Improving Engineering Education System 8 TH ASEE GLOBAL COLLOQUIUM ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION...

Improving Engineering Education System

8TH ASEE GLOBAL COLLOQUIUM ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Budapest, 2009

Prof. Imre CZINEGESzéchenyi István University – Hungary

15.10.2009. Improving Engineering Education System

Main topics

1. Historical background– West Europe –> CEE countries –> European HE space

2. Motivation and enrollment to engineering studies– Prestige of engineering profession in Hungary– Pre-studies in secondary schools

3. Action plan for the future– Reforms in engineering education

4. Co-operation with industry– New forms of education– Involving students in research and development projects


West European HE

Central-East European HE

Harmonized

European

Higher

Education

1. Historical background


Events in West European HE

• 1960’s years: Student movements, strong demand for reforms

• 1970’s years: Rapid expansion of HE, increasing enrollment mainly in „cheep” programs like humanities, social sciences– Consequence: relative weight of engineering studies decreased

• 1990- : Mass education, overloaded universities, permanent lock of capacities– Consequence: quality of education could not be maintained

• Reaction: quality assurance systems, new teaching methods, globalization of HE– Result: both positive and negative elements


Historical background of CEE countries

• 1950-1990– Rigid political system, centralized control of society

• After 1990– Political changes– Deep economical crisis

• Around 2000– Rapid development of economy– Significant investments, modernization of industry

• Recent years– Global financial-economical crisis– Reduction of public expenditure


Changes in university education in CEE countries

• 1950-1990– State-controlled education, low enrollment rate (12% in Hungary)

• After 1990– Rapid expansion of enrollment (from 12% to 40% of 18 years age

group in Hungary)– Widening university profiles

• Around 2000– Top of demographic wave– Significant investments, new capacities, widening profiles

• Recent years– Decreasing number of candidates to HE– Quality of candidates???– Financial problems of institutes


Reform in HE:Bologna process

• Objective: harmonize the European HE• General evaluation

– It was rather a political decision than bottom-to top initiative– Formal elements were dominant (forced introduction of

Bachelor-Master system)– Universities and professors were not involved

• Positive effects– All programs were renewed – New curricula and teaching materials have been introduced

• Negative effects– Time was too short for transition period– Labor market has no information about new engineering

qualifications


2. Motivation and enrollment to engineering studies

Why to be an engineer?

• Prestige of engineering profession in Hungary

• Motivation factors

• Hindering factors


Opinion of students about professions

Results of a recent pool:• How they estimate the

income of different professions?

• How they feel the social prestige of professions

• Conclusion:– Traditions are very strong– Engineering career

perspective is good, but social prestige is lower

0

10

20

30

40

50

Jurist Informatics Engineer Economist Doctor

Financial prestie

010

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Doctor Jurist Engineer Economist Informatics

Social prestige


Motivation of candidates to be an engineer

• Industrial growth was significant in the last decade (about 20%/year)

• Popular branches are automobile, computer and telecommunication industry

• Demand for graduated engineers permanently exceeds the output

• Perspectives for excellent engineers:career, income, good positions and working conditions, …

• Relative good social prestige• Interesting and challenging tasks• Life long learning


Hindering factors to be an engineer

• Studies in secondary school:– Mathematics, physics is regarded as difficult subjects– Less and less teaching hours for natural sciences– Reduced maturity requirements (only mathematics has remained)

• Missing motivation from every day's life– Less possibilities for practical work (repair bicycle, play with creative

toys, help in the household works, …)– Ready-made toys, television, computer games, …

• Negative information about engineering courses– Engineering studies are difficult– Drop-out rate is high– Because of mass-education less practice, only oral presentations


3. Action plan for the future

Main objectives of reform:Engineers should be • highly trained professionals • who are possessing general and specific knowledge• and are able to apply these skills• they have high level language skills and• ability and demand for life-long learning.Engineering training should be• well defined and planned • it has harmonized levels of training

(undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, PhD programs)


How to reach the objectives?

General requirements at each level• Quality Assurance System at national and at institutional

level• Well qualified teachers and professors• Organized training and career development of staff• Appropriate managers for institutes• Long-term and stable financing• Autonomy and accountability of institutes


Requirements of pre-studies

Secondary education• high level literacy, natural sciences, social and cultural

studies• language skills (at least two foreign languages)• methodological preparation for independent learning and

further education• motivation for higher education studies in engineering

– mathematical skills– strong foundation in natural sciences (physics, chemistry)– laboratory and other practical works


4. Co-operation with industry

Case study: • Partners:

Audi Hungaria Motor Company – Széchenyi István University

• Principles of co-operation– Framework contract for regulation of research activity

– Participation of Audi in university education

– Common teaching unit: „Audi Hungaria Department of Combustion Engines”

• Experiences– extended participation of the universities in the research activity of company,

and

– participation of the company in the undergraduate, graduate and PhD trainingresults in a mutually beneficial co-operation


Actions in co-operation

• Framework contract for regulation of research activity– Launching of new project is easy– Everyday research contacts between university and company– Extension of research activity within company and partner

universities (Audi Ingolstadt – Uni Karlsruhe – Audi Győr – Uni Győr)

• Participation of Audi in university education– Courses delivered by the company– Practical semester for students– Thesis work at the company– Participation in the PhD training with research topics


Conclusions

• Harmonization of programs, content and structure of European HE is being progress

• Within HE the engineering programs offer good career perspectives but they have less social prestige

• To gain new markets for engineering education we need– Stronger motivation for engineering studies– Good preparation in secondary schools

• Industry-University co-operation should be strengthened

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Improving Engineering Education System 8 TH ASEE GLOBAL COLLOQUIUM ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION...

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