Education

The courses taught by the division of biomechanics and engineering design are located in the first phase of the Bachelor in engineering and in the Master in engineering: medical technology.

In the bachelor phase, the division plays an important role in the courses ‘Applied mechanics’ 1 and 2, and in ‘Problem solving and design’ 1 and 2. In this early phase of the students’ university careers, teaching the basic engineering-techniques and basic engineering-skills are primary focus during the courses. In the course ‘Applied mechanics’ the students get to know the main principles of mechanics and actively apply them while they work on assignments based on two- and three-dimensional mechanical structures. The students get trained in thinking towards a solution: using the main principles of mechanics is more useful than copying the provided solution of assignments. In ‘Problem solving and design’, the focus is on developing engineering-skills, and at the same time on thinking about the integration of engineering-knowledge, while working on solutions for real engineering problems.

BMe is present in different parts of the Master program. The course on mechanics is taught within the transition phase between the master in industrial sciences and the master in engineering. The courses on musculoskeletal biomechanics and mechanobiology are embedded in the master in engineering: biomedical technology. BMe both coordinates the initial master in biomedical technology as well as the master after master. Innovation is important in all teaching activities performed by members of BMe. In the past the division took the initiative in grant writing for teaching improvements several times. Multi-media support within the courses and the introduction of more active types of teaching have been subject of projects that were designed and fulfilled. For the improvement of teaching, BMe works together with the monitorate of the faculty of engineering science, with the people from education support of the faculty and with the university-wide service for university education of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.