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HELMo Gramme Developing applied research in collaboration with university departments

An interview with Mrs Anne-Michele JANSSEN, Director of HELMo Gramme

What are HELMo Gramme’s key figures? HELMo Gramme welcomes some 630 students, divided in two cycles, and totals some sixty to seventy graduates per year. Moreover, it builds on forty FTEs and about a hundred teachers.

Would you briefly describe your training offer? As part of the technical division of the HELMo University College in Liege, HELMo Gramme organizes a three-year, transitional Bachelor’s Degree in industrial science, and a two-year Masters in industrial engineering science with two orientations: industry and sustainable engineering. In addition, HELMo Gramme organizes, in coordination with ULiège HEC, a Masters named “Industrial & Business Engineering” with two qualifications: industrial engineer and managing engineer. Our training courses build on fourth major points: versatility with a special focus on soft skills; industrial firms’ awareness of our reputation; the EUR-ACE labelling following the receipt of the CTI certification (the French Commission des titres d’ingénieur) by our graduate engineers (this certification was renewed in 2019 for a period of 5 years); and the many learning courses per project which contribute to the development of skills appreciated by companies.

Would you give us a brief overview of your applied research activities? HELMo’s CRIG (Centre de Recherches des Instituts Groupés) defined seven key strengths: optimization, numerical simulation and calculations; mecatronics; measurements and data processing; manufacturing processes; programming; materials chemistry; and medical biotechnologies. Currently, HELMo undertakes three FIRST Haute Ecole projects: MOPI (development of a probe for continuous monitoring of organic pollutants from petroleum products in groundwater), MIBREAST (creation of a biological implantable matrix for the autologous reconstruction of fatty transfer by induction of angiogenesis) and OPTHYBRIDE (development of a digital design chain through a computer tool combining a genetic algorithm and a finite element analysis software).

HELMo is also taking part in two FIRST Enterprise projects on designing high-performance modules for the characterization of oil intrusion and on achieving advances in the field of turbines. Two Interreg projects also mobilize HELMo’s researchers: ROLLING-SOLAR (development and promotion of organic photovoltaics in the Upper-Rhine region) and THE (for Technology in Healthcare Education - in collaboration with medical centers).

As part of self-financed projects, H-Cover targets the design and development of a heating glove for cyclists, Home + concerns the modeling of buildings for the definition of acceptable energy strategies, and H-Essential focuses on the extraction of essential oils from products.

What partnerships did you develop with industrialists? In the second training year, we organize visits to industries and we invite graduates to present their experiences to students; in the third year, we plan six-week immersion courses; in the fourth year, we organize technical visits abroad; and, finally, in the last year, we monitor thirteen-week professional internships which lead to an end-ofstudies work. We have also established an advisory board of ten industrialists and we organize company forums in which some fifty engineers, mostly graduates from HELMo Gramme, convene to talk to third-year undergraduates about their experiences in the industry. We also have a database of some hundred enterprises that openly welcome our trainees. And finally, we have a lot of learning courses per project developed by and with companies. © HELMo Gramme

Which are the main challenges that industrial engineers will meet in the future years? Together with the further development of our collaborations with engineering schools internationally and that of applied, there is one major challenge looming ahead: the development of industry 4.0, which boost manufacturing productivity thanks to the digitalization of manufacturing. This involves Internet of Thing (IoT), Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) et Cloud Manufacturing (CM) to improve the quality of production. These multiple skills in electronics, telecomunications, mechanics, robotics, etc., fit perfectly with the versatile training offered by HELMo Gramme. One more reason to continue our skills development!

HELMo Gramme Quai du Condroz, 28 - B-4031 Angleur Tel.: +32 (0)4 340 34 30 - Fax: +32 (0)4 343 30 28 Email: gramme@helmo.be https://www.helmo.be/gramme