) 15 15

The 4th semester is dedicated to the master thesis. A supervisor will be appointed for
each candidate who will be responsible for ensuring that studies are carried out in line
with the institution’s good practice guidelines. At the end of the semester each candidate
must submit his directed independent learning to the exam coordinator in the format
prescribed by the consortium Board of Studies. A defense will be organised. The directed
independent learning will be examined by both an internal examiner (who will not be the
student’s supervisor) and an external examiner (who may be a member of staff from
another institution within the consortium).
 3rd Semester Modules Ecole Centrale de Nantes
Students following the 3rd semester in Nantes have to take six compulsory modules for a
total of 23 ECTS.
Students have to choose two electives modules for an amount of 7 ECTS, one 4 ECTS
module and one 3 ECTS module.

Compulsory Modules: 18 ECTS Total ECTS

Computational methods for incompressible flows 4
Extended finite element method and level set techniques 3
Model reduction 4
Numerical methods for simulation of coupled problems 4
Physical modeling of fluids 3
Transversal modules: 5 ECTS
Business Environment 2
French Language 3
Elective Modules (subject to timetable constraints and
availability): 7 ECTS
Computational damage and fracture mechanics for polymers and
3
composites
Domain decomposition and iterative solvers 4
Fluid-structure interaction and advanced CFD 3
Materials modeling for numerical simulations 4
Multi-scale numerical methods 3
Numerical methods for uncertainty quantification 4

4th Semester Ecole Centrale de Nantes

Master Thesis 30 ECTS

The 4th semester is dedicated to the master thesis. A supervisor will be appointed for
each candidate who will be responsible for ensuring that studies are carried out in line
with the institution’s good practice guidelines. At the end of the semester each candidate
must submit his directed independent learning to the exam coordinator in the format
prescribed by the consortium Board of Studies. A defense will be organised. The directed
independent learning will be examined by both an internal examiner (who will not be the
student’s supervisor) and an external examiner (who may be a member of staff from
another institution within the consortium).
2nd Semester Modules Universität Stuttgart
Solid Eng.
Total Mechanics Materials
Elective modules
ECTS ECTS ECTS
Advanced Computational Mechanics of
6 6 -
Structures*
Boundary Elements Methods in Statics and
6 6 -
Dynamics*
Engineering Materials: Metals# 3 - 3
Engineering Materials: Concrete# 3 - 3
#
Engineering Materials: Soils 3 - 3
Foundations of Single and Multiphase
6 4 2
Continua
Micromechanics of Materials and
6 2 4
Homogenization Methods
Software Development and Numerical
6 3 3
Programming
Adaptive Materials and Smart Structures 3 1 2
Theory and Numerics of Materials at Large
6 2 4
Strains
Numerical Methods for Differential
6 3 3
Equations
* Mandatory Modules for the Solids and Structures minor.
#
Mandatory Modules for the Engineering Materials minor.

.
 Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Application Acceptance Registration
deadline letter period
Enrollment
at 1st First semester (30 ECTS) Second semester (30 ECTS)
institution
First academic year

First semester Second semester modules

modules (30 ECTS) (15 ECTS)
First Second
semester semester
exams exams
Industrial training Mobility
placement
(15 ECTS)
Winter Summer
Board Board of
of Studies
Studies
Enrollment
at 2nd Third and fourth semesters (60 ECTS)
institution
Second academic year

Third semester Fourth semester modules

modules (15 ECTS) (15 ECTS)
Third Fourth
semester semester
exams exams
Research towards Masters Thesis (30 ECTS) Masters Thesis
defence
Winter Summer
Board Board of
of Studies
Studies
Table 3: Student academic calendar
14. PRACTICALITIES

