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Trainee programs, internships, and expert lectures - Doosan Skoda Power is one of the most significant partners of the technical faculties of the University of West Bohemia (UWB) and a subsidiary of the South Korean company Doosan Enerbility. The company has decided to relocate key know-how in the field of air-cooled generator production to Pilsen. In these facilities, students of UWB could thus be educated in practical training in the future.

"The longstanding collaboration in education and research is taking place, for example, with the Faculty of Applied Sciences in the field of turbine diagnostics. Similar projects are also overseen by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, particularly its Department of Energy Machinery and Equipment. Joint research can also be found at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering," said the rector of UWB, Miroslav Lávička, to representatives of Doosan and their other partners at a meeting. He was accompanied by the deans of the mentioned faculties, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FST) and Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEL). "Since the founding of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, traditional themes of our research collaboration have been primarily the modeling of steam flow parameters, materials for extreme conditions, and turbine manufacturing technologies," said the dean of FST, Vladimír Duchek.

The collaboration is intensive in both nuclear and non-nuclear energy. "For example, within national centers funded by the Czech Republic's Technology Agency. We are ready to support Doosan's announced development," added the dean of FEL, Zdeněk Peroutka. Moreover, Daniel Procházka, the director of the Plzeň-based company Doosan Škoda Power, is also a member of the ZČU Board of Trustees.

NTC, a research center, has already collaborated with Doosan on turbines. Its director, Petr Kavalíř, mentioned regarding Doosan's planned investment in Plzeň that the center would be interested in cooperation in areas such as flow simulation or strength calculations. "The research there is similar to hydrogen technologies, which we are focusing on, so I can imagine that we could also contribute to Doosan if they are interested," explained Kavalíř.

The rector reiterated the urgent need for educating new employees for the nuclear sector at the forum. Based on demographics and the Czech Republic's nuclear plans, there will be a shortage of 10,000 people in the field in the next 10 years. "The University of West Bohemia, along with partners like Doosan Škoda Power, is ready to contribute as much as possible to supplementing the missing number of experts. For example, next year we would like to open a new study program dedicated to nuclear energy - Nuclear Management," described the university's intentions.

The University of West Bohemia established cooperation with both finalists of the tender for the completion of nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic last year. The university is involved in negotiations with both the French EDF and South Korean KHNP and their partners.