Bachelor students from the Faculty of Engineering took part in the seminar "CATIA and Culture" at the Université d'Artois.
In March 2025, Prof Anke Bucher (Chair of Applied Mechanics) travelled to northern France with 17 mechanical engineering students. They took part in the traditional themed seminar at the partner university Université d'Artois, which has been organised regularly and alternately with the Faculty of Engineering at HTWK Leipzig for over 15 years.
Students from the Faculty of Applied Sciences in Béthune either visit the Faculty of Engineering at the HTWK in Leipzig or vice versa. This year, the partner university Université d'Artois in Béthune organised the seminar. The exchange and the organisation of the seminar were financially supported by the Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW). Prof Bucher emphasises: "Without the support of the DFJW, this proven and important exchange with our partner university in Béthune would not be possible."
At this year's themed seminar, Prof. Pascal Kasperek focused on the automated creation of geometries using the CAD programme CATIA. For the Leipzig students, the seminar content is an excellent addition to the teaching content on designing components with CATIA that has been taught in Leipzig to date.
The seminar was held in English and is a good opportunity for the Leipzig students to consolidate and expand their language skills.
An excursion and company tour were also part of the programme in addition to the themed seminar.
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During their visit to Mov'Ntec's production site in Ruitz, the students from Leipzig gained an insight into a company that specialises in the development, production, marketing and rental of solutions for electromobility, energy and industry. The company's core competences include the development and production of electric drive solutions, such as bicycles, scooters, motorbikes, commercial vehicles and mobile robotics. The company is also active in the manufacture of power distribution units, inverters, electric motors and mechanical transmission systems. Martin Geiß, who is responsible for teaching German at the Université d'Artois and is perfectly bilingual, translated the entire tour from French into German for the Leipzig students. Another highlight was the excursion to Lille. Martin Geiß gave the students an entertaining tour of the historic centre of Lille. At a typical French dinner together with French students in the restaurant "La Pataterie" in Bruay-la-Buissière, the Leipzig students were also able to get to know a little of the country's typical culture and French hospitality.
The week flew by for everyone involved. The interesting course and the friendly encounters once again made the themed seminar a highlight of the semester for the German guests and their French hosts.
Long-standing cooperation
The cooperation between HTWK Leipzig and the Université d'Artois has existed for over twenty years. On the part of the Faculty of Engineering, the cooperation with Béthune is currently brought to life by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anke Bucher and MA Lukas Kube, who travel to Béthune once a year to give courses for the French students.
Exchange programme
In January 2026, students from the Université d'Artois will make their regular return visit to the HTWK in Leipzig.