INFORMATION ON UNIVERSITÄT STUTTGART

The Universität Stuttgart, founded in 1829, has integrated the social sciences and the
humanities with engineering to become an internationally well known future-
orientated place of research and study. Today the university is made up of 140
institutes in 14 faculties, with 5.000 employees and approximately 18.000 students of
which around 4.000 are international students.
The Universität Stuttgart holds a leading position in both basic and applied research
and is proud of its tradition of close co-operation with industry as well as with other
research Institutions such as the Frauenhofer-Society for Production Engineering, the
Baden-Württemberg Testing Center, and the German Aerospace Research Institute.
These close relationships also stimulate important impulses for teaching at the
university.
The Faculty of Civil - and Environmental Engineering consists of 36 professors, 125
teaching and research assistants and 1500 students in 16 institutes.
The university is now also offering various new degree courses, which have come
about as a reaction to the continuously changing needs of the global job market as
well as the results of globalization in education.
The University is made up of two main campuses, i.e. the Vaihingen-Campus and the
Stadtmitte-Campus
The Vaihingen-Campus is located in the suburb of Vaihingen and hosts the faculties of
Civil- and Environmental Engineering, Geography, Geology, Biology, Chemistry,
Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Manufacturing, Aerospace Engineering,
Mathematics, Physics; the offices of other international MSc programmes like MIP,
WAREM, INFOTECH, PHYSICS, WASTE, GEOENGINE and COMMAS.
The Stadtmitte campus is located downtown Stuttgart and hosts the faculties of
Architecture, Geography, Geology, and Biology, History, Social Sciences, Business,
Philosophy, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Surveying, Energy
Engineering, Manufacturing; and the administration of the Universität Stuttgart.
The two campuses are connected via S-Bahn (subway) S1, S2, and S3. To get to the
Vaihingen Campus from downtown, take S1, S2 or S3 in the direction of Herrenberg,
Flughafen, Vaihingen, or B\"oblingen and get off at Universität. To return downtown
(Stadtmitte), take any of the trains (S1, S2, S3) going in the direction of
Hauptbahnhof.
There are extensive libraries on both campuses. Also, each campus has its own food
court, store, bank, travel agency, copy shop, etc. The food court not only serves as a
place to obtain cheap, subsidized food, but is also a place to obtain information on
housing, culture, etc.

VISUM
Obtaining a student visa for Germany usually requires at least two months. Therefore,
apply for a student visa immediately upon arriving in Swansea or Barcelona and
getting the Letter of Admission. The administration in Swansea and Barcelona will help
you to arrange a date. The visa should be valid from January 2008. Do not enter
Germany with a tourist visa, since a tourist visa cannot be transferred to a student
visa once you have entered Germany.
The German Missions Abroad (www.auswaertiges amt.de/www/en/adressen_html)
In your application, please refer to COMMAS, Erasmus Mundus-Program and include a
copy of your acceptance letter. If your visa application is delayed, contact the
COMMAS office for assistance.
If the Embassy/Consulate requires that you open a bank account in Germany, please
get in contact with a German bank for further information. (Please note, these banks
are listed only as examples, we leave the final choice up to you!)
Commerzbank(www.commerzbank.com)
Deutsche Bank(www.deutsche-bank.de)
Dresdner Bank(www.dresdner-bank.de)
LBBW Bank (has an on-campus office)
(www.lbbw.de/lbbw/html.nsf/webdokumente/start_english.htm)
Postbank(www.postbank.de)
Volksbank(www.vr-networld.de)

INFORMATION ON BARCELONA
UPC's syllabuses are designed so as to address the educational needs of society. By
adapting them to the changes taking place at the University and in society, they are
submitted to a continuous process of revision and improvement. The syllabuses are
divided into curricular areas and the first of these areas corresponds to the selection
phase.
The selection phase is designed to evaluate students' ability to make satisfactory
progress in the subjects they choose and to finish them in the length of time foreseen;
for this reason, it includes both basic course materials and technological subjects
specific to the qualification. Not all of the qualifications establish the selection phase at
the same point during the course. There are one- and two-semester selection phases.
Students must pass the selection phase in no longer than double the amount of time
allotted to it: if the selection phase is one semester long, then the student must
obtain a pass grade in a maximum of two semesters' time. This time limit does not
apply to people who wish to work whilst undertaking their studies. In this case, they
can request to take the selection phase under special conditions.
Most UPC Schools are located within the city of Barcelona. Its excellent location in
terms of international communications, its Mediterranean climate and its cosmopolitan
character are some of the characteristics which make of Barcelona a privileged city.
Barcelona has more than 2000 years of history. The history of its expansion from
ancient times is marked on the walls of its buildings and streets. Its entire history is
reflected in the present. The location and beauty of Barcelona go hand in hand with
the warmth of its residents. Its tradition initiative, hard work and creativity are a
result of the continuous influx of different peoples and cultures, which are
fundamental to any hospitable and welcoming city. These factors have had an
undeniable influence on the vitality of the population and its rich cultural and artistic
history.
La Rambla is the main thoroughfare of Barcelona, as well as the city's most famous
street. Roman walls can still be seen in the city centre. A good way to acquaint
oneself with the city is to walk down La Rambla towards the port. Along this route,
visitors come across the impressive old town, with its palaces, churches, museums,
squares, small peaceful corners and medieval alleys where Romanesque and Gothic
styles coexist. The walls reveal Barcelona's history and the avenue presents us with
the city's character.
The markets and bazaars give a touch of colour to the place and testify to its trading
tradition. During the long summer months, the old town becomes a light-hearted,
open-air celebration.
La Rambla ends at the sea. Restoration projects carried out in this area have
rehabilitated Barcelona's sea front. Currently, the city has long beaches, new ports
built for leisure, and extensive and beautiful open spaces in which to enjoy a pleasant
moment. Continuing along the sea front towards the North, we discover the newest
part of Barcelona: the Olympic Village, with buildings designed by reputable
contemporary architects and modern street furniture. This is truly a unique area, and
a good place to enjoy a walk by the sea front. In a matter of seconds we have gone
from the oldest to the newest area of Barcelona.
To speak of Barcelona is to speak architecture, design, painting, festivals, museums,
theatre, music, etc. The generations of artists and intellectuals who chose the city as
a meeting point and source of inspiration have irrevocably marked Barcelona. Here we
can find masterpieces by the main Modernista architects, Gaudí and Puig i Cadafalch:
Parc Güell, La Pedrera, Palau de la Música, etc. The city's prized possessions include
the Modernista paintings of Rusiñol and Casas, the Miró and Tàpies Foundations, the
MACBA (Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art) and the unique Romanesque art
collections which can be found in the National Art Museum of Catalonia. Local theatre
is rich, both in tradition and in renovation. During the summer, Barcelona becomes
the Mediterranean capital of theatre and music thanks to the international GREC
festival, which includes a variety of outdoor performances. During the rest of the year,
other cultural and international festivals take place.
Additional information on Barcelona
More detailed information on Barcelona can be found at the following internet
address: www.bcn.es
There are several tourism offices in Barcelona. Here are some of them:
Barcelona Information and Tourism Centre
Plaza Catalunya, 17 (metro)
Telephone: 34 906 301 282
Barcelona Information Center
La Rambla, 58
Telephone: 34 933 179 829
Sants Tourism Office
Estación ferroviaria de Sants
Telephone: 34 906 301 282

