TU Delft to collaborate on sustainable aviation with French aviation sector

On 12 April a number of covenants were signed in the presence of Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf of Education, Culture and Science and his French colleague Sylvie Retailleau to intensify the collaboration between both countries in the field of science. One of the covenants focuses on the collaboration between TU Delft and French universities and businesses. For TU Delft this represents an important step in terms of research into sustainable aviation. 

International cooperation essential

The new TU Delft France initiative gives TU Delft the opportunity to collaborate on sustainable aviation with the French ISAE SUPAERO university and with leading French aviation and aerospace companies like Airbus and Safran. As Henri Werij, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, explains, "International cooperation with leading parties in Europe is essential in order to achieve the breakthroughs needed for climate-neutral aviation in 2050. The TU Delft France Initiative gives us the opportunity to broaden our cooperation with excellent universities and companies in France." 

Pilot on production and use of composites

The new initiative is starting with a pilot by TU Delft together with ISAE-SUPAERO which will involve cooperation in the field of the production and reuse of composites, in other words lightweight aircraft materials. The three PhD candidates who are going to start working on the pilot are to be supervised by both universities and will work in both Delft and Toulouse. TU Delft and ISAE SUPAERO are also going to collaborate more on European innovation projects. TU Delft and the French embassy in the Netherlands are going to finance the scientific cooperation in the coming years. Businesses from both countries will be given an opportunity to participate and provide funding in return for access to knowledge and talented scientists.