Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 229 de 957
The objectives of the proposed methodology
The objectives encompass three strategies designed to strengthen the implementation of
the Degree in Materials Engineering: Interdisciplinarity, educational innovation and
internationalisation.
Interdisciplinarity. The project The Engineer of 2020: Visions of Engineering in the New
Century, undertaken by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE, 2005) in the United
States, affirmed that the engineer of the 21st century will essentially be of an
interdisciplinary nature. Such a perspective is one shared by the authors; they believe that
an inter-centre degree course such as that offered in materials engineering starts from a
privileged position through involving a multidisciplinary lecturing staff, comprising
lecturers from seven different schools and highly contrasting fields. The objective of the
degree is to continue enriching such variety, inviting professionals from different fields to
participate, as well as lecturers from other countries and different academic and
professional cultures. In order to produce the interdisplinary engineer, it is critical that
lecturing staff offer a transversal vision. Nonetheless, we remain aware that working with
such a varied group requires an additional effort in terms of coordination, both among
lecturers and in the integration of materials. One such challenge, therefore, is undoubtedly
the generation of a common working space.
Educational innovation. Implementation of the EHEA brought with it momentous change
in teaching methodologies which, in turn, led to significant challenges for such a
traditional institution as the UPM. The first initiative was to define a clear strategic
position: the need for innovation in teaching. The contemporary highly dynamic nature of
disciplines and professions, and continually fluctuating demand, make it vital that a
permanently innovative culture to become established. How to enable methodological
renewal be established across a degree course, and not to leave it to the isolated initiatives
of parts of the lecturing staff, is undoubtedly one of the underlying challenges to be met
(Trowler et al, 2003; Eraut, 1975, Goodson et al, 2006; NSB, 2007). Given the difficulty of
changing the way of thinking of a large sector of the lecturing staff, the strategy has been to
generate tools and new practices, making them available to all lecturers. In this sense,
special emphasis is placed on two aspects: incorporating information technology in
teaching and working on transferable skills.
Internationalisation. The Degree in Materials Engineering is the only undergraduate
course offered at the UPM to teach all the modules of two semesters in English. This
involves a strategic decision focussing on the internationalisation of undergraduate
studies, in accordance with the new educational model applied at the UPM. However, an
international strategy entails much more than the provision of content in the English
language. Hence, the primary objective is to disseminate this offer through reaching
exchange agreements with prestigious institutions based in other countries, supporting
the staff participating in the initiative and seeking to generate an international
environment throughout the academic year with the presence of international lecturers
and students.
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011