Barcelona's Area of Influence

Barcelona's area of influence extends to a network of cities surrounding Barcelona and
includes the city itself. This extensive metropolitan area is currently home to three
million residents.
The future of this urban system is a topic currently being considered by experts at
UPC, who are investigating sustainable development proposals. An increasing number
of people are moving to different municipalities in Barcelona's area of influence to live,
work or study. This is true for 45% of Catalonia's population.
Some of UPC's major campuses and schools are situated in cities located within
Barcelona's area of influence:Terrassa, Sant Cugat, Castelldefels and Vilanova i la
Geltrú.
All these have good transport links with the city of Barcelona. Travelling to Barcelona
from Terrassa, Castelldefels, Sant Cugat and Vilanova takes only 30 minutes by metro
or train and is permanently guaranteed. The Manresa campus is located a bit further
away. None the less, 26 trains per day connect Manresa to Barcelona in only 70
minutes.
Although they are near Barcelona, these cities each have their own personality and
have much to offer.

Climate
Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate, in which extreme temperatures are rare.
The Universities of Barcelona have an agreement with Barcelona Housing Service for
Students, a specialist organisation in youth accommodation, for the purpose of finding
accommodation.

Students are advised to contact Barcelona Housing Service for Students either via
Internet, e-mail or fax in order to determine the most suitable type of accommodation
available (shared flat, rented apartment or university residence hall), well in advance
of their moving to Barcelona.
The staff at Barcelona Housing Service for Students will inform you of the different
costs involved in each option. If you do this, you will be able to go straight to your
chosen place of residence upon arrival in Barcelona.

RECEPTION OFFICE
The Reception Office provides information and practical orientation to foreign
students. All students, when they arrive at UPC, should go straight to the Reception
Office in order to start the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) registration
process.
Reception Office staff will inform foreign students about the registration process,
language courses, medical insurance and the different services offered by the
University. They will also show them how to get to the school where they will be
studying.

