Study electrical engineering with Europe’s best

The electronic engineering industry is one of the most important in Europe. With the sector’s status as one of Europe’s largest employers, its role shouldn’t be underestimated. For aspiring engineers, there’s likely not a more exciting or lucrative field to go into.

Electrical engineering refers to the discipline that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. From broadcast and communications systems such as portable music players and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, these are the people who design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacturing of these transformative gadgets.

With the digital revolution well underway, demand for these products, and thus electrical engineers, is not likely to slow down. The Wall Street Journal reports, for example, that demand for engineers in Germany has surpassed the nation’s supply, paving the way for foreign-born students to study and enter the field. Britain is currently facing an annual shortfall of 55,000 engineers, without which they can’t aim for a potential economic boost.

Meanwhile, in emerging countries like India and beyond, demand for electrical engineers continues to grow as these countries keep pace with the world’s rapid technological advances.

With high demand comes great opportunities. Salaries for electrical engineers are some of the highest among the sub-engineering disciplines. The annual salary in Germany’s electrical engineering sector commands an average annual salary of €53,800. The figure is found to be higher in the US, at US$95,780.

To join this coveted profession, a recognised degree from Europe’s leading engineering schools would be the best place to start. Ranking highly on established league tables and with English widely spoken, the continent’s universities attract the world’s best and brightest in all disciplines. Electrical engineering is no exception.

Here are some of Europe’s leading engineering schools…

FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION SCIENCES, TAMPERE UNIVERSITY – FINLAND

The Information Technology and Communication Sciences faculty at Tampere is a great example of how multidisciplinary research and teaching across organisational boundaries translate to career-ready engineers. Here, academic units – including Computing Sciences, Electrical Engineering, Communication Sciences and Languages – draw from the expertise each other’s expertise, giving students and staff a unique, multidisciplinary viewpoint to tackle complex, global challenges.

At the Electrical Engineering unit, activities are based on a profound understanding of natural sciences fundamentals, specifically tailored to electrical and electromagnetic phenomena, as well as their modelling and applications. Good examples are wireless communication methods and systems, electronic circuits and materials, as well as electrical energy systems.

Tampere University

This degree instils an understanding of the theoretical foundations that underly electrical phenomena, encouraging students to apply this knowledge to promote the development of society and the wider world.

With around 150 faculty and staff members, students here learn in a hub of expertise. This distinguishes Tampere graduates from their competition. But it isn’t enough to be career ready; the most successful electrical engineers today are those with a vision of transforming the world. Equipped with a degree in electrical engineering from Tampere, students leave with a wealth of interesting and rewarding career options open to them when they graduate, as well as the chance to deepen their knowledge via graduate studies in the field.

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA – ITALY

Want the appropriate skills to advance a professional career in electrical and electronic engineering? At one of Italy’s largest higher education providers – and where Galileo Galilei, the father of modern science once taught – engineering students can rest assured of a strong return on investment.

Founded in 1876, the School of Engineering now has over 11,000 registered students, as well as being a leading institution in terms of teaching and research quality. It’s a member of the T.I.M.E. network, gathering 55 of the world’s leading technical universities and engineering schools, and offers over 40 BSc, MSc and PhD degrees, in the areas of architectural, civil, environmental, industrial and information engineering.

The Masters in Electronic Engineering is aimed at training designers of electronic systems in various sectors, such as computing and telecommunications, biomedical applications, domestic use and airborne-space systems. This allows students to adapt to the rapid and continuous technological innovation taking place, also promoting collaboration with other engineering sectors and all areas of application electronics.

SCHOOL OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER – UK

Students looking for an electrical engineering degree may want to consider the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Manchester. It stands as one of the largest of its kind in the country, with a long-held reputation for teaching and research excellence. Home to the first stored-programme computer, the school has been educating electrical and electronic engineers for more than a century. Today, it has grown to include outstanding facilities – including those at the National Instruments Undergraduate Teaching Lab.

University of Manchester

All courses are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Hands-on and with industrial experience choices, the natural result of an education here is excellent employability prospects.

Students can choose between a three-year BEng or a four-year MEng – a choice that can be made at the end of second year. There are three pathways – Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Electronic Engineering and Mechatronic Engineering – to choose from, so students can specialise in their area of interest. The school also maintains strong links with leading organisations, such as Google, the National Grid, National Instruments, Rolls-Royce and Siemens.

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITÉ DE MONS – BELGIUM

Located near the French-Belgian border, the Department of Electrical Engineering will help you thrive academically and professionally.

The University of Mons (UMONS) is a French-speaking university in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It plays a central role in many global academic and scientific collaborations, with over 300 international partnerships in more than 50 countries spanning five continents.

Electrical engineering students at the department benefit from learning from an experienced team whose  main research themes (non-exhaustive list) include: the effects of renewable energy sources on electrical transmission and distribution networks (especially wind turbines); applications of power electronics in electric traction; composite conductors in overhead power lines and Numerical computation of electromagnetic fields in electrotechnical systems.

An education at UMONS also means the promotion of critical thinking, open-mindedness, tolerance, responsibility and autonomy. This is a school that shapes students and researchers to become responsible citizens of the world.

For those looking to earn a postgraduate degree, UMONS’s Master in Electrical Engineering lets you specialise in Artificial Intelligence and Smart Communication; Signals, Systems and BioEngineering or Electrical Energy and Smart Grids. All three specialisations are offered in English.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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