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

ENGINEERING CAPACITY: EDUCATION, TRAINING AND MOBILITYsity courses and numbers. This is a global matter with ethicalas well as economic and regulatory aspects, and there is aneed to engage policy-makers. Many of the activities discussedabove are happening in other countries. But we can all learnfrom each other. WFEO can encourage sharing of informationand participation by international stakeholders to resolvethese challenges.7.2.6Mervyn JonesContinuing engineeringeducation and professionaldevelopmentIssues for engineering education are posed by the challengesto be faced in the twenty-first century. 8 Reflecting this in engineeringeducation, a failure to give appropriate recognition tothe whole-life learning needs of engineers has generated inappropriatepressures on initial engineering education. An alternativeviewpoint, which gives greater recognition to life-timeeducational needs, is advanced. A review is given of the variousactors who play a role in Continuing Engineering Education(CEE). It is noted that the motives of these are varied and different.This makes the development of a coherent policy forthe development of CEE difficult to frame, let alone developand implement. The importance of developing quality metricsfor CEE is highlighted.IntroductionIt is clear from a review of the impressive engineering achievementsof the twentieth century that these have transformedthe way we live and that, one hundred years ago, so many ofthese developments that we now so often take for grantedcould have been but barely guessed. So often these developmentswere possible because the engineers of the time hada good grasp of the state of knowledge as existed at the time,understood the fundamental principles, and were able toanalyse, challenge and, on sure foundation, were able to thinkbeyond in a creative way. It is also clear that meeting the challengesof the twenty-first century puts engineering (and science)at the heart of solving the issues that confront mankind.Although engineering and science cannot alone solve theseproblems – as economic and political influences come intoplay – without the contributions made by engineers and scientists,progress would be at a lamentable level.Engineers bring diverse skill sets to the workforce and havebeen critical to the success of many businesses, both large andsmall. However, there is a common cry of a lack of engineerswith suitable skills. There are potential solutions that might8 For more information: http://www.engineeringchallenges.orgchange such shortages, but some will take time to have animpact. The world is changing rapidly; the size of the professionalengineering staff in many companies is declining andthe potential for lifetime employment within a single company– very much a feature of the last century – has changedsignificantly. This influences the company’s vision of long-termdevelopment of its engineers and hence more responsibilitymust rest with the individual engineer. Currently, ContinuingEngineering Education structures do not necessarily recognizethat in the future it may be the engineer paying his or her ownway.In producing this Report UNESCO is recognizing the crucialimportance to global development of engineering, of the engineeringprofession, and of the education of engineers. One ofthe interesting comparisons that emerges from the NationalAcademy of Engineering’s observations on the triumphs ofthe twentieth century and the challenges of the twenty-firstcentury is that the nature of the challenges for engineers arechanging. Engineering has to be seen in a very much broadercontext in terms of its role and impact on society, and engineersneed to have a very broad set of skills in addition to theirengineering expertise.With the huge explosion of knowledge, engineers have beenforced to become more specialized in their professional skills,which in turn forces judicious choices to be made in the topicstaught during an initial education. The only way by whichthe tussle between breadth and depth can be reconciled is therecognition that a first degree provides just an initial educationand that Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) or ContinuingProfessional Development ( CPD) is essential. At thesame time, today’s global competition and professional mobilityhas resulted in engineers spending less time with a singleemployee, and the responsibility for career development restsmore with the individual engineer.At a national level concern is being expressed, at least in theUK 9 and the USA, 10 about the supply of professional engineerswith insufficient student numbers studying engineeringto meet current and anticipated needs. Much thought isbeing given to initial formation of engineers, for example, thisis directed at issues involved with improving initial engineeringformation. 11 While undeniably important, a professionallife is long in comparison to an initial education and far lesscomparable attention is being devoted to issues associatedwith Continuing Engineering Education, although interestingstudies have been reported (Bines and Watson, 1992; Burgess,9 Educating Engineers for the 21st Century. Report by The UK Royal Academy of EngineeringJune 2007, ISBN 1-903-496-35-710 Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a BrighterEconomic Future. 2005. National Academy of Engineering Report, Washington, D.C.11 Crawly, E, Malmqvist, J, Ostland, S, and Brodeur D. 2007. Rethinking Engineering Education– The CDIO Approach. Springer, 2007. ISBN 978-0-387-38287-6329