The study program was confirmed at the University of Maribor Senate meeting on the 3rd of July 2008 and was accepted by the Council for Higher Education of Republic of Slovenia on the 23rd of October 2008. The study program was confirmed again at the University of Maribor Senate meeting on the 31th of March 2015 and was accepted by The Slovenian Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education on the 15th of September 2016.

Conditions for transition to the 2nd study year: Students advance to the 2nd study year if they gather at least 50 ECTS credits by passing the 1st study year exams and if they have passed the exams in the following subjects: - Mathematics for Engineers 1 (5 ECTS) - Mathematics for Engineers 2 (4 ECTS) - Statics and Strength (5 ECTS) - Kinematics and Dynamics (4 ECTS) - Technical Documentation (5 ECTS) Students who do not fulfil all the obligations for transition may, at their request, be granted enrolment in the 2nd study year by the Commission for Study Affairs of the University Member, if they have fulfilled more than half of the 1st year study obligations (more than 30 ECTS) and completed the above subjects, if they were unable to fulfil the obligations for justified reasons which are determined in the Statute of the University of Maribor, and if it is expected that they will fulfil the obligations. Conditions for transition to the 3rd study year: Students advance to the 3rd study year if they have passed all 1st year exams (60 ECTS) and obtained at least 45 ECTS credit points with passed 2nd study year exams and if they have passed the exams within the following study subjects: - Technological Systems (7 ECTS) - Technical Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer (7 ECTS) - Construction Methodology (6 ECTS) - Basics of Energy Machines and Devices (4 ECTS) Students who do not meet all the obligations for advancement may, at their request, be granted enrolment in the 3rd study year by the Commission for Study Affairs of the University Member if they have passed all 1st study year exams (60 ECTS) and more than half of the 2nd year study obligations have been met (more than 30 ECTS), and if they have passed the above-mentioned study subjects, insofar as they have not been able to fulfil their obligations for justified reasons set out in the Statute of the University of Maribor, and if they are expected to fulfil their obligations. Repetition of the study year: A student who has not fulfilled all the obligations for transition to a higher study year may be granted by the Commission for Study Affairs of the Senate of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at his/her request to repeat the study year in accordance with the provisions of the Statute of the University of Maribor.

The study programme is comprehensive and does not provide for the completion of individual parts of the programme.

Postgraduate study at 2nd-cycle master`s study programme of the Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering or Mechatronics at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of University of Maribor or similar study programmes at other higher-education institutions. The candidates can enrol into 2nd cycle study programmes in accordance with the conditions of the institution.

Graduates of the 1st cycle professional study programme of the Mechanical Engineering are highly employable professionals in various fields of mechanical engineering and also wider. They have a high-quality theoretical and practical knowledge and competences enabling to conceive, design, manufacture, analyse, supervise and maintain of machines, devices and complex technological systems in various production environments. They are also capable of organizing production processes and managing working groups, departments and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Information on study programmes offered by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the UM is available on the website https://www.fs.um.si/studij/studijski-programi/

There are no other obligations.

Examination and assessment of students’ learning outcomes is carried out in accordance with the criteria and methods defined in the Rules on Examination and Assessment of Knowledge at the University of Maribor, available at https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/studij-na-um.aspx. Criteria and methods of assessing the knowledge within an individual study subject are part of the SUBJECT-SPECIFICation and are publicly available on the website https://aips.um.si/PredmetiBP5/main.asp. For all subjects in all study programmes of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, knowledge assessment is regulated by a single "Assessment Scale" which is available at https://www.fs.um.si/studij/informacije-o-studiju/izpitni-sistem/. Methods of ongoing assessment and evaluation of knowledge are encouraged, thus enabling students to monitor their own progress in their studies.

