The research of the concept of global engineering education –case study in Tsinghua University

1
The research of the concept of global engineering
education case study in Tsinghua University

• Yu Shouwen
• Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084,China
• In 2008-10-1923, Cape Town, South Africa

2
Outline

• The research of the concept of global engineering
  education
• --Knowledge based economy , Tomorrows
  engineering workforce
• --Global excellent engineers and global
  engineering education
• --A great development and disequilibrium of the
  engineering education in Chinadata analysis

3
The research of the concept of global engineering
education

• Educating the Next Generation of Engineers for
  the Global Workplace 
• The world is rapidly transitioning from one of
  nationally differentiated organizations and
  cultural identities to one increasingly
  characterized by transnational institutions and
  multicultural communities.

4

• Global competence
• Global engineering excellence depends
• critically on a mutual commitment to
  partnerships, especially those that link
  engineering education to professional practice
• Is tomorrow's engineering workforcewhether in
  Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North or South
  Americabeing well prepared to meet the demands
  of the global economy? What new skills are
  required to be a good engineer as well as a
  global engineer?

5
Global EngineersGlobal Engineering Education

• Technically adept, culturally aware, and broadly
  knowledgeable, as well as innovative,
  entrepreneurial
• flexible, and mobileare we seeking global
  engineers or super engineers?
• we expect even more from engineering graduates?

6

• The Global Engineer is
• technically adept
• multilingual
• broadly knowledgeable
• culturally aware
• innovative and entrepreneurial
• knowledgeable about world markets
• commercially savvy
• professionally flexible and mobility

7

• Globalization is radically changing the way
  national economies around the world design,
  produce, distribute, and consume goods and
  services.
• Engineers are in the midst of this dynamic
  development.
• Universities evaluated global engineering and
  engineering education and identified the critical
  factors necessary for educating tomorrows
  engineering workforce. They focussed on the
  following questions

8

• Are new skills required to be not only a good
  engineer but also a global engineer
• Engineering education need to change for the
  global age
• Globalization lead to a status gap between
  engineers who comfortably manoeuvre in an
  international environment
• Foreign language skills and cross-cultural
  competence important for future engineers

9
The Local within the Global

• Chinas population offers tremendous long-term
  engineering human resource potential, but the
  countrys near-term industrialization needs and
  environmental concerns demand attention. While
  Chinese engineering graduates today could benefit
  from more innovation and creativity, their strong
  academic skills are highly valued
• The ability to live and work in a global
  community istodayan important requirement for
  engineering graduates. They need to have broad
  engineering skills and know-how, be flexible and
  mobile, and be able to work internationally.
• Providing these competencies will require the
  collaborative actions of industry, government,
  academia, and engineering-related agencies and
  organizations to address four critical
  challenges.

10

• First, preparation for global practice is
  generally not viewed as central to the education
  of an engineer
• Second, international mobility remains a
  challenge.
• Third, globalization and collaboration go
  hand-in-hand.
• Fourth, there is a significant lack of knowledge
  about proven theories and effective practices for
  instilling

11
In China---Data Analysis

• China is largely an agrarian society, with nearly
  half of the working population in agriculture.
• Approximately 29 percent of the workforce is in
  services and 22 percent in industry,
• Chinas economy has experienced accelerated
  growth in recent years
• Even if the GDP were to quadruple between 2000
  and 2020, the GDP per capita would still be only
  about 3,000 USD

12
National Developments in Engineering China

• Society and professional trends as they relate to
  engineering
• Its GDP has increased from 1978 till
  2004,Increasing rate 10 per year
• New type of industrialization
• New requirements to the engineering education.
• Chinese engineers-- respected by the society in
  terms of their social status

13
Engineering Workforce Development and Challenges

• Transform the RD system from a type of
  following up to a type of innovational
• In the recently announce Chinas scientific and
  technological development plan of the period
  2006-2020, the RD investment will be increased
  to 2.5 of its total GDP.
• Many Chinese enterprises will have to establish
  their RD departments to have their own ability
  of technological innovation.

14

• The basic goals of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan
  (2006-2010), include reducing energy consumption
  and developing new energy sources, protecting the
  environment, and improving information
  technology, finance, and equipment manufacturing.
  These efforts will reshape Chinas industrial
  profile and increase the demand for engineers.

15
The Chinese engineering workforce

• Some estimates suggest China has only 2 million
  engineers,
• The ever-increasing influence and rapid
  advancement of technology globally requires that
  China continue to invest heavily in developing a
  skilled and highly educated technical workforce.

