Next stage of cooperation with Apra-Optinet
Joint scientific projects, student internships, and initiatives promoting research conducted at the university are just some of the key points of the cooperation agreement signed between Opole University of Technology and Apra-Optinet.
The company, operating in Opole since 2006 and part of the Apra-Group, specializes in designing enclosures for electronic devices. It has been collaborating with Opole University of Technology for several years, and the newly signed agreement aims to expand these relations.
“Apra-Optinet has already been working with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatic Control and Informatics at Opole University of Technology. This collaboration has created new opportunities for students. The company plans to organize regular ‘industry meetings’ to discuss ideas for upcoming theses and student projects. This initiative aligns with the university’s strategy of actively engaging businesses in academic life—ranging from supporting diploma projects to cooperating with scientific circles. At the same time, Apra-Optinet sees us as a partner in research and development, opening the door for joint scientific and research projects,” emphasizes Aneta Kucińska-Landwójtowicz, Vice-Rector for Cooperation at Opole University of Technology.
For Apra-Optinet, students and graduates of Opole University of Technology are potential employees, and the company eagerly adopts solutions developed by them. As part of the collaboration, a diploma thesis has already been completed, and further joint projects are in the pipeline.
“I am a graduate of Opole University of Technology. I had the opportunity to actively engage with and benefit from the possibilities offered by the university. It was also here that I was introduced to Apra-Optinet, where I gained my first industry experience. I was able to combine my professional work with my studies in electrical engineering at Opole University of Technology, and the result of this combination—work and studies—was my master’s thesis, supervised by Professor Mirosław Szmajda. The thesis aligned with the company’s interests and allowed me to practically apply what I had learned at the university to my work,” says Andrzej Majnusz, an Opole University of Technology graduate and R&D engineer at Apra-Optinet.
The joint plans of Opole University of Technology and Apra-Optinet include organizing and conducting meetings, seminars, conferences, as well as product and technical training sessions for the university’s faculty and students. Additionally, both parties will jointly apply for external funding to support research and development. These initiatives align with the university’s strategy and its commitment to fostering collaboration with businesses.
“We anticipate cooperation in scientific areas, potential contracts, especially in metrology, various types of measurements, and developing new algorithms to optimize the operation of devices currently being built at the company. Our collaboration began about three years ago when one of our graduates approached us, looking for specific solutions that were successfully implemented as part of his master’s thesis. However, this is just a small fraction of the ideas generated. I believe this endeavor has great potential for the future,” says Professor Mirosław Szmajda, Head of the Department of Automation at the Faculty of Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatic Control and Informatics at Opole University of Technology.