MCAST students visit Germany

Third year students enrolled in the Technician Certificate Course in Draughtsmanship participated in a Leonardo da Vinci exchange programme in Recklinghausen, Germany. During this placement students were given the opportunity to examine a historical building using eco-friendly and business focused techniques.

In the first week students prepared a power point presentation on Maltese architecture. The German students were impressed by Malta's rich history and baroque architecture.

The German students delivered presentations on German hipped roofs and timber houses. These were extremely interesting as they provided the audience with detailed analysis on the different construction techniques used in Germany.

Throughout their stay, the Maltese students attended lectures with German students in Bersufkolleg Kemnastrasse in various subjects related to the building trade. In the final week students were assigned to survey an existing half-timber house that was being restored. Orthographic and pictorial drawings were produced using ACAD.

Martin Borg and Reginald Galea, two assistant lecturers in Applied Sciences and Architectural Drawing respectively, while accompanying the students during this placement, held meetings with various German course managers. They compared and contrasted study programmes. This fact-finding mission was essential to lay foundations for future student placements. The director of the Institute of Building and Construction Engineering, James Pearsall, also joined the group.

German students accompanied by their lecturers will visit Malta in March to further enhance this newly built relationship for the mutual benefit of both colleges.