16

• The impact of globalization on Chinese
  engineering education is demonstrated by a
  variety of programs
• Joint education programs
• At the undergraduate level, research experience
  is also being emphasized.
• trying to increase international internships and
  summer school opportunities for their students.

17

• Several promising trends have already laid the
  groundwork
• First, powerful and portable communication and
  collaboration technologies are transforming the
  educational environment
• Second, many institutions are recognizing the
  pedagogical value of learning experiences beyond
  the formal curriculum . Cooperative education,
  internships, research experiences, service
  learning, study abroad, and similar experiential
  programs
• Third, and perhaps most significant, is the trend
  toward competency-based education, where student
  performancenot seat timebecomes the focal
  point of the educational experience

18

• 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.
• There is an urgent need for research on
  engineering in a global context.

19
Global-Local Data Analysis

• Higher requirements for engineers and
  technicians.
• Big Engineering.
• A large number of manufacturing businesses
• It is definitely important to train out a large
  number of high-quality engineers and technicians
  in China.
• Chinas industrial structure is bound to be
  changed

20
The Data analysis of Chinese Eng.Education

• Table . Number of total graduates and engineering
  graduates in China between 1949 and 2008
  (---approximate estimation )
• year total number engng. Graduates
• (Thousands)
  (Thousands)
• 1949 --- 21
  5
• 1979----- 85
  21
• 1999----- 847
  326
• 2007------- 1996
  650
• 2008-------- 2325.5
  810

21
Strengthen university-industry collaboration

• Collaborative projects between universities and
  industries
• National centers for university students
  internship
• University science parks----44
• National centers of engineering research-
  --48
• Professional training and career orientation

22
Graduate Students

• 1999up to 2004average increasing rate of total
  number V30.2
• 2000V40.0
• 2003---V32.7
• Enrolments of freshman ( Candidates)
• 199992 thousands
• 2004---326 thousands
• 2007---419 thousands

23
Enrollments ( Mil.)

• Year Univ. college Total Ma. Dr.
  Total
• ( Undergraduates) (
  Candidates )
• 2005 2.30 2.35 4.65 0.316 0.054
  0.37
• 2006 2.60 3.00 5.60 0.344 0.056
  0.40
• 2007 2.82 2.84 5.66 0.361 0.058
  0.419

24
Strengthen the engineering education in China

• In general, the engineering education programs
  compose about 3040 in Chinas higher education
  system.
• With the rapid development of science and
  technology, and with the awareness of the
  importance of technological transfer, the role
  and position of engineering education will become
  more significant.

25
Different level

• Doctorial programs may focus on research on
  engineering science
• Masters training should fixate itself on
  engineering technology, and on the abilities to
  solve engineering problems and to manage
  large-scaled engineering projects.
• Bachelors trainingSemi-finished engineer
• Vocational education should focus its training on
  technical engineers, It will be developed very
  quickly in the recent years

26

• 2, The practice of the research of the concept of
  global engineering educationCase study in China
  and Tsinghua University in Beijing
• Two approaches
• Approach A
• --Joint programs of interdisciplinary and new
  specialties
• --A new Master of Engineering program
• --Bachelor-Master consecutive pursuit system
• --Practical activities Challenge Cup and
  students research training ( SRT Program)
  and practice oriented training
• --Distance education systemCERNET and
  application of IT
• --Graduate student Dual degree Program of
  Tsinghua-RWTH Aachen
• --Enhance foreign language

27
Encouraging Outstanding Young People to Be Modern
Engineers in the 21st Century

• Better Engineers and Better Professionals
• Some outstanding Chinese youths in current
  society didnt want to choose engineering
  technology as their major
• They were unlikely to be cultivated to be
  engineers and professionals.
• The preferred majors of many young people
  included such hot specialties as finance,
  commerce, administration, foreign language, law
  etc.

