About

The research activities within the Ship Design and Operations lab (ShipLab) focus on the design and behaviour of the ship in an offshore maritime operation environment. The ship is modelled in a virtual environment and the idea is to be able to simulate ship performance (motions, systems, propulsion) in real time. Design activities with fast-track tool, data driven design, 3D all over the process, PLM and modularisation are also considered. Activities have strong connection with the industry, via the Blue Maritime Cluster partners, such as the Offshore Simulator Centre (OSC) and Ulstein Group.

Ship Design and Operations Lab Contact

Henrique Murilo Gaspar (henrique.gaspar@ntnu.no)
Room:B410
Telefon:70161247

Faculty of Maritime Technology and Operations
NTNU
Postboks 1517 N-6025 – Aalesund – Norway

Information for Foreigner Students/Researchers – FAQ

(Portuguese version of this FAQ, mainly with specific information for Brazilian students, can be found here)

I am interested to join your group at AAUC, are there vacancies?
There is always place for collaboration with qualified people, but the kind of activity to be performed depends mainly on what you want to do, and how much you are willing to go through the paperwork of an international experience. Norway is a strong reference for offshore and maritime research and industry, and Aalesund has a very strong maritime cluster, in which the Aalesund University College plays a central role (NCE reports). Therefore, our projects have resonance in students that would like to study correlated disciplines, such as ship design and operations, product and systems engineering, maritime operations, propulsion, human factors, maritime robotics, control and ship motions. However, Norway is a relatively closed country for people without a college degree, and even if the tuition fees are free, a scholarship/savings is required when applying for a visa.

What kind of projects are available?
A very simplified list of projects from our department is found here. The ship design group is currently starting activities for the Ship Design and Operations lab, with the objective of develop tools which will aid the design and simulation of ships performing complex operations, focusing mainly on offshore support vessels. Other relevant projects are connected to propulsion, LNG, mechatronics and robotics, cranes, human factors, conceptual design of ships, and demanding maritime operations. We also have collaborative projects with major companies of the maritime sector, such as Ulstein, Rolls Royce and DNV.

What options do I have?
There are mainly four possibilities to be part of our group: short stays,exchange/visiting student, visiting researcher and master student.

The first option is suited for students that would like to visit the university, and get in touch with the activities within the campus. Regarding paperwork, this is the most simple option, since Norway does not require visa for stays shorter than 3 months for many non-EU countries, including USA and Brazil. However, you will not be entitled to exercise any paid activity in the country, cannot officially attend classes neither will get any degree from the university. Moreover, you will have to incur the costs of transport and housing (around $ 1,200.00 / month).

For longer stays, the second option requires applying for a student visa, whilst the third option has the similar requirements, applying for a researcher visa.

These last two options, although demanding more paperwork, allow a visa with similar rights that other students have, such as internships in companies and classes attending. There is also the opportunity to work a certain amount hours in one our research projects, if funding is available.

The requirements for applying for the masters courses are explained in more detail as follows.

How to apply for the Masters course? Do I have to pay a tuition fee? Do I have a scholarship?

Official information about master courses in english from AAUC is found here.

In summary, master’s degree in public universities in Norway are usually free. However, for non-European students, there is the need for visa and proof of income. The documentation also requires approval on a recognized English test (TOEFL, IELTS), good curriculum and academic record.
The master courses at Faculty of Maritime Technology and Operations are taught in English and have a two-years duration.
If you get approved in one of our courses, non-European students will need an to apply for a student visa. This visa requires proof of income in two ways: A document stating that you have some kind of salary/scholarship from your country, or proof that you have sufficient funds to survive in Norway, via a bank deposit in an account opened in your name in a Norwegian bank. More information here.

Currently, there is no official scholarship for foreigner master students, but many students find a paid internship, as the visa allows an student to work 20 hours per week (40 during holidays). If you decide a career in ship or product design, there is the possibility to work in our scientific projects and, depending on availability, your motivation and previous experience, you can get a paid internship within the laboratories.

Where I can find more information about the master courses?
A .PDF brochure can be found here. And you can always contact one of our staff about specific questions.

What are the requirements to join the group/university?
Requirements vary from case to case, but in general: proof of competency via curriculum, motivation letter and grades transcript; Functional English (undergraduate) and fluent (post-graduate); being connected to a related engineering/technical course with similar interests as our projects and, most importantly, be interested and motivated on working with topics related to our projects.

For a masters’ degree, specific documentation for enrolling in a master course is foundhere.

What is the enrollment period?
For simple exchange students, there is no fixed period: if there is availability of vacancies and qualified candidates fulfilling the requirements, one should contact a staff responsible for the intended activity (e.g. the professor responsible for the lab) and theoretically apply at any time of year. For the master program, the official date is around March 1st for non-European students and April 15th for EU/EEA citizens, but students should check the dates on the official AAUC/HIALS website.

I’m already doing my masters / doctorate, and would like to be an exchange student…
If you are already enrolled in a Masters Course / Doctorate on a relevant subject, you can participate in one of our research projects, write part of your dissertation / thesis here, and even find a co-advisor to help you.
The details for the procedures vary from case to case, but generally applies the same previously commented rules: the type of visa varies depending on your citizenship, expertise and the type of activity to be performed in Norway, i.e. whether or not there will be any kind of income. But a priori visa rules for visiting researcher are a good basis.

How to apply for a PhD position?
Doctorate degree in Norway is considered a job like any other, and requires formal application. Most vacancies are found in jobbnorge.no , looking up for “PhD”. In this case, the PhD candidate will have a salary, usually in the same level as a young researcher, with a 3 year contract, extended one year in the case of TA’s activities.

There is also the possibility to do a PhD without salary. In this case, the rule is similar to the student visa: the necessity to find a group, a supervisor that accepts you, relevant project to work with and apply for a student visa.

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