Twin exchange Engineering summer school challenges students at two universities

The University of Huddersfield’s School of Computing and Engineering participated in a twin exchange visit with German University Fachhochschule Dortmund over the summer, which saw students from each institution tackle engineering challenges and gain valuable skills.

In August, the University welcomed a group of 8 students from FH Dortmund for a week-long exchange as part of its EnABLE Summer School, while at the same time 6 Huddersfield students were in Dortmund attending the Smart Manufacturing summer school.

The twin programmes allowed students from both universities to learn alongside domestic peers, while strengthening connections and collaborative skills.

The visiting Dortmund students took part in a new EnABLE (Engineering in an Activity-Based Learning Environment) challenge, where they worked in multinational teams, tackling a condensed engineering challenge.

They engaged in problem-based learning, involving design, build, test, evaluation, and presentation — sharpening critical problem-solving skills, communication, and technical competencies.

Equally, Huddersfield students participated in a similar way in Dortmund through Smart Manufacturing 2025, a certificate course run by FH Dortmund, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, in partnership with RV College of Engineering in India, over a three-week period in August and September.

Huddersfield engineering students joined domestic and international peers in modules including Additive Manufacturing; High-Performance Machine Tools and Automation Technology; Lean Production Techniques; Lightweight Design and Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship.

These modules included lab-based work, hands-on practices, seminars and lectures, all led by experts in their fields.

Dr Karl Walton, Acting Head of the University of Huddersfield’s Department of Engineering, commented: “I helped lead the Huddersfield EnABLE activity, where the Dortmund students initially found the novel learning method really challenging but soon settled in. They benefited from the experience of working in a team on an activity that relied on them to lead the way in solving an interdisciplinary engineering problem. We also got to know each other well on social events like going bowling and attending a Huddersfield Town match.

“Huddersfield students felt they gained good employability skills and certification during the visit to Dortmund. During their stay, they also had the opportunity to join me at an international conference I was attending there, and we all enjoyed an afternoon BBQ where we met and networked with delegates from all over the world.”

In addition to the engineering challenges, both groups took part in a programme of cultural, social and team-building activities. Whether in Huddersfield or Dortmund, students interacted with domestic students through team workshops, joint problem solving, social evenings, and site visits. These interactions helped build friendships, cross‐cultural understanding and made the learning richer.

Find out more about studying Engineering at Huddersfield

Students from both universities described the experience as demanding but rewarding.

Challenges included working under time pressure, integrating technical theory with practical work, and communicating across diverse groups.

Meanwhile, the rewards included gaining hands-on skills, exposure to different educational styles, and forging new international friendships.