Robotics: Research labs offer hands-on study experiences

In October 2020, the first Bachelor’s programme in Germany with main focus on the aspects of software engineering in robotics started at the THWS location in Schweinfurt. Meanwhile, lecturers and students can look back on almost four semesters – allowing them to draw positive preliminary conclusions.

Starting a robotics degree programme during a pandemic sounds like a challenging endeavour at first. Especially courses focussing on practical work and thus requiring a plethora of technical devices can hardly take place in front of a laptop. “And they haven’t. Our laboratories remained open and we were able to hold all practical courses in person”, Professor Dr. Jean Meyer, Programme Director of Robotics at THWS in Schweinfurt, explains. But the use of online-supported media also worked very well from the beginning. Thus, the Robotics programme in October 2020 had started much better than expected despite the bad timing with an onsetting pandemic, Meyer says. Simon Kreft mostly shares Meyer’s opinion. He is a fourth-semester student who has participated in the degree programme from the very beginning. “During the Corona pandemic, there was less interaction, but the practical courses worked out pretty well in smaller groups and by abiding the hygiene concept”, Kreft remembers.

Practical work with robots almost every week

For Professor Dr. Meyer, the practical courses are the programme’s key component. From his own experiences, he knows that roboticists need to be cut from a different cloth, at least to a certain extent. The past semesters have strengthened his opinion even more: “In other programmes, we often observe a certain reluctance towards putting theory into practice. Our students do not fear taking things into their own hands.” If Simon Kreft had this shyness, he would not be in the midst of the fourth semester. Currently, his schedule includes one practical course almost every week, where he works on robots and software. Additionally, even the theoretical study contents, like the lecture in programming, are more practical in nature.

From India to Africa to Schweinfurt

Thanks to the TWIN programme, people like Ragini Pawar were given the opportunity to study Robotics in Schweinfurt. The young woman born in India lived in Sambia for 20 years, and due to her interest in technology, the Robotics programme in Schweinfurt quickly gained her attention. Today, she is the degree programme ambassador and a contact person to all international students. “But also German students contact me when they have questions about switching between German- and English-taught courses”, Pawar says. In her opinion, the TWIN programme is a good idea, but she also thinks that the bilingual studies are on average more advantageous for German students than for internationals. “Many hesitate to visit German-taught courses, as they require at least a B2-level of language comprehension to understand the contents and terminology”, Pawar says. Thus, some first start by studying German and would then continue with Robotics.

And also from another angle, Pawar has been a real exception. Among the currently 170 students in Schweinfurt, the number of women is only in the double-digit range. However, Professor Dr. Meyer has got an idea on how to improve this share: Men are generally more interested in the field of industrial robotics, whereas women prefer service robotics and humanoid ones – human-like robots with facial expressions. Meyer’s motto is: “We should try to give a balanced representation, and regarding female applicants, we should place humanoid robots in the forefront.” Pawar fits Meyer’s image and is especially interested in this field of robotics. This field is the least researched one, thus you feel as if you are achieving something new, the student says.

Cooperation and symbiosis with the industry

With its facilities and equipment, the Center for Robotics and Intelligence (CERI) is the ideal environment for the degree programme. It also provides space for research projects and cooperations with businesses. Professor Dr. Meyer describes the cooperation between THWS and industry as symbiotic: “The students benefit from cooperative final theses, internship semesters, and of course, from job offers. THWS is able to complete research assignments, and businesses can employ well-trained students to combat the skilled labour shortage”, he summarises.

Simon Kreft and Ragini Pawar have just finished half of their Bachelor’s programme and are now preparing for the fifth semester, which is an internship semester. Kreft will work for a few months in the robotics research lab of Bayer in Leverkusen. He can imagine taking up a Master’s programme once he has completed his Bachelor’s, and to become self-employed in the field of service robotics in future. “Many of my friends are part of a dual cooperative study programme in Schweinfurt and consider staying in the region”, Kreft says.

Four semesters ago, research professor Dr. Tobias Kaupp said that first, it was about “planting the seed to see what can grow form it”. His colleague, Professor Dr. Jean Meyer thinks it a bit too early for drawing final conclusions How big the harvest is going to be we will be seen in two years, he says – when the first students graduate. “But what we can definitely say after just under four semesters is that the seed we planted back then has taken root," says Professor Dr. Meyer. “The plant is thriving.”