Reception Offices:

Oficina de Mobilitat Internacional de Barcelona

(International Mobility Office)
C/Jordi Girona, 1-3, mòdul A4
08034 Barcelona
Campus Nord
Tel:+34-93 401 69 37
Fax:+34-93 401 74 02
oficina.mobilitat.internacional upc.edu

INFORMATION ON SWANSEA

THE CITY
Cosmopolitan, convenient, contemporary- Swansea is a modern city with a maritime
feel. Living here brings you all the benefits of living in a city, and the benefits of living
by the sea.
From the Maritime Quarter with its beautiful marina scenery, exhibitions, places to eat
and the beach beyond; to the town centre with its shops, multi-screen cinema
featuring the latest film releases, bowling centre, museum, the Glynn Vivian Art
Gallery and the Grand Theatre which presents live performances all year round and is
one of Britain’s finest regional theatres; there is always plenty to do.
At night, the city comes to life with its wide choice of clubs, bars and restaurants,
many situated in the vibrant Wind Street, and the nearby village of Mumbles with its
famous pub mile!
What makes the city of Swansea so easy is its manageable size. Nothing is too far
away from the centre. Regular buses run to and from the city centre and good coach,
rail and motorway connections provide excellent links to many other cities in the UK.
For further information on the city of Swansea see http://www.swansea.gov.uk/

THE UNIVERSITY
Swansea University was established by Royal Assent (as University College of
Swansea) in 1920. It currently offers degrees of Swansea University at undergraduate
and postgraduate level. The University Campus is set between acres of green parkland
and miles of sea and sand. It is a truly stunning location, just a couple of miles from
the city centre and within easy reach of the beautiful Gower countryside and beaches.
Swansea's thriving academic community is made up of approx 12,000 students, of
which over 2,000 are postgraduates, studying a wide variety of subjects.

Mission Statement

The University’s Mission for the period 2009-2014 is as follows:

Swansea University will provide an environment of research excellence, with

research being undertaken that is world-leading and internationally recognised and
that informs all other activities at the University. Swansea University will deliver an
outstanding student experience, with teaching of the highest quality that produces
graduates equipped for distinguished personal and professional achievement. The
University Community will be a powerhouse for growth in the regional economy,
and will greatly enrich the community and cultural life of Wales. It will contribute to
the health, leisure and well-being of citizens in South West Wales and beyond.

Academic Registry
Email: academic.registry@swansea.ac.uk
The Academic Registry, located in the Stable Block of Singleton Abbey, administers
the following key areas that may directly affect your time at Swansea:
Examinations, Appeals, Council Tax Exemption, Unfair Practice/Unfitness to
Practice, Degree Ceremonies, Transcripts, Diploma Supplements,
Suspension/Withdrawal of Studies.
In addition, any queries that might result in having to change your personal or
academic details may have to be referred to the Academic Registry. For further
information on what the Department offers see http://www.swan.ac.uk/registry/

Accommodation
Swansea has a good range of accommodation for new postgraduate students and
priority is given to international students. For further information about
accommodation at Swansea see http://www.swan.ac.uk/accommodation/
Student Support Services
Email:student.services@swansea.ac.uk
Student Support Services is part of the Student Services Directorate alongside
Residential Services (Accommodation Office) and the English Language Training
Service (ELTS). It offers a ‘one-stop-shop’ to provide information, advice and support
to students and staff working with them. It comprises:
• Disability Office
• International Student Advisory Service (ISAS)
• Money Advice - Student Financial Aid Office
• Student Counselling Service
For further information on what services the office provide see
http://www.swan.ac.uk/student-services/

Please note that each year the Student Services department at Swansea runs a
meet and greet service to Heathrow on the weekend prior to the start of term. For
more information see http://www.swansea.ac.uk/international/ prior to the start of the
September term.

International Student Advisory Service (ISAS)

Email:ISAS@ Swansea.ac.uk

The International Student Advisory Service (ISAS) provides information, advice and
support on non-academic matters to all international (non-UK) students and their
dependants. The service operates according to the UKCISA / AISA Code of Ethics for
those advising international students
(http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/content/2705/UKCISA/AISA-Code-of-Ethics) and the Rules
and Code of Standards of the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
(www.oisc.gov.uk/). Common areas of advice include UK immigration, travelling in the
EU, financial hardship, employment regulations and advice regarding visiting friends
and family. ISAS operates the Home Office Batch Scheme to assist students with
extending their visas, and arranges Police Registration on campus. Specific induction
sessions are arranged for international students.
The International Student Handbook is produced each year and sent to prospective
students. It is also available on the University website at
http://www.swan.ac.uk/isas/handbook/

Disabilities
Email:disability@swansea.ac.uk
The University Disability Office provides a wide range of support services for those
with disabilities, including:
• Disability Office Manager – service management and development
• Caseworkers - a comprehensive advice and information service for students
from initial enquiries prior to application and throughout their chosen course
of study.
• Dyslexia Tutor – one to one tutorials and group presentations & workshops
for students with Specific Learning Difficulties
• IT Support Officer – a help desk service to resolve problems with specialist
technology and training on specialist software packages
 • Mental Health Coordinator – advice and information for staff and students,
individual student support and coordination with NHS Mental Health
Services
• Support Coordinator – coordinates non-medical support recommended in
students’ assessment of needs reports e.g. notetakers, readers, mentors,
subject specific support, sighted assistance etc.
• An Assessment and Training Centre, where students are able to receive an
assessment of needs interview and report that considers the effects of
students disability on study, makes recommendations for support
(equipment, personal and consumable) and indicates the associated costs.
The assessment report enables students to access the Disabled Students
Allowance (DSA) from LEA’s to fund the recommended support.
• The Recording for the Blind Centre, which works closely with colleagues in
the Disability Office and Library and Information Centre to provide materials
in Braille, large print and/or tape.

