Education

In principle, the Bachelor programme should provide the basic geotechnical knowledge in soil and rock mechanics, geotechnical engineering and tunnelling for practitioners, supported by the essential theoretical background in mechanics. More specialist and research-oriented courses at the Masters level require more advanced analytical skills and techniques (including simple computational approaches, including their use and limitations) and offer opportunities for those aspiring to follow a career in geotechnical engineering, or indeed to gain a higher degree as a researcher. In-depth study and analysis of case histories is the basis for teaching skills in problem evaluation and in applying mechanics in practice. Emphasis is placed on the integration of design and analysis, on the design process, and on the interactions between planning, design and execution. In this way, students are optimally prepared for their later role in civil-engineering practice. In addition, the Institute for Geotechnical Engineering offers advanced training courses for engineers and organizes seminars and symposia.

The Institute embraces the opportunities offered by modern teaching approaches, fully placed within the pedagogical demands of each course, by using a combination of embedded or multi-threaded Computer Aided Learning CAL (lectures, virtual and real laboratories, quizzes, animations, simulations and challenges), more traditional teaching styles and by leading into an approach that will develop ‘Problem Based Learning’ at later stages in the future. Some freedom of choice is important from the student’s perspective. In the early courses, this is achieved by offering freedom in the style and pace of learning (from lectures, video streaming, books, website), while remaining very specific about the material to be covered and the due date by which work must be completed. Later, the students are given broad guidelines and are encouraged to select their own material for investigations and exercises in a given area.