Engineering: issues, challenges and opportunities for development ...

ENGINEERING AROUND THE WORLDFostering the public’s interest in science and technologyThe Japan Science and Technology Agency has organizedrobot tournaments and manufacturing events in schoolsand universities. It has also produced broadcast programmesintroducing interesting topics, science experiments and usefultechnologies in manner that is easy to understand forcitizens or younger people. In Japan, events such as ‘Scienceand Technology Week’ and a ‘Day of Civil Engineering’ bringtogether many events nationwide to augment the public’sinterest.Creating an enabling environment for widerparticipationLaws have been revised and various programmes have beenimplemented to make the participation of youth, the elderly,women and foreigners in the activities of science, engineeringand technology easier.Adaptation to globalizationTo improve the quality of engineering education in Japan andto adapt to the global environment, the Japan AccreditationBoard for Engineering Education (JABEE) was established in1999. In June 2005, JABEE was admitted as a signatory of theWashington Accord. Between 2001 and 2006, JABEE accredited346 programmes at more than 140 educational institutions.Professional engineer systemThe Professional Engineer System in Japan (the governmentlicensedqualification for engineers) was established with theenactment of the Professional Engineer Law in 1957, which wasrevised in 1983 and 2000. Before the 2000 revision, registrationas a ‘P.E.Jp’ was by an examination after a minimum seven yearsof engineering practice. After the revision, a primary examinationwas introduced to certify that applicants possess theacademic ability equivalent to that of a four-year universitygraduate. Based on the Osaka Action Agenda adopted at theAsia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit meetingof 1995, the ‘ APEC Engineer Mutual Recognition Project’was introduced for the mobility of engineers within the APECregion (there are currently fourteen member states participating).ConclusionScience and technology have made extremely significant contributionsto Japan’s growth. Engineering in particular, helpedto support and ensure this growth. As we enter the twenty-firstcentury, Japan is confronting a number of challenges includingeconomic crisis, climate change, population decrease andindifference to science of younger generation, however Japan’sscientists and engineers are endeavouring to overcome thesechallenges and they are ready to act internationally.AustraliaPeter GreenwoodAustralia has a land area of 7.7 million square kilometres andjurisdiction up to 13.5 million square kilometres of ocean, instark contrast to its population of about twenty million. Australia’ssize differs from many other countries with a similarpopulation involving long transport links and major infrastructure,including communications outside urban areas,with resources and infrastructure projects absorbing engineeringresources from other geographical areas. Nevertheless,Australia’s contribution to world trade is considerable.Australia has enjoyed a decade of economic growth basedmainly on a long-lasting boom in minerals and energyresources – a key area of wide-ranging engineering involvement.Engineers also play a role in the international supply ofgoods and services, which tend to be high-value though lowvolumeon a world scale. Though Australia no longer relies onwool for prosperity, it still has a thriving trade in commodities.There are strong agriculture, forestry and fishing sectorssupplying overseas markets in grains, timber products, wineand beer, wild and farmed fish products, and other food productsincluding small quantities of saffron, wasabi mustard andexotic hops for beer making. In these days of diversificationit is not surprising to learn how many engineers are involvedin these seemingly non-technical areas. Australian engineershave worked on innovative projects as diverse as fish farmfeed-control systems, satellite navigation-controlled ploughingas well as carbon sequestration.Economic growth comes at a cost to the environment (includingclimate change) and places pressure on infrastructure andother community needs. Australia has a history of engineeringand technical innovation that has become very importantin the face of globalization. Australian scientists and engineershave established reputations as leaders in a number of areas.Australia has a small but innovative automobile and vehicleparts industry. The ship building industry is a world leaderwith innovative projects in military ship-building and in highspeedcatamarans. A successful submarine firm has evolved,which is now capable of maintaining and developing thecountry’s non-nuclear fleet. Australia even has a modest buthighly regarded team that has achieved spectacular results insupersonic flight. Despite massive fossil fuel reserves, Australiais a world leader in photovoltaic cell research and other solarenergy studies. There is a long history in the use of hydroelectricityin the country and additional resources are now goinginto wind power and geothermal energy. Climate change andsustainability have become key economic drivers.The shortage of trained technical people is a dilemma. Asurvey of 200 organizations in 2006 by the professional body227