The learning outcomes or competencies of the students of the first level of the higher professional study programme Mechanical Engineering, which they acquire during the educational process, are appropriate to the content and level of the study programme. The goals of each study programme are clearly defined and the study from the first year is based on the gradual achievement of all the necessary competencies and qualifications that our graduate need to have. During the entire study, especially in the last year, these final goals are checked during the individual exams, and great emphasis is placed on the content of the diploma thesis which is the final task of the student. The basic goal of the higher professional study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering is to train experts for various works and tasks in companies, where solving problems is expected mainly according to developed theoretical and practical solutions, procedures, and methods. The greater emphasis in the study programme is on applied knowledge, and less on basic knowledge. Nevertheless, the graduate will gain a good overview of the broader field of mechanical engineering by studying scientific foundations, technological foundations, applied and system knowledge, and individual and business knowledge. The goals of the study programme are clearly defined, as from the first year onwards the study is based on the gradual achievement of all the necessary competencies and qualifications that our graduates need to possess. During the entire study, especially in the last year, these final goals are checked during the individual exams, and great emphasis is placed on the content of the diploma thesis which represents the final task of the student. The study programme is designed so that students acquire the necessary knowledge in the field of mechanics, which together with knowledge of materials, thermodynamics and transfer phenomena, and higher mathematics form the basis for upgrading knowledge in typical professional fields of mechanical engineering. A combination of good basic knowledge and professional foundations is necessary for the study of procedures, machines, and systems in the field of production technology, energy technology, process technology and environmental technology, construction or maintenance of machines or devices that students upgrade by acquiring system knowledge and modern systems design. Such a combination of knowledge is a good basis for successful professional work in the field of mechanical engineering, but it also provides a good starting point for research work. The aim of the study programme is to train graduates for independent professional engineering work so that during their studies they acquire the most important competencies that the industry expects from mechanical engineers. These are: the ability to analyse problems and decide on solutions, broad expertise in the field of profession and orientation, the ability to constantly learn and adapt to innovations and practical knowledge acquired in an industrial environment. The goal is for students to acquire quality theoretical and practical knowledge of modern methods, procedures, and technologies in the field of mechanical engineering, as well as skills, abilities, values, and positive self-image which, in addition to knowledge, significantly contribute to job performance. They master both theoretical and practical methods, procedures, and processes in the field of mechanical engineering, and with professional criticism, self-critical judgment, and responsibility they can participate in the design, management, control, and supervision of all subsystems in production. Despite the practical orientation of the submitted study programme which is intended primarily for training to perform basic engineering tasks, the goal is for students to acquire other knowledge, supported by theory and practice, which enable them to work in various fields of economy and non-commercial activities.

The graduates will be able to identify and solve the challenges of modern mechanical engineering that will be assigned to them. The student who completes our programme will be an expert with theoretical and methodological knowledge for solving specific problems in planning, managing, and performing demanding professional tasks in a wide field of mechanical engineering and in various jobs. During their studies, students are enabled to acquire quality knowledge, as well as skills and abilities in the field of mechanical engineering. Due to individual work with students, it is also possible to convey professional values and build a positive self-image which, in addition to knowledge, significantly contributes to the work performance of the graduates. Graduates of the study programme master the procedures and processes in the field of mechanical engineering and are able to professionally design, plan, construct, manufacture, and maintain products, machines, and plants, taking into account professional excellence, social utility, ethical responsibility, professional ethics and environmental integrity criteria of their creations. The study programme enables the graduates to acquire broad knowledge by connecting theoretical concepts with professional and applied ones and to develop the ability to transfer and apply theoretical knowledge in practice for creative solving of professional and work problems. In designing the study programme Mechanical Engineering, we took into account comparable foreign study programmes, the characteristics and specifics of the Slovenian space and its environment, the problems arising from it and the specific needs for appropriate knowledge and competencies arising from these needs.

The main subject-specific competencies developed by the first-cycle study programme of the higher professional programme Mechanical Engineering are the following: • ability to use modern computer, information and communication technology and systems in the professional field, • ability to design and construct mechanical elements, assemblies, devices, machines, and plants, • use and development of computer-aided design, • use and development of processes and tools for modelling, optimization, and simulation of processes, • ability to use machines, devices, manufacturing processes, products, and production plants, • ability to design and develop machines, devices and plants for energy, process, and environmental technology, • ability to design, develop and use modern production technologies, • production automation and new production concepts, • ability to manage information, material and energy flows in the design, formation, construction, manufacture, installation, dismantling, and maintenance of products, • ability to manage existing production processes and technologies, and to analyse, assess, evaluate, and update them, • ability to organize and manage the production process, • ability to ensure the appropriate quality of products by performing appropriate measurements and quality control, • ability to provide measures for the smooth operation, maintenance, and environmental integrity of products throughout their lifetime, • ability of interdisciplinary understanding of activities in production systems, • ability to constantly develop skills and abilities in the application of knowledge in a certain professional field, • knowledge and understanding of the history of the development of mechanical engineering and its disciplines.

