The Department’s 5-year Undergraduate Studies Program (USP) in Mechanical Engineering is being implemented from the academic year 2019-2020, with the integration of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the former TEI of Western Greece into the newly founded School of Engineering of the University of Peloponnese, based in Patras (Law 4610/19, Gazette A’ 70/07.05.2019). Therefore, the first students are expected to graduate in the academic year 2023-2024.
The USP is structured to meet all the conditions of article 46, par. 1 of Law 4485/2017 (Government Gazette A’ 114), on a single and indivisible master’s degree (integrated master) and its aim is to award professional professional rights of a Graduate Mechanical Engineer , as defined in article 2 “Common engineering activities” and Article 5 “Professional rights of a Mechanical Engineer”, of no. 99/25.10.2018 of Presidential Decree (Official Gazette Α 187/05.11.2018).
Although the PPS is already in its fourth year of implementation, to date the granting of professional rights to its graduates is pending. It is noted that the same pending status applies to all the other Engineering Departments of the former TEIs, without any exception.
The road map for granting professional rights to the graduates of the Department is as follows:
1. Certification of the USP
The USP certification proposal file was submitted to the National Higher Education Authority in March 2022. The verification of the certification proposal file by a committee of external evaluators is scheduled for May 8-13, 2023.
2. Recognition of the USP Degree as an Integrated Master
In July 2020, the Department submitted to the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs a request for the recognition of its degree provided as a “Single and Indivisible Master’s Degree – Integrated Master”, according to par. 1, art. 46, Law 4485/2017. The Ministry, following the opinion of National Higher Education Authority, will examine the request in its essence, taking into account the results of the USP certification.
3. Assignment of professional rights
Evolution of the Department into a corresponding Polytechnic School Department and assignment of professional rights in accordance with article 66 of Law 4610/2019. The matching criteria and conditions are defined in KYA 241205/27.07.2022 (Government Gazette 4124/B/3-8-2022). The fulfillment of the criteria and conditions will be determined by a committee, the appointment of which is pending.