Abstract:

Nowadays, the measurement and management of color quality of the gonio-apparent materials is complex, but highly demanded in many industrial sectors, as automotive, cosmetics, etc. It is necessary to control complex instrumentation and to do visual assessments of texture and color differences to get, for instance, a visual harmony in car bodies; and a profound knowledge of physics and chemistry of special-effect pigments to obtain attractive visual effects in coatings, plastics, etc. From University of Alicante, for the academic year 2014-15, we are organizing the first MSc degree in Color Technology for the Automotive Sector (acronym ColTAS), with a design of contents embracing optics and visual appearance, color physics and chemistry. The MSc syllabus, with 60 ECTS, is designed to be taught in two semesters: from September to January with b-learning theoretical and practical activities by Moodle platform, and, from February to May with internships in some companies. Therefore, the MSc Thesis would be the performance report during the internship in companies or research institutions. Some multinational companies, both as car makers and coatings and plastics providers, have already shown their support and interest in welcoming students for specific training, even some job offers when the first MSc edition finishes.

The purpose of ColTAS degree is to provide comprehensive training in the multidisciplinary study of Color Science and Technology from a global perspective. Students will learn the physicochemical and visual laws and solve real or simulated problems that often arise when using special effect pigments in different industrial sectors, particularly within the automotive sector. This course includes an industry-based internship of up to 4 months and provides a great opportunity to achieve basic and advanced color control skills at an industrial level, particularly in the automotive sector. For color experts with a university degree, this new postgraduate course is a great chance to enhance training and professional qualifications. Meanwhile, recent graduates who choose to undertake this specialist postgraduate course will find it easier to obtain highly specialized jobs, which are therefore more highly valued (and better paid).

This Master of 60 ECTS or credits (one academic year, from September to June) is managed by the Continuous Training Center, and organized by the Business School of the General Foundation of the University of Alicante and the Department of Optics, Pharmacology and Anatomy, belonging to the Faculty of Science of this University.

The syllabus, to be developed using Moodle platform, is composed by the following subjects distributed in two semesters:
- CIE Colorimetry (10 ECTS),
- Visual appearance (10 ECTS),
- Visual harmony management (10 ECTS),
- Coatings and plastics (3 ECTS),
- Formulation of pigments (7 ECTS),
- RTD introduction (industrial internship and Master’s thesis) (20 ECTS).

We therefore hope that this new Master, unique in its design and organization, and placing to the University of Alicante in the global vanguard of the training of new inter and multi-disciplinary professions in the XXI century, can suppose a great encouragement and outreach to improve the employability of high quality graduates and increase the scientific-technological advances and profits in many industrial sectors.

Keywords:

Colorimetry, special-effect pigments, automotive coatings, training internships in company, Moodle platform, b-learning.