Bosch and Miskolc University launch Lean Academy

The agreement was signed by Dr András Torma, Rector of Miskolc University and from the Bosch automotive components plant in Miskolc, Dr Max Nitzsche, Plant Manager, and Uwe Mang, Commercial Plant Manager. The Bosch Lean Academy will extend dual, practice-oriented training, hitherto only found in secondary education, into the higher educational sphere.

Bosch and Miskolc University are also collaborating with the leading lean-management organisation, Lean Enterprise Institute, Hungary. This new agreement will mean that students will be armed with up-to-date lean skills before they come out of university.

The agreement was signed by András Torma, the rector of Miskolc University, György Kocziszky, lecturer at Miskolc Univerisity, Max Nitzsche, CEO of Bosch Miskolc, and Uwe Mang, the economic director of the Miskolc plant

“Bosch has been supporting engineering education in Hungary for many years and Miskolc University has been involved in this. The new collaboration agreement makes use of the fact that the university is strong in engineering research and teaching, and Bosch has great experience in the practical application of research findings and technical knowledge,” said Dr Max Nitzsche, the Plant Manager before the signing.

“We are joining forces with the university to provide students at the Bosch Lean Academy with thorough knowledge and applicable practical skills. We have a stated interest in recruiting new graduates who have theoretical as well as practical competence, so that they can from their start in our company support our lean journey” said Uwe Mang, Commercial Plant Manager.

Teaching and developing practical skills in the lean management field will start with a pilot masters course in the Economics Faculty of the University of Miskolc in September 2014. The launch of a full lean management masters course in the university is envisaged – following accreditation.

In addition to its agreement with Miskolc University, Robert Bosch Energy and Body Systems Kft. has signed an agreement with the Hungarian office of the Lean Enterprise Institute. Students on the lean course, and later the lean masters course, will be taught at Miskolc University, where Bosch staff already give regular lectures.

Then they will go on simulation exercises in corporate teaching rooms provided by Robert Bosch Energy and Body Systems Kft. At that stage they will be working on exercises under “laboratory conditions” without any commercial risks, and then they will proceed to solve problems in real, value-adding projects in the Bosch plant in Miskolc. There, a mentor team of technical departmental heads, company staff and of LEI will be on hand to assist the students.