For further information about the range of services on offer, please visit the website
at http://www.swansea.ac.uk/disability-office/ or consult the current Support
Services Handbook for a summary.

Students Union
In addition the Student's Union operates an advice and support centre offering free
confidential advice to all University students. For further information on what
Swansea Students Union has to offer see http://www.swansea-union.co.uk/
Sports and Extra Mural Activities
For sports enthusiasts Swansea University’s modern sports centre includes a fully
equipped gym, multi-purpose sports hall, squash courts and a climbing wall. Next
to this you will find the state-of-the-art 50m Wales National Pool. Outdoor facilities
include rugby, football, lacrosse, cricket pitches and tennis courts. In addition,
surfing and canoeing conditions on the Gower beaches are excellent.
For Arts enthusiasts the Taliesin Arts centre, based in the heart of campus, offers a
lively programme of drama, dance concerts and an eclectic mix of films, including
award winning foreign language titles not usually shown in mainstream cinema.
Study Support
A list of on-line resources for Study Skills support for students has been established
at: http://www.swan.ac.uk/lis/
Language Classes
Free academic language support classes are also offered by the Centre for Applied
Languages. Courses include general English, academic writing and reading and
general study skills.

GENERAL REGULATIONS / ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

You should be made aware that you must abide by the University’s Academic
Regulations and General Regulations, which are outlined on the Academic Registry
Website. http://www.swan.ac.uk/registry/academicguide/.

SAFETY REGULATIONS & EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

The University’s Safety Regulations are available for consultation on the main
departmental notice board.

COMPLAINTS
Swansea University is committed to ensuring a high quality educational experience
for its students, supported by appropriate academic, administrative and welfare
support services and facilities. However there will be instances when students may
feel dissatisfied with the teaching and learning, facilities or services provided by the
University, or with the way the University, its students or its staff have acted or
omitted to act. This may include unreasonable behaviour or an unsatisfactory level
of service. It is expected that students and staff will make reasonable efforts to
resolve matters at the outset and it is anticipated that the majority of complaints
can be resolved satisfactorily on an informal basis.
In summary, the University operates a three-tier complaints system.
Stage 1: Informal Complaint
Stage 2: In writing to the relevant Head of Department/ School
Stage 3: Registering a formal complaint with the Academic Registry through filling
in a formal University Complaint Form.

In addition, should a student on the Erasmus Mundus programme be unable to

resolve a complaint to their satisfaction within Swansea’s procedures, he/she may
approach the Board of Studies of the Consortium. An independent member of the
Board will be asked to conduct an investigation into the complaint.

If you wish to make a complaint, please first read the section under the Publications
tab on the Academic Registry Website http://www.swan.ac.uk/registry/Publications/
outlining the University’s full Complaints procedure.

VISAS FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM

If you come from a country outside the EU, you will need to apply for entry clearance
in the form of a student visa or an entry clearance certificate at the British Embassy or
High Commission in your country before you come to the UK.

Details of the visa application process can be obtained from the University
web site at
http://www.swan.ac.uk/isas/immigration/applying-for-a-visa/
This guidance is frequently updated so please do check that you have the
most up-to-date version before making an application.

In brief, anybody who wants to study in the UK for more than 6 months has to apply
under Tier 4 (General) (Student Visa) of the new Points-based system.
You cannot apply for a visa under Tier 4 until you have an unconditional offer for
your course and have received an official visa certificate from the University. This is
called a CAS Statement and will be sent to you via e-mail. Application for entry
clearance (visa) must not be made more than 3 months prior to your course start
date. Therefore, if you are not studying in Swansea until the September of the second
year you are advised to wait until June of the first year to apply. More information on
the visa process and your CAS letter will be sent to you at this point. However, you
should check what documents you will need before you leave your home country as all
of the documents you supply must be originals. If the original document is not in
English, you must supply a certified translation. See page 6 of
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/en/docs/1903073/PBSappendix8generalstudent
for details of what is required.

