We always try to predict the future, but even experts can't always reckon which development will be the next big thing—especially when it comes to advancements in technology and engineering. Plenty of predictions about computers, robotics, and wireless technology have bitten the dust. Predictors did not lack in engineering knowledge, though. Instead, they misread the pace of technological transformation.

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	It is essential that we upgrade our engineering education system.

The enormity of the technological revolution we are witnessing is greater than that of the Industrial Revolution. Today, innovation outpaces invention. The emergence of interdisciplinary fields like genetic engineering and nanotechnology on one hand and the intermingling of various engineering disciplines on the other hand is making it difficult to differentiate science from engineering and engineering from business. But those who dare to ignore the torrent of change for very long will soon find themselves waking to confusion like Rip Van Winkle.

To ensure we keep up our pace of progress and compete with emerging nations, it is essential that we upgrade our education system. Today, when the whole world is investing heavily in its workforce, we cannot afford to remain passive.

Many experts have stated that they feel our engineering education has lost its focus. If we compare engineering classrooms of today with those of 1970, we will not notice any substantial qualitative differences. True, white marker boards have replaced the chalkboards and overhead projectors are a mainstay in classrooms, but except for the introduction of some technological educational tools, the departments have continued to function almost in the same way they did decades ago.

Today engineering theory, design, and some elements of practice largely constitute our teaching system. Some feel that engineering education is struggling in the confines of static classrooms, a fixed number of hours, and a rigid four-year framework. These people believe the faculty rarely discusses market realities and practical aspects of the profession. Adherence to a fixed curriculum has widened the gap between education and the workplace, making an engineering degree almost useless.

Engineering technology outside the classrooms has grown more user-friendly. In classrooms, however, educational methods have mostly been confined to books and test papers. The budding engineers who pursue an engineering education outside of conventional classrooms learn to handle engineering gizmos and apply technical processes to their advantage in short-term and hands-on courses, and employers are beginning to favor this kind of educational background.

Could this forecast the demise of brick and mortar engineering institutions? Certain changes in education are imperative. In a fast-paced economy, we need to take definitive steps to train new engineers and make instruction more relevant to modern technology. We need to bring our engineering faculty and our educational processes out of traditional disciplinary restraints.

We must orient our education toward team-based learning, practical problems with open-ended solutions, hands-on projects, and communication. The aim of our education should be to produce engineers who are sensitive to market needs, innovative in problem-solving, insightful in regard to the global economy, conversant with modern management, and able to communicate their ideas effectively.

We cannot afford to forget the importance of instilling in our graduates an understanding of the challenges of modern engineering. Luckily, some universities have started bringing reform into their engineering programs. In these programs, leadership skills, communication skills, environmental awareness, and even the humanities are becoming a part of the curriculum.

On the net:

The Future of Engineering Education
www.openlicensesociety.org/drupal51/?q=node/18

The Future of Engineering Education: More Questions Than Answers
gtalumni.org/news/magazine/win00/future.html

At the Crossroads: The Future of Engineering Education
www.machinedesign.com/ASP/strArticleID/56972/strSite/MDSite/viewSelectedArticle.asp

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