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Engineering Education: Challenges, Opportunities, and Potential Areas for GCC Cooperation

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Historical Overview of Engineering Education ... Establishment of industrial advisory boards. Establishment of regular self-assessment programs ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Engineering Education: Challenges, Opportunities, and Potential Areas for GCC Cooperation


1
Engineering Education Challenges,
Opportunities, and Potential Areas for GCC
Cooperation
  • Dr. Khaled S. Al-Sultan

Rector, King Fahd University of Petroleum
Minerals Dhahran, Saudi Arabia rector_at_kfupm.edu.sa
2
Outline
  • Historical Overview of Engineering Education
  • The Future of Engineering Education Challenges
    and Opportunities
  • Engineering Education in KSA
  • KFUPM and Current Trends in Engineering Education
  • Opportunities for cooperation within GCC
  • Concluding Remarks

3
History of Engineering Education
  • From prehistoric times, engineers have always led
    humanity for a better life.
  • Till 1800s, engineering education was learned by
    apprenticeship (emphasis on hands-on experience).
  • After 1800s, universities and colleges in Europe
    and US, started granting formal engineering
    degrees.

4
History of Engineering Education (cont)
  • In 1870, there were 17 universities teaching
    engineering in the US, growing to 110 schools in
    1890.
  • During same period, only 10 of practicing
    engineers were college graduates.
  • End of 1800s, professional engineering societies
    started to flourish
  • Early 1900s, laws governing licensing
    certifications are introduced

5
History of Engineering Education (cont)
  • In 1932, ABET established The beginning of an
    era of accreditation.
  • 1950-1990, focus on engineering sciences,
    analysis, faculty expected to carry research
  • After 1990 - now, focus on teamwork,
    communications, integration, design, continuous
    improvement, while maintaining analytical skills.

6
Features of Traditional Engineering Education
  • More focused on abstract themes
  • Instructor centered learning
  • Depth in specialized fields
  • Very little use of computers, Multimedia,
    Internet
  • More focused on individual efforts

7
The Reality!Current Weaknesses in Todays Eng.
Graduates
  • Weakness in understanding manufacturing processes
  • Mostly analysts in specific areas
  • Narrow view of engineering
  • No understanding of quality process
  • Weak communication skills
  • Lack of design capabilities
  • Weak teamwork project management skills

8
Forces Pushing for Change
  • Companies employing engineering graduates
  • Accreditation boards (such as ABET)
  • Globalization of economy
  • Engineering professional societies
  • Advisory boards

9
Future Technological Challenges of the 21st
Century
Main Features
  • Information Proliferation
  • Tech. development Multidisciplinary
  • Markets Globalized
  • Environment Endangered
  • Social responsibility Engineering
  • Corporate structure Participatory
  • Change Rapid!

10
The Ideal!
21st Century Engineering Skills Essential for
Competitive Graduates
  • Strong technical capability
  • Skills in communication and persuasion
  • Ability to lead and work effectively as a member
    of a team
  • Understanding of the non-technical forces that
    profoundly influence engineering decisions
  • Commitment to lifelong learning
  • Skills in design and project management
  • Multidisciplinary

11
Quality Control for Engineering Programs
  • Educational quality control is the cornerstone
    for successful engineering program
  • Such quality control takes place through
    accreditation
  • Accreditation reflects a professional judgment
    that certain students are met
  • Acts as a benchmark for quality
  • Accreditation is usually voluntary and conducted
    by peers

12
Main Features of Successful Engineering Education
Programs for the Next Decade
Infrastructure
Students
Faculty
13
Students
  • Attract the best students in physical
    mathematical sciences with leadership potential
  • Educate motivate engineering students to be
    ready
  • to implement new technology
  • to focus on innovation
  • to understand global trends

14
Faculty
  • Select faculty with top engineering background
  • Select faculty with excellent potential in
    carrying innovative research and providing
    leadership with a global look
  • Select faculty committed to a dynamic teaching
    environment
  • Provide faculty with opportunities for self
    development
  • Facilitate cooperation with industry the
    society at large

15
Infrastructure Support
  • Conducive environment that encourages high levels
    of productivity
  • Up to date facilities of international standards
  • Adopt flexible and clear rules and regulations

16
  • Engineering Education
  • in the GCC

17
Engineering Programs
  • First Engineering Colleges established in early
    1960s
  • Initially, 10 universities offered engineering
    programs
  • By 2005, more than 30 colleges/universities
    offered engineering programs
  • There is an increase in the number of private
    colleges/universities
  • New alliances with overseas universities were
    formed.
  • Still, Number of engineering students per capita
    is still very low compared to developed countries

18
First university degrees, by region 1997 and 2002
19
NSE degrees per 100 24-year-olds,by country
Most recent year
20
NSE degrees per 100 24-year-olds,by country
Most recent year
21
Engineering Programs in Saudi Arabia
  • In 1962, First Engineering College established
  • Currently, 13 colleges/universities offer
    Engineering degrees
  • Some Engineering programs have attained ABET
    substantial equivalency
  • Several universities established MS/PhD programs

22
Higher Education in KSA (2004/2005)
  • Total Number of Bachelor Students 481,042
  • Total Number of Engineering Students 13,071
  • Total Number of MS Students 7,843
  • Total Number of PhD Students 1,806
  • China aims at graduating 1 MILLION engineers a
    year.