28

• The major problem presently existed in the
  technological activities of large and
  intermediate scale enterprises is the problem of
  talents.
• The most central problem in the near future,
  however, lies in the technicians lack of
  abilities of independent development and
  innovation.
• Case study in China and Tsinghua Universitythe
  practice of the research on concept of global
  engineering education

29
1)--Engineering specialties

• Firstly, many engineering colleges have offered
  some engineering specialties to meet the demand
  of the new requirements
• Industrial engineering
• Financial engineering
• ..
• Other interdisciplinary specialties such as
  systematic engineering, industrial engineering,
  distributive engineering and technology, social
  engineering science etc,

30
2)--Master of Engineering Program

• Since 1984 China has begun to carry out Master of
  Engineering Program. mid-1990s, Master of
  Engineering was set up.
• Up to 80 thousand per year now, covers dozens of
  fields of engineering. For candidates had
  practical experience concerning engineering of
  more than 3 years
• Two-year period of courses learning and thesis
  writing, finally achieve ME by passing the oral
  defense.
• As one of feasible ways to cultivate modern
  engineers as the society requires thesis papers
  regard to such enterprises urgent needs as
  design, technique, experiment, development of new
  technology and so on

31
3), B.-M.-integrated Degree Program

• Thirdly, schools of engineering at some Chinese
  universities, Tsinghua Universitys engineering
  departments, have carried out Bachelor-Master
  consecutive pursuit system.
• However, duo to time limit, most graduates are no
  more than semi-finished engineer.
• If students only take 6 years take one or one
  and a half year to put what they have learnt into
  engineering practice during the phase of
  graduation design thus they will be advanced
  talents with engineering expertise.

32
4) Practical Activities

• Fourthly A recent survey revealed that UROP and
  UPOP developed by MIT,
• In china, Tsinghua Universitys Students
  Research Training(SRT) program and national
  Challenge Cup of science and technology contest
  also appeal to a great number of undergraduates
  (19962006,3500 projects) and even postgraduates
  to participate in such activities.
• Till 200711,500 students has participated in
  more than 5300 SRT projects, more than 50 of all
  undergraduate students participated in the
  program
• Most Chinese universities encourage students to
  involve themselves in such practical activities
  as science and technology innovation or
  establishment of enterprises.

33

• Current Programs and Practices
• Graduate Education
• For instance, Tsinghua has dual-degree masters
  programs in industrial engineering and automotive
  engineering with RWTH Aachen University
• Foreign Language Education --English is becoming
  a common language for cross-cultural
  communication.
• Continuing Education

34

• Tsinghua has formed the International Cooperation
  and Exchange Leading Group
• The need for practical preparation has led to the
  development of experience-based programs at all
  levelsundergraduate, graduate, and continuing
  education.
• International student competitions, design
  projects, research experiences, or internships
• Tsinghuas five-week summer semester is intended
  largely for internships or community-based
  practice.

35

• Preparing the next generation of global engineers
  
• It requires the collaborative involvement of all
  the stakeholders government, industry,
  engineering-affiliated agencies, and others.

36
Approach B Continuing education

• --Long distance training network
• --Distance education system-CERNET
• --Continuing education
• Engineering technology circles distance education
  system,--Continuum Education
• To accomplish course concerned with engineering
  technology and administration or courses for
  postgraduates
• Such a distance-education approach important
  form of further education for engineering
  technicians
• Offering continuing education principally on-site
  is falling by the wayside, as modern electronic
  communication makes it possible and attractive
• Tsinghua provides extensive educational offerings
  through its Continuing Education School, UNESCO
  Teaching Staff in Continuing Engineering
  Education, and the Engineering Management
  Certification International Training Program.

37
Continuing Education in Tsinghua University

• School of Continuing Education ( SCE)
• Department for management training
• Dept. of technical development
• Department of distance learning.
• --High quality education and training resources
• --Committed t cultivating advanced professionals
• --Take the form of short-term training courses,
  visiting scholar programs
• ( In past 5 years, 20,000 students participated
  )

38

• --SCE is also home to the UNESCO Chair of
  Continuing Engineering Education
• 2003The Educational Aiding the poor project on
  the SCE system platform
• 2005participated 30,000 person times
• 2006SCE carries out 20 educational aid
  programs,57,000 person-times
• Poverty alleviation Project ( 2003-? now)
• By end of 2007, established 217 modern
  long-distance training station in impoverished
  counties in 27 provinces, region and
  municipalities in China  
• --2006,organized Sino-American University
  student Summer Vacation Poverty Alleviation
  Social Practice-- 800 Tsinghua Students and
  teachers 160 volunteers from United States
  University participated.

39
3, Discussion and concluding remarks

• 1, The concept of global engineering education
• 2,Globalization and localizationBalance
• 3.Developed counties (region) and
  developing countries ( region )-collaboration
• 4, The diversity of needs of human resource
  in engineering.