Gdańsk Tech opens a new field of study together with the Gdynia Maritime University | Gdańsk University of Technology

Gdańsk University of Technology, as a leading scientific and research center in the field of ocean engineering in Poland, meets market trends and focuses on even better and more effective expansion of the knowledge and competences of its students and scientists. Together with the partner center - Gdynia Maritime University - it will create an innovative, inter-university field of study educating experts in the field of offshore wind energy.

Professionals wanted

The creation of a new field is in line with the implementation of the objectives set out in the Act on the promotion of electricity generation in offshore wind farms, which is key in terms of Poland's obligations to achieve the climate goals, both European and national, expressed in the Polish Energy Policy until 2040.

By 2030, the share of renewable energy sources in the electricity sector will be at least 32%, i.e. at least twice as much as today. The first phase is the commissioning of wind farms with a total capacity of 5.9 GW. Moreover, according to the European Green Deal assumptions, the European Union's climate goal is to achieve climate neutrality (zero-emission) by 2050, and the EU strategy for energy from offshore renewable sources assumes a six-fold increase in offshore wind capacity from 12 GW to 60 GW by 2030 and up to 300 GW by 2050.

- Our university meets these obligations and together with the Maritime University of Gdynia will open an inter-university second-cycle study program called Offshore Wind Energy - comments Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, rector of Gdańsk Tech. - Thanks to the conclusion of the agreement, our research and teaching offer will be even wider and properly tailored to the needs of the market where the demand for specialists in this area will only grow.

Profile of a Graduate

–A graduate of the Offshore Wind Energy specialization will acquire advanced general technical knowledge and skills necessary in the design, construction, renovation, operation, cooperation with the network and maintenance of marine and coastal energy facilities and their technical subsystems – adds Marek Dzida, professor at Gdańsk Tech, Vice-Rector for Education. – They will also be prepared to carry out design and construction works in the field of offshore and coastal energy, mainly wind energy, research and development in the field of offshore wind energy, technical process management, operation and repairs of energy equipment and systems used in offshore and coastal power engineering, and for teamwork in an international environment.

A detailed study program will be developed by the Inter-University Program Council of Offshore Wind Energy, composed of:

Gdańsk Tech:

• Marek Dzida, PhD, DSc, Eng., professor at Gdańsk Tech,
• Mohammad Ghaemi, PhD, Eng.,
• Wojciech Olszewski, MSc., Eng..

GMU:

•     Sambor Guze, PhD, DSc, professor at GMU,
•     Maciej Matczak, PhD, DSc, professor at GMU,
•     Rafał Kołakowski, MSc., Master Mariner, Eng.

Information about admission for the new field will be announced in the coming months.

Toward the sea

In addition to launching a new second-cycle study program, the offer of Gdańsk University of Technology also includes a post-graduate program of the same name. Currently, the third edition of the studies is underway, and they enjoy great popularity (the pool of places usually ends a few days after the recruitment is announced).

Moreover, in mid-May this year the authorities of Gdańsk University of Technology signed a cooperation agreement with the Danish University of Technology, the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences and PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna. Thanks to this agreement, Gdańsk Tech students and scientists will have another opportunity to exchange knowledge, joint research and professional development in the field of offshore wind energy.

At the end of May, Gdańsk Tech also opened the Maritime Wind Energy Center. The MEC offers scientific support in the field of design, production technology and operation of offshore wind farms. It conducts numerical and experimental research, advises on how to solve technical problems, and trains management and engineering staff.