Indrek Roasto, an Estonian exchange student at the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences, has completed his studies with two academic degrees. The 25-year-old passed his diploma examination in Automation Engineering with the grade "very good" at the Department of Electrical and Information Engineering (EI) of the university. Simultaneously, he successfully completed his studies at the Institute of Electrical Drives and Power Electronics at Tallinn University of Technology, earning a Master of Science degree.
As the first graduate from Estonia, he has thus earned the dual qualification offered to mobile students by the "Cooperation of Universities in Central and East Europe" (CUCEE) network. Within this network, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences collaborates with the Technical Universities in Zielona Góra (Poland), Lviv (Ukraine), and Tallinn. The cooperation focuses on international teaching programmes and joint research projects. The integrated study abroad programme stipulates that approximately three-quarters of the coursework is completed at the home university. A minimum one-year stay at the partner university abroad is a mandatory component of the curriculum.
Indrek Roasto began his studies in Estonia in the winter semester of 2000/01. He spent a year in Giessen attending courses at the Department Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (EI) and also completed a practical semester at a company in central Hesse before returning to Tallinn. His thesis, which—as stipulated in the programme—was recognized by both universities, is entitled "Development of the Control Model for Ultracapacitor Energy Storage Systems for Rail Vehicles." He was supervised on this project by engineering scientists from both universities. At the Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. Marius Klytta supervised the thesis, while at Tallinn University of Technology Prof. Dr. Juha Laugis supervised the student's work.
Indrek Roasto received his certificates for his dual qualification at an academic ceremony held by Tallinn University of Technology to celebrate the graduation of its students from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Business Administration. Prof. Klytta, the initiator of this university partnership, and Vice President Prof. Dr. Manfred Börgens, representing Giessen -Friedberg University of Applied Sciences, traveled to Estonia to congratulate the young engineer and discuss further steps in the collaboration with those responsible there.