Once you successfully obtain your visa, please check that it is valid for the
full period of your time in Swansea before you travel to the UK. If the visa
does not cover the whole period of course, contact the VAC to request a
correction.

Biometric data
You will need to provide 'biometric' information as part of the visa application process.
This biometric information consists of scans of all 10 of your fingers and a full-face
digital photograph. You should contact your British Embassy or High Commission for
further information about this process. Your visa application will not be processed until
you have provided the necessary biometric information.

TB testing
Applicants for UK visas valid for longer than six months in certain countries now
require a certificate to show that they are free from infectious pulmonary tuberculosis
(TB). Testing has already begun in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya (also accepts
applications from residents of Eritrea and Somalia), Pakistan, Sudan, Tanzania and
Thailand (also accepts applications from Cambodia and Laos). You should contact your
British Embassy or High Commission for further information about this process.

For full information on applying for entry clearance to the UK, please visit the UK
Border Agency's Visa Services website (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/).
Alternatively, you can contact the British Embassy in your home country.

INFORMATION ON Ecole Centrale Nantes

THE CITY

Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, 50 km (31 mi) from
the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area
ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants. Nantes is the capital city of the Pays de la
Loire region and Loire-Atlantique département. Together with Vannes, Rennes and
Carhaix, it was one of the major cities of the historic province of Brittany, and the
ancient Duchy of Brittany. In 2004, Time described Nantes as "the most liveable
city in Europe". In 2010, Nantes was named a hub city for innovation in the
Innovation Cities Index by innovation agency, 2thinknow. The city was ranked 36th
globally from 289 cities and 4th overall in France, across multiple sectors of the
economy.

More info on the city :

http://en.nantes-tourisme.com/

THE SCHOOL
Founded in 1919, the Ecole Centrale de Nantes (ECN) is among the best higher
education and research institutions in France in the fields of Science and
Engineering. Centrale Nantes is a public institution belonging with the Ministry of
Research and Education and receives government support. The purpose of the
Ecole Centrale of Nantes is to develop top level future scientists and engineers in
multidisciplinary as well as specific fields. For around 2 000 students per year in
engineering programme, Master's Degrees and PhDs. ECN Professors,
Administrative and Alumni play an important role in improving national and
international education research and corporate sectors. Centrale Nantes engineers
learn and master the complexity of industrial projects and are sensitive to the
needs of the society in order to conceive products and services for the benefit of
the society as a whole. Widespread recognition of the ECN programs by firms and
R&D organizations has enabled graduates to assume positions of responsibility in
every sector—among them aeronautics and space, automobiles, construction and
public works, electronics, information sciences, mechanics, nuclear energy, offshore
operations, the oil business, scientific and technical research, consulting, and
banking.

Centrale Nantes has developed a strong international policy covering both training
and research: Hotbeds of innovation and open-mindedness, the research
laboratories of Centrale Nantes provide strong links with the French industrial fabric
and enjoy a reputation for excellence in Europe and around the world (Ranked as
Excellent A and A+ by national public agency of evaluation). The ECN research units
possess experimental equipment that is unique in their respective fields,
particularly in naval hydrodynamics, fluid mechanics, civil engineering, crash
testing, composite and advanced materials, virtual reality, concurrent engineering,
and machining. ECN research teams are highly involved of the European 7th PCRD
project (10 projects in 2011, 1 as leader). More than 100 contracts are processed
annually, in accordance with public bodies, large groups and small- to medium-
sized businesses. These contracts represent 31% of Centrale Nantes annual running
costs budget. ECN is also member of three international laboratories in China and
Japan.

At the heart of its strategic policy since 1991, the international development of
Ecole Centrale de Nantes has gained significant national and international
recognition, visibility attractiveness and experience. Ecole Centrale de Nantes
privileges its participation in the development of the European area as a major
asset of its international policy, by meeting the expectations of the Bologna Process
and by piloting and participating in European projects such as Erasmus, Erasmus
Mundus, Tempus. ECN is an Erasmus mobility programme active member. ECN is
currently involved in 3 ERASMUS MUNDUS Master programmes as well as in 3
Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window programmes. ECN is an active
member of international networks such as T.I.M.E. Top Industrial Managers for
Europe is a leading network for the training of multi-cultural engineers: Master-
level Double Degree graduates. It is also an active member of RMEI Network
(Mediterranean Network of Engineering Institutions) and more recently Maghales
(Latin America). Along with its French partners (Groupe des Ecoles Centrales), ECN
developed a strong expertise in the creation and the implementation of Double
Degree agreements. ECN was at the origin of the creation of the first Double
Degree Agreement between French HEI and non Europeans HEIs at the Engineering
Master Level (China 1996, Brazil 2000, Japan 2005 and more recently in 2011 with
Anna Universality in India). ECN intends to reinforce its involvement for the
implementation of Joint Degree agreements.
Understanding the importance of international experience, ECN has made a
minimum stay abroad mandatory for all its home students. Within their engineering
curriculum, 100% ECN students, at the engineering programme, leave the ECN for
either a Double-Degree (2 years abroad) or 1 or 2 exchange semesters. Since
2007, the rate of incoming students has increased every year by 20%. In 2012,
24% of the ECN students are international. The rich ECN experience in
hosting/sending students and staff has recently widely developed with its
participation in various EM Action 1 and 2 programmes. ECN has set up new
application and evaluation tools. ECN has now a deep knowledge of the
grading/evaluation systems of the whole world, which enables the School to assess
and rank the students correctly.

