Objective

The Personal Computer Laboratory (PCLab) is an integral component of the Digital Technology Laboratory for Technical Projects housed within the School of Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). The PCLab serves a critical role in providing practical computational training and supporting both educational and research needs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The PCLab familiarizes students with the practical application of personal computing systems and contemporary Internet-based services, facilitating their coursework related to information technology and computer science. This includes the broader curriculum across undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

The PCLab supports academic courses by prioritizing the needs of introductory subjects in computer science and computer usage. It extends its support to a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, which are defined and approved by the General Assembly (G.A.) of the School. The laboratory provides students with fully equipped computer workstations connected to the local network and Internet, offering the necessary software tools to support both theoretical instruction and practical application.

The operational timetable of the PCLab is determined by the General Assembly of the School, which also approves the courses it supports. All available hours outside scheduled teaching and research activities are allocated for student use, as specified in the attached schedule. Exceptions are decided on a case-by-case basis by the General Assembly. The PCLab operates across two main facilities: the Central PCLab located on the first floor of the N. Kitsikis Building and the PCLab Annex situated in the basement of the Materials Strength Laboratory, Wing B.

As part of the Digital Technology Laboratory for Technical Projects, the PCLab aligns with the laboratory’s broader mission, which includes advancing knowledge in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, building information modeling (BIM), digital twins, and 3D modeling. Through this integration, the PCLab contributes significantly to the development of digital competencies and prepares students to address the evolving challenges in civil engineering and technical projects.

Operation

Before the commencement of each academic semester, the Director is responsible for drafting a detailed operational timetable. Following approval by the General Assembly (G.A.) of the respective School, the timetable is posted in a prominent location within the PCLab. Any modifications are formally approved, announced in a timely manner, and posted in the same location as the original timetable.

The standard operating hours of the PCLab are a minimum of seven hours and thirty minutes per working day (e.g., 7:00 AM - 2:30 PM). These hours are adapted to align with the School's official timetable and can be extended upon a decision by the G.A.

Access to the PCLab computing systems is granted through personal access credentials. These credentials are strictly personal for each student or instructor and must not be shared, including the corresponding passwords. The Network Administrator systematically monitors compliance with these regulations.

The available storage space allocated to each user is limited and determined according to the requirements of the respective course or application. Justified requests for temporary additional space will be evaluated and accommodated with the approval of the Network Administrator.

During scheduled classes and exercises in the PCLab, priority is given to students attending the respective sessions. Presence of non-participating individuals is not permitted unless expressly authorized by the instructor. The class and exercise schedules will be posted at the PCLab entrance to facilitate user planning.

No more than two users are allowed per workstation, and simultaneous use of multiple workstations by a single user is prohibited, even when workstations are available.

In cases of emergency maintenance, partial or complete suspension of PCLab operations may occur. The Network Administrator will inform users in advance via email notifications or on-screen announcements during system access.

Graduates are removed from the user registry of the PCLab immediately upon notification from the Secretariat to the Director.

All instructor users of the PCLab must be aware of its operational regulations and their scientific role. They are also required to remind students of the importance of strict adherence to these rules and to show respect towards other users and the laboratory's infrastructure.

Any questions or suggestions regarding the PCLab operational regulations must be directed exclusively to the Director of the PCLab. Under no circumstances should users address such matters to the Network Administrator.

Hardware

Organization

The start of the operation of the Educational and Research Units (Pclab Central & Annex-Virtual) is announced by the General Secretariat, which designates a faculty member and his substitute as responsible directors of the Pclab, with responsibilities equivalent to those of the Laboratory Directors of the Institution.

For the smooth operation, overall development, and utilization of the Unit, the Director bears overall responsibility and is responsible for the faithful implementation of these regulations.

The Director of the Unit heads the Pclab team, which consists of:

• A faculty member of the School, who has the specific responsibility of scientific and administrative support.
• The network support officer who has already been assigned by the Computer Center (NoC) to serve this Unit. The main responsibility of this officer is the seamless functional interconnection of the Unit with the wider network of the Department and the Institution, and general support and collaboration with the other two officers.
• The Pclab administrator (System Administrator), with special qualifications, a graduate of a Technical Educational Institute or University, specialized in technical support of similar laboratories and in the special requirements that each Department will determine. This position is full-time (eight-hour day).
• Graduate or (in exceptional cases) undergraduate students of the Department to cover any gaps in staffing that may arise.

User Identification

Students of the School of Civil Engineering at NTUA, who are interested in using the computers in the Personal Computer Laboratory (Material Strength Building, Wing B), should submit a user identification form.

Please fill in your details here or attach the following file and send it to the following Email.