written by Unai Villena Camarero
One of the great added values of participating in international collaboration projects is the opportunity to conduct visits between partner institutions. These visits, beyond their practical and operational purposes, not only strengthen professional and personal ties among teams, but also open a privileged window into different ways of understanding engineering, other teaching logics, and technical approaches. Getting to know our partners’ facilities firsthand, seeing how they structure their laboratories or integrate technological history into current education, enriches us as teachers and researchers. It is in this exchange where new ideas arise, shared learning flourishes, and a broader view of our professional field is formed.
Members of the SUNRISE Project at the entrance of the School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade – ETF, on May 12, 2025.
During our recent visit to Belgrade, members of the Electric Power Systems Research Group (GISEL) from University of the Basque Country had the opportunity to visit the School of Electrical Engineering of Belgrade – ETF, a center with facilities that combine tradition, history, and educational functionality. Although many of its infrastructures date back decades, the impeccable maintenance and practical approach to teaching make this school an admirable example of how to preserve and continue using technical equipment with a long-standing legacy.
Machine room in the basement of School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade.
From our point of view, one of the most impressive elements was a machine built by Siemens-Schuckert after World War II, capable of converting three-phase alternating current into direct current. This robust piece of equipment is still operational and today serves an educational purpose: generating useful energy for practical lab sessions with students.
Members from the University of the Basque Country admiring the Siemens-Schuckert AC-DC converter.
These types of rotary converters are based on principles developed by Nikola Tesla, particularly on the design of alternating current rotating machines inspired by his induction motor (one of his most influential inventions). Before the advent of semiconductors and silicon diodes, these machines were the only reliable way to transform AC into DC.
Nameplate of the Siemens-Schuckert AC-DC rotary converter.
Despite their mechanical complexity, these machines stood out for their robustness and capacity to handle high currents (as evidenced by the equipment plate showing over 100 amps output) and offered remarkable efficiency for the time. Maintenance was relatively straightforward, focusing on components like the commutator and brushes, which were key to continuous operation.
In an age when technology evolves at a dizzying pace, seeing such a machine not only functioning but actively contributing to the educational process reminded us of the value of well-designed and maintained engineering. This is not a museum piece, but a living tool that is part of academic daily life. Its presence ensures continuity with an invaluable technical heritage and offers students a direct connection with the history of electrical engineering.
This experience reinforces a fundamental idea: innovation doesn’t always mean replacing the old, but knowing how to intelligently and respectfully integrate it into today’s challenges.