The International Office (IO) counts 17 members. 5 full-time members work on the
development, the implementation and the quality control of international activities.
About 12 additional staff members (administrative, academic or research) are
dedicated to geographical zones. Every year, the IO staff is involved in the ECN
exchange programmes launching and publicity and in their selection process.
Applications of incoming and outgoing students are managed by the IO team using
electronic applications and interviews at home university. Once the incoming
students have been selected for Ecole Centrale de Nantes, each one gets an
academic as well as a cultural tutor, who will help him/her to construct his/her
learning plan. The administration staff has a long-lasting experience in supporting
students in all aspects including housing (student rooms are automatically booked
for exchange students by our International Office), visa requirements, residence
permits, bank account openings, local area visits, etc. The administration supports
the students in all their procedures, i.e. before their arrival, on their arrival, during
their stay in Nantes, and after their return to their home university. French courses
are offered all year round according to the level of the students. Centrale Nantes
also offers courses in 7 various languages, including French as a foreign language.
Centrale Nantes also organises get–together weekends among students, with local
area and town visits.

ECN is a member of the Ecoles Centrales Group (Groupe des Ecoles Centrales with
Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Paris) with more than 6,500 students in Engineering
Sciences. ECN is a founding member of the regional Pôle de Recherche et
d’Enseignement Supérieur (PRES UNAM) with more than 76,000 students and 2300
PhD.

More on the school :

http://www.ec-nantes.fr/version-anglaise/

International Student Contact and Reception :

international@ec-nantes.fr
INFORMATION ON Tsinghua University

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous
cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The metropolis,
located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the
national government, with 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural counties.
Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring
Tianjin Municipality to the southeast.

Beijing is China's second largest city by urban population after Shanghai and is the
country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for
most of China's largest state-owned companies. Beijing is a major transportation hub
in the national highway, expressway, railway and high-speed rail network. Beijing's
Capital International Airport is the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic.

Few cities in the world have been the political and cultural centre of an area as
immense for so long. Beijing is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. It has
been the heart of China’s history for centuries, and there is scarcely a major building
of any age in Beijing that does not have at least some national historical significance.
The city is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates.
Its art treasures and universities have long made it a centre of culture and art in
China.

THE UNIVERSITY

Tsinghua University was established in 1911, originally under the name “Tsinghua
Xuetang”. The school was renamed "Tsinghua School" in 1912. The university section
was founded in 1925. The name “National Tsinghua University” was adopted in 1928.

The faculty greatly valued the interaction between Chinese and Western cultures, the
sciences and humanities, the ancient and modern. Tsinghua scholars Wang Guowei,
Liang Qichao, Chen Yinque and Zhao Yuanren, renowned as the "Four Tutors" in the
Institute of Chinese Classics, advocated this belief and had a profound impact on
Tsinghua's later development.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the University was molded into a
polytechnic institute focusing on engineering in the nationwide restructuring of
universities and colleges undertaken in 1952. In November 1952, Mr. Jiang Nanxiang
became the President of the University. He made significant contributions in leading
Tsinghua to become the national center for training engineers and scientists with both
professional proficiency and personal integrity.

Since China opened up to the world in 1978, Tsinghua University has developed at a
breathtaking pace into a comprehensive research university. At present, the university
has 14 schools and 56 departments with faculties in science, engineering, humanities,
law, medicine, history, philosophy, economics, management, education and art. The
University has now over 25,900 students, including 13,100 undergraduates and
12,800 graduate students. As one of China’s most renowned universities, Tsinghua
has become an important institution for fostering talent and scientific research.

