Harmonizing Civil Engineering Education Across Europe Stanislaw Majewski Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland

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Harmonizing Civil Engineering Education Across
Europe Stanislaw Majewski Silesian University
of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
Autonomy or Harmonizing Bologna
Declaration Basic questions of the education ASCE
BOK Committee Outcomes of the education Levels of
Competence EUCEET Core Curricula Conclusion
Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Do we need any harmonization ?

• Magna Charta Universitatum (Bologna, 1988) ?
  Autonomy Freedom

• We never can tell that our teaching is perfect.
  Thus the question what should be taught and how
  should it be done must be always present in any
  educational activity. This question should be
  always considered in context of contemporary
  conditions

What are these conditions now?

• Globalization

• studying abroad

much easier if the curricula are similar
requires readable comparable degrees

• global employment

• Dominating impact of the technology on the human
  life

• Engineer becomes a leader of the society, his
  education should be broader, not loosing its
  technical depth and level

• Summarizing some harmonization is necessary and
  doesnt deny the idea of university autonomy and
  freedom emphasised by Magna Charta Universitatum.

Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Bologna Declaration

• The Declaration convened in Bologna in June 1999
  is the result of wide survey of the European
  education state in the end of the twentieth
  century. This survey revealed extreme complexity
  and diversity of curricular and degree structures
  in European countries.
• Four recommendations of this Declaration are
  directly connected with the subject of this
  presentation
• adoption of a system of easily readable and
  comparable degrees,
• adoption of a system based on two main cycles,
  undergraduate and graduate,
• establishment of a comparable system of credits,
• developing comparable criteria and methodologies
  of quality assurance with view to accreditation
  procedures,
• Some harmonizing is necessary to assure readable
  and comparable degrees, irrespectively from
  Country and University of graduation. This is
  crucial for students exchange and employment of
  graduates.

Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Basic questions of educational process
What the graduate should receive during his
studies?

• KNOWLEDGE, which assures his scientific and
  technical competence,

• What should be taught ?

SKILLS, which make possible effective use of
this knowledge for solving engineering problems,

• What should be trained ?

• ATTITUDES, which assure the appropriate approach
  to co-workers and professional duties

• What should be formed ?

Answer in terms of subjects
Answer in terms of outcomes of the education
How it should be taught?
Who should teach and learn?
Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Outcomes of the education

• The Body of Knowledge Committee of the ASCE
  determined in 2001 the outcomes of education

• Scientific technical outcomes
• An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
  science and civil engineering
• An ability to design and conduct experiments, as
  well as analyze and interpret data
• An ability to design a system, component or
  process to meet desired needs
• An ability to identify, formulate and solve
  engineering problems
• An ability to understand the techniques, skills,
  and modern engineering tools necessary for
  engineering practice
• An ability to apply knowledge in a specialized
  area related to civil engineering

• Professional outcomes
• An ability to function on multi-disciplinary
  teams
• An ability to communicate effectively
• An understanding of the elements of project
  management, construction, and asset management
• An understanding of business and public policy
  and administration fundamentals
• An understanding of the role of the leader and
  leadership principles.

• Attitude outcomes
• An understanding of professional and ethical
  responsibility
• The broad education necessary to understanding
  the impact of engineering solutions in a global
  and societal context
• A recognition of the need for, and an ability to
  engage in life-long learning

• Levels of competence
• Ability
• Understanding
• Recognition

Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Levels of Competence versus Outcomes
Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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EUCEET? Studies and Recommendations on
Core-Curricula in Civil Engineering
What should be taught ?
Answer in terms of subjects with regard to the
outcomes and levels of competence proposed by ASCE
Answer competent and representative, as more than
100 Universities participates in Thematic Network
EUCEET
? EUCEET European Civil Engineering Education
Training
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Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Core Subjects and Credit points
27 !
Basing on the wide European inquiry 25 Core
Subjects with credits assigned have been
determined
Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Frame Syllabuses
A brief list (1 A4 page) with main topics, which
should be known to every graduate of CE faculty,
irrespectively to his specialization.
In each syllabus there will be determined

• levels of competence for particular parts of
  contents,

• skills achieved within the subject.

Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Conclusions

• No doubt that the uniformity never will be the
  objective of education, yet some level of
  compatibility can be useful or even
  indispensable, if we mind the globalization of
  employment.

• Knowledge, skills and attitudes of a
  professional should be comparable irrespective to
  the place of his graduation.

• The compilation of the Bologna Declaration, ASCE
  Body of Knowledge Committee recommendations and
  the results of EUCEET Core-Curricula Studies
  create a good basis to define, what professional
  qualifications every graduate of Civil
  Engineering faculty should receive during his
  studies

Thank you for your attention
Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Thank you for your attention
Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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SP1
Thank you for your attention
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ASCE BOK Committee outcomes

• Magna Charta Universitatum (Bologna, 1988) ?
  Autonomy Freedom

• The question what should be taught and how
  should it be done should be always present in any
  educational activity and should be considered in
  context of contemporary conditions

What are these conditions now?

• Globalization

• studying abroad

• global employment

• Dominating impact of the technology on the human
  life

• Engineer becomes a leader of the society, thus
  his education should be broader, not loosing its
  technical depth and level

• Thus some harmonization is necessary and doesnt
  deny the idea of university autonomy and freedom
  emphasised by Magna Charta Universitatum.

Civil Engineering Education Research in
Enlarged EU, Brno, April 2004
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Duration of studies and types of programmes
Distribution of civil engineering education
systems across European countries represented in
the EUCEET consortium of partners (1999 - 2000)
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