-- Engineering Education Not Keeping Pace With Challenges
of Globalization
-- Top Universities in Favor of 'Open Borders' and Internationalized
Study Programs
-- Unprecedented Study Shows Action Required to Internationalize
Engineering Sciences
-- Continental AG Expands International Network of Universities
HANOVER, Germany, and FRANKFURT, Germany, Nov. 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Engineering education that instills global competence is not keeping pace
with the complex and highly dynamic development process of globalization.
Study programs are not sufficiently international and cross disciplinary, the
mutual recognition of degrees or curriculum modules is still in its infancy,
and a worldwide accreditation system is nowhere in sight. In addition, there
are many government-imposed barriers that hinder an international and, at the
same time, research-oriented study program. Furthermore there are still
hardly any cooperative projects between companies and universities that go
beyond a national framework. These are the key findings of the "Global
Engineering Excellence" study, which was initiated by Continental AG.
Scientists from the renowned universities Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology Zurich, Switzerland; Georgia Institute of Technology and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S.A.; Shanghai Jiao Tong University
and Tsinghua University, China; Escola Politecnica Universidade da Sao Paulo,
Brazil; and the University of Tokyo, Japan, conducted the study under the
leadership of the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. They formulated
four key statements and recommendations for the future education of
engineers, based upon the findings of this unprecedented study, which was
presented on Friday at the Eberbach Cloister near Frankfurt:
-- Global competence needs to become a key qualification of engineering
graduates.
-- Transnational mobility for engineering students, researchers, and
professionals needs to become a priority.
-- Global engineering excellence depends critically on a mutual
commitment to partnerships, especially those that link engineering
education to professional practice.
-- Research on engineering in a global context is urgently needed.
As one of the leading international automotive suppliers, Continental has
for many years promoted excellence in the education of engineers: "Technology
is our passion. That is why we called the 'Global Engineering Excellence'
initiative to life last year to examine the prospects for engineers in the
era of globalization, their social position and education, as well as their
impact on the productivity of national economies, and to then draw
conclusions from these findings," said Continental Executive Board Chairman
Manfred Wennemer.
"We encourage our eight partner universities to develop and set up their
own and joint study courses for the degree of 'Master of Global Engineering'
within the framework of this project. In the future, this could be an elite
title for top engineers with an excellent and, above all, internationally-
oriented education," explained Continental Human Resources Director Thomas
Sattelberger. "For the practical part of the education, we are not only
opening up Continental's worldwide network, we also want to win the
collaboration of other partners from industry." He pointed out that
Continental is currently expanding its existing network with universities.
For the "Global Engineering Excellence" universities, Prof. Dr. Ing.
Reiner Anderl of the TU Darmstadt, which heads the study, called it, "an
outstanding milestone on the way to the further development of engineering
education at university level in preparation for working successfully in
international and intercultural teams." He pointed out that the universities
drafted essential and forward-looking recommendations based upon the findings
of the study: "Credits from suitable partner universities must be recognized,
and the learning of foreign languages made obligatory. New technologies such
as e-learning and video conference systems must also be used more
extensively, and part-time study courses should be promoted for students from
other countries. Cooperative ventures with industry could be expanded
considerably, for instance through research collaboration, training projects
and technical internships."
The universities are also in favor of governments promoting global
engineering education and research, with funding for university programs and
scholarships for international studies or internships. "Transnational
mobility should be improved by, for instance, removing barriers, such as
restrictive visa policies and work permits for foreign students while they
are studying and after they receive their degree," said Prof. Anderl. One
possibility, for instance, would be to introduce a special category of
student visa for technical internships and part-time jobs. "We feel it is
essential that triads develop consisting of universities and industry
together with politics or government, to make active headway in this topic."
As European Commissioner responsible for Education, and himself a trained
engineer, Jan Figel, who was guest of honor at the "Global Engineering
Excellence" event, said on Thursday night that the study was, "an analysis of
the highest quality." He added: "In my view, it should be required reading
for deans of engineering faculties everywhere," and that, "engineers are the
key to Europe's future in a globalized world. But, as the study shows, in a
globalized world engineers need skills that go far beyond what is
traditionally considered necessary."
"Most engineers in this century will work in integrated global
enterprises," explained the long-serving MIT President Emeritus Prof. Charles
Vest, who recently was nominated as new President of the National Academy of
Engineering in the U.S.A. "The "Global Engineering Excellence" study provides
an ambitious but practical roadmap for educating 21st century engineers to
work effectively in this context."
Continental Executive Board Chairman Wennemer pointed out that within the
framework of the "Global Engineering Excellence" initiative, students at the
eight participating universities would be asked their opinions regarding the
findings and recommendations of the first study as well as the view they take
of their own education, career opportunities and future prospects on job
markets and social environment. This representative study will be linked with
the Continental Student Survey, which has already been conducted for some
years, and its findings will be presented in 2007.
The Continental Corporation is a leading automotive supplier of brake
systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics, tires and technical
elastomers. In 2005 the corporation realized sales of EUR13.8 billion. At
present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 85,000.
For information about the initiative, visit the websites:
http://www.global-engineering-excellence.org
http://www.conti-online.com
