Industrial Strength Changes in Engineering Education

Abstract

The triangle of government, industry and education is one of the cornerstones defining the technology evolution patterns of society (and more). Within that triangle, innumerable interactions with continuous feedback processes create an overall picture that is frequently too complicated to paint in a single dimension. One problem addressed from time to time is that of how closely aligned the objectives of industry and engineering education should be. The short-term benefits of having industry dictate engineering education objectives can easily be observed. Long-term issues and results are more difficult to anticipate, but should be given equal consideration. This paper examines some of the trends and needs in view of new interaction tools that have become available over the past two decades. A case study of recent changes at California Polytechnic State University – the flagship of the California State University system – exemplifies the status quo for California on this topic. Overall, the authors take a dim view of the current situation. The intention is to provide a sceptical review of ‘what can go wrong’ – a question that some engineers cannot remove from their minds. Major reflection points include the effort to fit more into a smaller (unit and time) bag; the messages that academics are receiving about success and failure; the fluctuations in student demand; and, last but not least, the overall ‘educational’ experience of the students.