UBI textile graduates train on Lectra software

10 Sep '15

3 min read

Students enrolled in the University of Beira Interior's (UBI) textile technology department train on Lectra's design, pattern making and production-planning solutions.

“And its Fashion Design Master's students build their final-year project using Modaris, Lectra's 3D virtual prototyping solution,” a Lectra press release stated.

The UBI in Portugal has been training students in science and textile technology since 1975 and was originally founded as a polytechnic institute, offering courses in textile engineering.

It became a full-fledged university in 1986 and has since expanded its curriculum to include degrees in both Textile & Apparel Design, as well as Fashion Design.

The partnership between UBI and Lectra began over 20 years ago, when UBI's Science and Textile Technology department introduced its Textile & Apparel Design degree.

“With Lectra solutions, UBI students develop practical skills that give them a competitive advantage upon entering the workforce,” the company said.

Madalena Pereira, VP of the Science and Textile Technologies department said, “The Portuguese industry works mainly with Lectra, so our choice was Lectra as well.”

“We need to train people for the industry, so we train them on the solutions that the industry uses and UBI's practical approach to learning has served the school well,” she too added.

According to Pereira, most local companies count at least one UBI graduate among their staff and statistics have shown that students increasingly prefer UBI to other schools.

Students in UBI's Fashion Lab CAD undergraduate and Fashion CAD 3D master's programs use Lectra solutions to develop their collections and practice preparing cutting plans.

Rui Miguel, president of UBI's Science and Textile Technologies department explained that this is a strategic decision as it develops practical and hands-on skills.

“Our partnership with Lectra gives us the fundamental tools to train our students and learning how to create and develop with technology is important,” Miguel informed.

According to Lectra, one of the strengths of UBI's program is its strong focus on industry partnerships and connecting students with real-world employers.

For example, Lectra customer and apparel manufacturer Twintex, has several UBI students in its internship training program.

3D technology has become an essential component of UBI's curriculum and students in the school's Fashion Design master's program are required to use Lectra's Modaris 3D to create their final collection.

“The solution gives students room to be creative while working at the speed and efficiency that the market demands,” associate professor José Lucas noted.

“It is important for students to understand in advance how some-thing is going to look because sometimes they have an idea in mind, but it doesn't always translate,” Lucas too observed. (AR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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