The Faculty of Applied Engineering welcomes exchange students from all over the world. Find out what they think about our programmes and what they have to say about their experience in Antwerp.

I'm Florian Jouy, student at “École Nationale Supérieure de Mécanique et des Microtechniques“ in Besançon (France). I did my internship in the University of Antwerp’s robotics laboratory and was linked to the ASLAN project. ASLAN means “Antwerp Sign Language Actuating Node”. The project aims to build a new prototype of humanoid robot which would be able to support sign language interpreters in order to try to reduce the gap between hearing and hearing-impaired community. For this purpose, the ASLAN robot should be able to perform sign language related tasks. For example, translating written words into signs or act as an interpreter. My detailed work package was split into the different parts of the robot (wrist, arm, torso, head). I supported the development of the robot on various aspects including (re)designing, integrating and enhancing some parts. My job also consisted in managing 3D-printing of the robot, upgrading and developing electronics of the arm, analyzing some mechatronics problems in order to find solutions and implement programming features controlling the robot.

I’m Jan Machálek, studying at the Czech Technical University in Prague and decided to benefit from an Erasmus exchange to the University of Antwerp. I took courses in the department of Electronics-ICT Engineering Technology. My stay at Antwerp was a wonderful experience that I used immediately after returning home, when I was looking for a project and a supervisor for my diploma theses. My project leader was very welcoming towards students who went abroad for Erasmus and the theme itself is influenced by a class that I had in Antwerpen “I-Internet of Things: Low Power Embedded Communication”, because now I am working on a similar platform as in those classes. I used to bike a lot in Antwerpen and that was really enjoyable, because in Flanders you do not have annoying hills to go up and down, so it is generally a more pleasurable experience then here in Czech Republic and also the infrastructure for bikes are amazing. Last but not least car drivers are awesome and this is absolutely no joke! If you compare that to Prague, Prague drivers are terrible.

I am Miroslav Tržil, currently studying at Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Electrical Engineering. I spent winter semester at the University of Antwerp on ERASMUS + exchange program. I had good times there and learned a lot. I took some inspiring courses, such as the “I-Internet of Things: Low Power Embedded Communication”. This course ended with a project. We created a complex solution including independent wireless sensor nodes powered from harvested energy, gateway, backend, and visualization. There are many beautiful places in Antwerp, which you have to visit, one of them is the Middelheim Museum, a park full of monumental artworks close to university campus Groenenborger and campus Middelheim. Antwerp is a good starting point to travel as well. It is possible to visit Brugge Gent, Brussel or Rotterdam. All of them are easily accessible by car within two hours.