The educational philosophy of Tsinghua is to "train students with integrity." Among

over 120,000 students who have graduated from Tsinghua since its founding are
many outstanding scholars, eminent entrepreneurs and great statesmen remembered
and respected by their fellow Chinese citizens. With the motto of “Self-Discipline and
Social Commitment” and the spirit of “Actions Speak Louder than Words”, Tsinghua
University is dedicated to the well-being of Chinese society and to world development.

INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

Tsinghua University has a long tradition of actively developing strategic partnerships

and collaborations with prestigious universities, international organizations and
enterprises throughout the world. The University sponsors high-level academic
exchanges, joint programs, international conferences and other international
activities. Student exchanges are encouraged to cultivate talented students with
global vision. Tsinghua also plays an important role in global higher education
organizations to promote multilateral cooperation and organizes many academic and
cultural activities abroad to deepen mutual understanding between people from
different countries and regions.

STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS

International students are encouraged to participate in various extracurricular

activities and join the student associations of the University. FSAO also organizes
extracurricular activities for international students, including welcome party for new
students, New Year’s party, graduation party, tourist visits to Chinese cultural and
historical destinations, sports competitions, etc.

Tsinghua University has more than 110 student associations covering five domains:
science and technology, physical training, humanities, arts and public welfare. To
name a few: the Students' Performing Arts Club, Zijing Volunteer Service, Students'
Association of Science & Technology, Photography Association, Foreign Languages
Association, Association of Student International Communication (ASIC), etc.

EATING/DINING SERIVICES

International students can apply for a Dining Card at the Food Service Center
(Business hours: 8:00-13:00, 15:00-18:00) located in No.15 Building with their
Admission Notice/Student ID Cards or certificates issued by FSAO. Students may have
meals in any students’ dining hall with this card. A temporary card or cash is required
at other dining places. Students are expected to maintain the order of the dining halls,
help to keep the places clean and tidy, take care of the facilities and equipment, and
show respect to the working staff.

INTERNET SERVICES

Students may apply for a network account with their Admission Notice / student ID or
IC cards or certificate issued by FSAO at the Network Center located in the Room 113,
Zijing Building 19. International students can log onto the Internet with public
computers in the University Library or in the Network Center. They can also connect
to the Internet with their own computers through the broad band network in No.4 or
No.6 Teaching Building, and International Student Dormitory.
CAMPUS SERVICES

Service facilities inside Tsinghua University make the life of students very convenient.
The on-campus shopping center is located at Zhaolanyuan, where one can find banks,
post office, super-market, bookstores, fruit and vegetable market, photo studios,
restaurants, the barber’s, laundries, etc. All kinds of services are also provided in the
living area of students.

Banking Service

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Bank of
Beijing in Zhaolanyuan shopping center, Bank of China in Zijing Student Service
Center (Building C) provide service for deposit and exchange of foreign currencies. US
dollar, Euro, Pound, Yen can be exchanged to Renminbi. But the traveler's check is
not acceptable there. Large amount of foreign currencies and traveler's check can be
exchanged to Renminbi at a branch of Bank of China located at Chuangxin Plaza
nearby University's East Gate. Banks open from 9:00 to 17:00 everyday.

On-campus Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) can be found at places like the
Zijingyuan Dinning Hall, the Taoliyuan Dinning Hall, the Zijing Building No.4, 5 and 6,
the post office, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, outside the Tingtaoyuan
(formerly named No.10 Dining Hall), on the first floor of Guanchouyuan(formerly
named Dining Plaza), the Financial Department of the University, etc.

Mailing Service

The post office located in the Student Service Center located in the west of the Zijing
dormitory and Zhaolanyuan opens from 8:30 to 17:30 everyday, providing services of
mailing, sending and receiving parcels, fax, telegram, distance calls, etc.

Shopping

The shopping center of Tsinghua is located in Zhaolanyuan. Besides, several other

supermarkets can be found, such as the Zijing Student Supermarket at the
underground floor of the Student Service Center, Zijing Supermarket in the Dining
Plaza, and the Student Supermarket between No.7 and No.8 student dormitories.
Banks, shops and bookstores are installed at the Student Service Center.

Sports Facilities

The on-campus sports facilities include the following:

The indoor swimming and diving gymnasium, and the West Lake outdoor swimming
pool (Open from June.1st to Sep 1st each year); the comprehensive gymnasium
(sports facilities provided: badminton, table tennis, basketball, and gymnastic
apparatus); western gymnasium (sports facilities provided: badminton, basketball,
and billiards); the plastic tennis court, the eastern gymnasium, and the table tennis
Center.

International students may use the above mentioned services with Student ID cards
and pay relevant fees.