Improving Engineering Education System

1. Improving Engineering Education System 8TH ASEE GLOBAL COLLOQUIUM ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION Budapest, 2009 Prof. Imre CZINEGE Széchenyi István University – Hungary

2. Main topics • Historical background • West Europe –> CEE countries –> European HE space • Motivation and enrollment to engineering studies • Prestige of engineering profession in Hungary • Pre-studies in secondary schools • Action plan for the future • Reforms in engineering education • Co-operation with industry • New forms of education • Involving students in research and development projects Improving Engineering Education System

3. 1. Historical background Harmonized EuropeanHigherEducation West European HE Central-East European HE Improving Engineering Education System

4. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

5. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

6. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

7. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

8. 2. Motivation and enrollment to engineering studies Why to be an engineer? • Prestige of engineering profession in Hungary • Motivation factors • Hindering factors Improving Engineering Education System

9. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

10. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

11. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

12. 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) Improving Engineering Education System

13. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

14. Requirements ofpre-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 Improving Engineering Education System

15. 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 Improving Engineering Education System

16. Actions in co-operation • Framework contract for regulation ofresearch 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 Improving Engineering Education System

17. 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