Study guide

Source: https://studiekiezer.ugent.be/2026/en/afstudeerrichting/EB6INWMP Parent: https://www.ugent.be/ea/en/education/study-programmes

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (Machine and Production Automation)

This Kortrijk-based Engineering Technology programme is organized by the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture and has a unique profile. Our graduates design creative solutions to problems and develop new machines and production systems in various disciplines.

2026-2027 2025-2026 2024-2025 2023-2024 2022-2023 2021-2022 2020-2021

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Bachelor's Programme

3 year 180 credits

Faculty of Engineering and Architecture

Dutch

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About the programme

Programme summary

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Off to a good start

Postgraduate studies

What

A Machine and Production Automation engineer designs the machines that form the basis for an automated industry, the so-called Industry 4.0. In this industrial environment of the future, smart products will communicate with smart machines based on a unique code. These machines are efficient and versatile thanks to a combination of electromechanical design and intelligence. These moving machines make products or perform tasks in a fast, intelligent and sustainable manner. Widely known examples are robots and cobots, automated vehicles (AGV), 3D printers and all advanced production machinery. They are the foundation of a new competitive industry.

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Remarks

Admission into the programme is subject to taking a benchmark test (in Dutch). \

For whom

Needless to say, an outspoken interest in mathematics, sciences and technology is indispensable for all those wishing to start any engineering programme. Other important assets are motivation, perseverance and creativity.

Prospective students with a secondary school education in engineering technology (in Dutch: industriële wetenschappen), mathematics or science come to the programme well-prepared. Our prospective students can test their prior knowledge by means of a self-assessment and the benchmark test.

During the first three terms of the curriculum we cover the mathematical topics from the secondary school curriculum in a more in-depth manner, as well as introduce new topics. A solid basic knowledge of mathematics is a prerequisite for most of the other course units, too.

Prior knowledge of course units such as mechanics, electricity and chemistry is good to have but not a prerequisite.

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Structure

• Bachelor

The first year offers a common curriculum for all Ghent- and Kortrijk-based Engineering Technology programmes at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, with the exception of Industrial Design Engineering Technology. We introduce you to the different engineering disciplines. Later on in your career, this will allow you to communicate with colleagues across disciplines. This is what distinguishes an engineer from a professional Bachelor or a ‘pure’ (theoretical) scientist. From the second year onwards, you choose Machine and Production Automation.

The content of the Bachelor’s curriculum is built on four learning pathways: Mechatronics covers mechanical designs needed by machines in the manufacturing* industry. Specific software helps you make the right decisions. In addition to functional design, we also place great store by other aspects such as machine safety. The next step in the design is the choice of transmission.

Electronic Design and Transmissions focuses on the right choice of engine and engine control. Ultimately, the electrical transmission of a machine is powered by a correctly designed power circuit, electrical cabinet and concomitant schedules.

Electronics and ICT are the control engineering heart of the machine. (Micro)controllers take decisions and steer the machine’s movements. In addition, we also cover aspects such as sensors, interfacing and communication.

Finally, production automation is a discipline that focuses not so much on the machine but on how several machines can collaborate seamlessly in one operational production process. PLC control and its visualization through HMI as well as the connecting communication systems are essential in this.

* The manufacturing industry manufactures products mechanically. This covers production an sich as well as companies that design machines to enable production. Key concepts here are flexibility, speed, and sustainability.

• Master

The Master’s curriculum builds on the learning pathways of the Bachelor’s programme. It prepares you for professional life in a variety of sectors in which the so-called Industry 4.0 plays a significant role. A choice of minors enables you to specialize in smart moving machines - the proverbial workhorses of our industry (Smart Machines), in the industrial environment (Smart Factories), or in digitalization-related challenges (Smart Technologies).

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Labour Market

What Engineering Technology graduates are capable of cannot be captured in a mere few sentences. One thing is certain, though: theirs is a dynamic, interesting, versatile and creative profession. \ Job opportunities are various and manifold. A considerable number of our graduates ends up in technical, management or commercial positions: as automation engineer, Research & Development engineer, production and maintenance engineer, sales engineer, technical manager, project manager, service engineer, safety manager, electrical engineer or lecturer. Various sectors are open to you: machine manufacturing, the metalworking industry, electronics, integrators, the services sector. \ Design offices are also eager to employ our graduates. Other important employers are the government, semi-public institutions (e.g. The Federal Planning Bureau, the Belgian Buildings Agency, ...) and the education sector. A career at a research institute is also among the possibilities. Or maybe you will start your own company?

\ Be sure to check out these interesting testimonials a ikbenindustrieelingenieur.be (in Dutch).

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Study programme quality

Quality Assurance

At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality. *Ghent University continuously focuseson quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system* offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.

More information:

Ghent University's Education Objectives

Quality Assurance at Ghent University

Unique Selling Points

1. Multiperspectivism: We train our students into becoming engineers with both technical and academic-scientific knowledge, theoretical as well as practical skills and attitudes, a broad polyvalent base (first and second year) and a clear specialization (third and fourth year).
2. Curriculum:Our curriculum contains clearly defined learning pathways of increasing complexity.
3. Profile: We focus on specific key aspects based on our own on-campus research and long-standing collaboration with the industry.
4. Talent Development: Our programme aims to strengthen our students’ knowledge of specific technical-scientific matters, while also focusing on those generic skills that are indispensable for future engineers, like communication and project management, legal aspects as well as economic and ecological ones.
5. Integration of theory and practice:our curriculum contains many hours of tutorials and practicals, during which we use our well-equipped infrastructure to apply the theoretical knowledge covered in the lectures.

Strengths

1. Our dedicated team of lecturers: Our programme boasts a team of highly motivated lecturers. Since we are a rather small-scale programme, all of our lecturers are very approachable.
2. Mentoring services: In addition to providing tutorial services, we also offer mentoring services (i.e. follow-up of individual students) in the first year.
3. Interdependence of education and the industry: We have at our disposal state-of-the-art laboratories in which our industrial partners, lecturers and students collaborate closely.
4. Room for practical experience: We place a strong emphasis on hands-on lab sessions from the first year onwards. And we maintain a mix of 60% theory and 40% practicals throughout the entire study programme.
5. Assessment: Our students appreciate the fact that they are well informed about the form and content of the assessments. It gives them a clear view of what to expect while studying.

Challenges

1. Internationalisation: at university level there are sufficient opportunities for internationalisation, of which our programme makes insufficient use.
2. Alumni outreach: we engage in alumni outreach but are still looking for appropriate initiatives to strengthen it further.
3. Reputation: our programme is relatively new, and hence, not sufficiently known.

Accreditation

This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organization of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2022. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.

This information was last updated on 14/02/2023. \ In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.