As there are relatively few qualified railway engineers in Estonia, we took the reins in 2020 and decided to broaden the Estonian railway education pathway in cooperation with TalTech, thanks to which from the academic year 2022/2023 it will be possible to study railway construction in addition to roads and bridges as part of open studies!
The curriculum is designed for anyone who wishes to acquire knowledge related to the planning, design and construction of infrastructure and railways, and aims to prepare project managers and professionals with complementary knowledge and engineering attitudes in the field of infrastructure engineering. railways.
"We have prepared a detailed and comprehensive programme, which will give students or those joining through the Open University a proper overview of railway construction and what it involves," explains Arto Lille, Senior Project Manager for Rail Baltic Estonia's facilities and main line.
From the academic year 2023/2024, Tallinn University of Technology will also offer bachelor's level studies in railway transport!
"In the past, sectoral education could be acquired in a very narrow niche, and many people came to study for the sake of the paper," notes Mihhail Kirejev, lecturer and curriculum leader of the Tallinn University of Technology's railway transport programme. "However, the railway sector is no longer just about laying tracks or driving a train. It's a very broad field covering engineering, environmental impact assessment, management, ICT, energy, for example. Nor is rail transport confined by national borders, it is an international field."
"We have developed the new curriculum, which will come into force from autumn, on the basis of real workforce needs and future prospects, and we have also consulted with leading German and Austrian technical university leaders. We have taken a clear focus on broad-based knowledge, so the new curriculum should support the delivery of education that meets labour market expectations," he adds.
It is too early to say whether and how much interest there will be in TKTK's renewed specialisation in rail transport, as the first cohort of students following the new programme will start in the autumn. "If we look at our own recent logistics seminar for high school and university students, the active participation and the very meaningful discussions with young people confirm that interest in the subject is growing and that science subjects in general are becoming more popular," says the TKTK lecturer. "It is certainly motivating for young people that they can play a part in modernising our railway network - increasing speeds and comfort, ensuring safety."
