The Erasmus+ funded EPOSAM project, coordinated by Bursa Technical University (BTU), aims to expand the use of open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software in industry, helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) carry out R&D without the high costs of commercial software licences.

The Educational Platform for Open Source Software Applications in Fluid Mechanics (EPOSAM) project, coordinated by Bursa Technical University (BTU), has been awarded funding under the European Union’s Erasmus+ KA220-VET programme for Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training. EPOSAM is the only university project from Türkiye to receive funding in the programme’s highest grant category.

The project will establish an international training platform to help students, young engineers and scientists develop practical skills in open-source software for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). By promoting the use of these tools in both academia and industry, EPOSAM also aims to make R&D more accessible and sustainable for SMEs, which often face high licensing costs for commercial software.

European Universities and Industry Partners Join Forces

Running for 36 months, the project will bring together an international consortium led by BTU. Its partners are Aalborg University in Denmark, Esslingen University of Applied Sciences and Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar) in Germany, Krakow University of Technology in Poland, and Germany-based engineering company HyperSys GmbH. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) will contribute as an associated partner.

The pilot phase is expected to involve 12 young engineers and 12 companies, primarily from Türkiye, Germany, Poland and Denmark. The results of the training and practical work will be presented to academic and industry representatives at an international workshop.

From Theory to Real-World Engineering Challenges

EPOSAM will follow a two-stage training model that connects theoretical knowledge with practical engineering work. In the first stage, participants will receive theoretical and hands-on training in CFD fundamentals, Linux, OpenFOAM and SALOME.

In the second stage, they will be matched with companies to work on real engineering problems under the guidance of academic and industry mentors. This approach will help participants develop not only the skills needed to use open-source software, but also the ability to apply these tools to practical industrial challenges.

BTU’s High-Performance Computing Infrastructure Opens to European Participants

An important part of EPOSAM is the Center of Open-source Software Applications in Fluid Mechanics (COSAM) Laboratory at BTU. Through the project, participants and partner companies will be able to access COSAM’s high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure remotely and run complex engineering simulations that require substantial computing power.

This access will support the wider use of open-source engineering software in both education and industrial applications.

Building Towards an International Centre of Excellence

The BTU project team includes Prof. Dr. Ali Cemal Benim, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Osman Turan, Assist. Prof. Dr. Levent Aydınbakar, Research Assistant Ramazan Aslan and Research Assistant İsmail Hoş from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences.

In the longer term, EPOSAM aims to develop an international master's programme in open-source computational engineering and establish research and training centres modelled on COSAM in different European countries. By building a lasting network of collaboration among these centres, the project seeks to bring education, research and industry closer together and lay the foundations for an international Centre of Excellence built around COSAM.

Rector Çağlar: “The Project Is Important for BTU’s Internationalisation”

Highlighting the project's role in strengthening international partnerships and developing skilled professionals, BTU Rector Prof. Dr. Naci Çağlar said:

“The EPOSAM project, which will be coordinated by our university, demonstrates how our academic expertise can be translated into tangible outcomes through international partnerships. By bringing universities and industry representatives from across Europe together around a shared goal, the project will make an important contribution to Bursa Technical University’s internationalisation vision.”