Transformations in Engineering Education Globally

Abstract

The Corporate Member Council of the American Society for Engineering Education together with IFEES recently surveyed engineering stakeholders around the world to develop a series of competencies and characteristics necessary for a modern engineer to work in a global environment. This study and others send a clear message that we must improve the focus on fundamentals, teach more real-world thinking, increase coverage of emerging areas, teach problem-solving skills, offer more instruction on oral and written communications, instill in students an awareness of ethical, environmental, and social issues, and so on. These findings have significant overlap with those of that National Academy of Engineers [1] and National Science Foundation [2] as well as the outcomes sought by accrediting bodies such as ABET, IChemE, and Engineers Australia. In addition, we must not increase the total number of credits or time required to complete a degree. It is clear that these goals are not achieved by traditional engineering education and that a major transformation is necessary to create an engineering ecosystem that supports the development of global competencies. What is the role of teaching, course, and curriculum reform in this transformation?