The higher education professional-level study programmes are open to students: a) who completed the Matura final examination, b) who completed the professional final examination at any secondary school, c) who completed any secondary school programme before June 1st 1995.

If a decision is taken to restrict enrolment, candidates will be selected according to: - general success in the final exam, vocational matura examination or matura examination 60% of points (weight 0.6) - overall success in the 3rd and 4th study years 40% of points (weight 0.4)

Candidates are enrolled according to the Criteria for Transitions between Study Programmes: • in the second or higher year of the higher professional study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering, when it comes to the termination of education according to the first study programme in Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy (0715) and Interdisciplinary Educational Activities/Outcomes, mainly Engineering, Production Technologies and Construction (0788) and continuing studies under this study programme of the same level, • in the second year of this study programme, when it comes to the enrolment of a graduate in the field of Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, Metalwork (0715) and Interdisciplinary Educational Activities/Outcomes, mainly Engineering, Production Technologies and Construction (0788). Transition is possible if the candidate meets the following conditions: • meets the conditions for enrolment in the first year of the higher professional study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering, • transfers from the study programme which at the end of the study ensures the acquisition of comparable competencies or learning outcomes, • upon transfer, at least half of the obligations under the European Credit Transfer System (hereinafter: ECTS) from the first study programme, which refer to the compulsory subjects of the second study programme, are recognized. Transitions between 1st level higher education study programmes. The transition from one study programme to another study programme is decided by the FS Commission for Study Affairs. In accordance with the Rules on the Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in the Study Programmes of the University of Maribor, the candidates need to submit to the Faculty: • application for recognition of knowledge and skills at the University of Maribor, • certificate of completed study obligations (exams) with obtained grades and the number of credit points, • validated curricula according to which knowledge has been acquired, • proof of payment of the procedure. If at least as many ECTS credit points are recognized in the process of recognition at the time of transition that the conditions for enrolment in the senior year of the higher professional study programme Mechanical Engineering are met, the candidate is granted enrolment in the second or higher year of the said study programme. They are assigned the missing obligations they need to complete if they want to graduate in the new study programme. Transitions from higher education study programmes to the higher professional study programme of the 1st level Mechanical Engineering Graduates of postgraduate study programmes in the fields of Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, Metalwork (0715) and Interdisciplinary Educational Activities/Outcomes, mainly Engineering, Production Technologies and Construction (0788), accepted before 1994, can enter the 2nd year of the higher professional study programme Mechanical Engineering, if they meet the conditions for enrolment in the higher professional study programme of the 1st level of Mechanical Engineering. In the 2nd study year, students must complete the following obligations that apply to all fields of study: Technological Systems, Technical Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer, Computer Aided Engineering, and the following study subjects: CAM Procedures and Production Organization (Manufacturing Engineering), Process Engineering and Refrigeration Technology (Energy, Process and Environmental Engineering), Mechanical Constructions and Computer Modelling of Products (Construction). To progress to the 3rd study year, a student needs to complete all the stated study obligations. Other obligations of the 1st and 2nd study year are recognized. The selection of candidates in case of limited enrolment will be based on the average grade of the study. It is not possible for graduates transition from higher education study programmes under the Higher Education Study Programmes Act, which was in force after 1995, to the 1st level higher professional study programme in Mechanical Engineering.

Criteria for recognition of knowledge and skills are regulated by the Rules on Recognition of Knowledge and Skills in Study Programmes of the University of Maribor which regulate the procedures for identifying, verifying, and recognizing knowledge and criteria for recognizing knowledge and skills acquired by candidates through formal and non-formal learning prior to enrolment and while studying at the University of Maribor. The rules can be found at https://www.um.si/univerza/dokumentni-center/akti/Strani/studij-na-um.aspx. The basic criterion for recognition is the comparability of knowledge acquired elsewhere with learning units, skills and competences. Examination, in terms of content and complexity, whether they fully or partially correspond to the general and/or subject-specific competencies determined by the study programme.

A student who completes all the obligations prescribed by the study programme and thus collects at least 180 ECTS credits completes his/her studies.