23
Number of Engineers in KSA
24
Number of Engineers in KSA (cont.)
  • Number of Engineers for every 100,000 currently
    486 including expatriate
  • Number of Saudi Engineers for every 100,000
    currently 120
  • Compared to some neighboring countries, there is
    a need for an additional 100,000 engineers in the
    Kingdom

25
KFUPM and Current Trends in Engineering Education
  • KFUPM prides itself to be the most prominent
    engineering university in the region
  • Number of students in engineering

26
Focus Tracks in Engineering Education at KFUPM
  • Communication skills
  • Online education (use of Internet)
  • Innovation
  • Partnership with Industry

27
KFUPM Implementation Plans
  • Students
  • Faculty
  • Industrial Technology

28
Student Development Programs
Programs
  • Gifted
  • Students
  • Program

Academic Improvement Program
Personal Skills Program
29
Personal Skills Program
Developing students skills that is needed by job
market
Voluntary Community services
  • Special events short courses, workshops

Academic Programs
International Computer Driving License, ICDL
30
Faculty Development Programs
  • Establishment of Deanship of Academic Development
  • Junior faculty programs
  • Encouraging Use of Technology in Teaching
  • Promoting Excellence in Research
  • Summer professional development programs with
    industry
  • Involvement of practicing engineers from industry
    in teaching
  • Support of faculty in organizing international
    conferences and workshops

31
Junior Faculty Development Program
Activities
Research
Teaching
  • Research Workshops (DAD)
  • Mentoring
  • Junior faculty grant
  • Industrial Experience
  • Summer Assignment
  • International, national and KFUPM
  • workshops and conferences
  • Peer consultation
  • Course coordination assignment
  • Technical and learning grants
  • Mentoring
  • Teaching exchange program
  • Certification program

32-Faculty members joined the program in 2005
32
Research Achievements
Research Projects Approved
() KFUPM attracts the largest number of KACST
engineering research projects in the Kingdom
33
Research Outcomes
KFUPM is the only university in the region
included in the top 100 engineering institutions
worldwide (ISI-web of knowledge, December 2005)
34
Instructional Technology
  • Web-based courses
  • Online courses
  • E-learning
  • Distance learning

35
A. Web-based Course Development
B. Online Course Development 30 Courses
36
Other Initiatives to Strengthen Engineering
Education at KFUPM
  • Strengthening partnership with industry by
    establishing chair positions
  • Improving coop programs for applied sciences with
    major industry partners
  • Enhancing profile of annual career day
  • The wireless campus initiative
  • The laptop for every student initiative
  • Enhancing campus network to facilitate on-line
    teaching.

37
Initiatives Along ABET Requirements
  • Establishment of industrial advisory boards
  • Establishment of regular self-assessment programs
  • Enhancement of the design communication skill
    components in engineering programs

38
Initiatives in Promoting GCC Cooperation
  • Simplified regulations for business and trade
  • Unified Customs tariffs and Currency
  • Cooperation within the electricity sector
    (connection grid, standards, etc..)
  • Stronger cooperation among educational
    institutions professional societies

39
Opportunities for Cooperation in Engineering
Education
  • Institution level
  • Faculty level
  • Student level

40
Cooperation in Engineering Education (Institution)
  • Formal coordination among engineering colleges
    (eg. Gulf Accreditation Board for Engineering and
    Technology)
  • Standard entrance exams
  • Linkage of IT resources (eg. Libraries)
  • Cooperation in distance learning
  • Unified engineering certification process
  • Joint organization of conferences /workshops

41
Cooperation in Engineering Education (Faculty)
  • Faculty exchange programs
  • (within industry and universities)
  • Joint research programs
  • Cooperation in short courses delivery
  • Joint faculty development programs

42
Cooperation in Engineering Education (Students)
  • Student exchange programs
  • Flexible student transfer among GCC institutions
  • Extra curricular activities
  • Student chapters of professional societies

43
Concluding Remarks
  • To cope with the rapid technology advances, it is
    imperative to develop aggressive plans and
    programs to meet the challenges of the 21st
    century
  • The future of engineering in the region is at
    stake our programs need to be formulated to
    graduate engineers able to take a leading role in
    the community.
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