The story of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš began in 1960, when it was established as a department of mechanical engineering of the Technical Faculty in Niš, only to develop into an independent higher education institution as part of the University of Niš in 1971. It was then that the City of Niš became a university centre, which can today be proud of its more than half a century of tradition of higher education and academic life.
As the only faculty of mechanical engineering on the territory of south-eastern Serbia, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš has been accomplishing its threefold mission for over five decades now. This comprises education, scientific research, and participation in the development and transformation of society. From its very beginning, the Faculty assumed the role of one of the prime movers of the educational, scientific, economic, and social development of Niš and the region. This mission is today carried out with an ever greater responsibility, due to the demands of the overall reformation of society, European integration, transition processes, and domestic and global labour market rules. In the process of creating modern European education in Serbia, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš has taken on the task of offering an academic response to current issues, as well as securing scientific and technological support to the development of the region and the city to which it is connected through its location, history and future.
The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš has grown into a fully fledged, well-balanced academic environment during its 58 years of existence.
Today, there are 1414 students at all levels of studies at the Faculty. Academic activities are conducted by a total of 99 professors and assistants, with additional 50 members of the non-teaching staff.
From its establishment to the academic year 2018/2019, more than 6000 students have graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš, with 35 of them being foreign citizens. The academic degree of magister of science has been earned by 188 postgraduates, and 158 doctoral dissertations have been successfully defended. These generations of experts today belong the proven professional, educational and scientific research personnel both in Serbia but also around the world. Our graduates represent this faculty in the country and abroad, and are one of its most important references. At the same time, they are themselves represented in the professional work by the degree earned at this faculty, and that is why it is imperative that they are proud of the academic community from which they have stemmed.
Our Faculty has successfully reaccredited its study programmes within the field of mechanical engineering, and starting from the academic year 2014/2015 students have been admitted to the undergraduate academic studies in mechanical engineering which last for four years, and whose completion awards them the professional degree of graduate mechanical engineer. Instead of the previous master’s studies in mechanical engineering which lasted for two years, five new master academic study programmes have been accredited within the field of mechanical engineering: Production Information Technologies; Traffic Engineering, Transport and Logistics; Mechatronics and Control; Mechanical Constructions, Development and Engineering; and Energetics and Process Engineering, whose completion grants students the academic degree of master of science in mechanical engineering within the respective field. A total of 25 students are admitted to the doctoral studies in mechanical engineering, with the possibility of attending lectures in English.
In the academic year 2018/2018, the seventh generation of students was enrolled in the study programmes of the undergraduate and master academic studies in Engineering Management.
Starting from the academic year 2012/2013, a common master’s studies programme has been implemented in cooperation with the Technical University of Berlin, and it is to result in the “double degree” issued by the two institutions, leading to an increased visibility and competitiveness of our Faculty at the labour market. To those generations of young people who want to enrol in attractive studies and earn recognized faculty degrees, this is a sufficient recommendation to become students of our Faculty.
We are certain that young people are getting better and better at perceiving that this is the right moment to start studying mechanical engineering and engineering management, and that only by reviving our economy can we hope for more favourable living conditions in our country. More than half a century of tradition and the achieved results of our Faculty guarantee that a young, ambitious person who wants to acquire applicable knowledge and a globally recognized degree can do so right here.
For the following period, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš has set itself a goal to further adopt international standards, innovate the working process, transfer knowledge, continuously improve quality and its scientific offspring, connect through multidisciplinary activities and strive for excellence, so as to develop the image of a modern European faculty with a recognizable identity whose degrees will become even more desired.
Furthermore, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš has also set itself another challenge and a very comprehensive task: assuming the role of one of the bearers of the economic and social renewal and development of this region. Apart from improving the education and scientific research as the fundamental activities, the Faculty is ready to affirm itself as an entrepreneurial institution as well, determined to take on part of the responsibility for finding a way out of the current state of affairs for this part of Serbia.