Mechatronics Education at the Johannes Kepler University: Engineering Education in its Totality

The specific concept of mechatronics education at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz is the result of the leading industrial position of the province of Upper Austria, its strong orientation towards mechanical engineering , and its tradition in higher education. The explicit request of industry for academic engineering courses in mechanical and electrical engineering in Linz were not satisfied till 1990, when Prof. P. Weiss founded the mechatronics course. His survey of the topical needs of industry clearly had pointed towards mechatronics, reflecting the decisive role which automation, electronics, and system thinking had gained in many mechanical engineering branches. Thus, the foundation of Mechatronics in Linz was characterized by the following specific facts: The existence of a strong "market pull" for this type of education because of the overwhelming role mechanical engineering played in Upper Austria's industry. In the design of the curriculum, the needs of industry could be taken into account. Since no traditional engineering disciplines had been established in Linz, the program could be designed right from scratch.