EPC

1. EPC Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? (back to the future?) Clive Neal-Sturgess Member EPC Future Degrees Working Group

2. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Is there a need to change? YES • Why back to the future? • I believe we have been there and backed off! • Bologna – 900th anniversary • Bologna: students determined curriculum – Law and Medicine • Paris: staff determined curriculum – Theology • Bachelors degrees – because they were! • Magister ( Masters) degrees – because they needed experience of the real world before they could practice!!

3. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • The need for change ~ views • Government failing economy • Is this a need to change HE? • NO - due to means of production migrating • Need highly skilled workforce for the economy • No direct evidence (HoC Select Committee) • Leitch etc. • Need to reskill • What level • Largely anecdotal • Universities to work closer with industry???

4. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Too low research investment (UK & EC) • Power law statistics • JLR ~4%, Toyota ~ 8% SME’s ~ zero • Industry - perceived skill gaps • Largely anecdotal evidence • Professional Bodies • Concerns over future international quality comparisons • Accreditation

5. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Royal Academy of Engineering • Educating Engineers for the 21st Century • US NAE ~ Vision 2020 • Bologna • Universities • Are their graduates fit for purpose? • Can we maintain standards • Falling budgets • Considerable body of opinion that change is required

6. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Universities are autonomous business’s • No one can tell them what to do • Universities will not permit industry to determine curriculum • Need meaningful dialogue • A conversation is more than just an exchange of words • Different Universities have different primary missions • RAE facing • International/Shanghai facing • National/Business facing

7. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Periodically engineering degrees are perceived to slip by international standards and need realigning • Finniston Report was last seismic upheaval, 1979 thro 80’s • Pressure mounting again • EPC Future Degrees WG • Gov and ECuk trying to keep status quo • Gov. UK can’t afford to change! • ECuk wants to keep international parity with Washington Accord • Evolution not revolution (Henley)

8. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Spectrum of Universities • Some work very closely with industry • Not just new Universities • mostly with large companies • SME’s always a problem • Need curricula that give graduates the widest employment opportunities possible • Mech Eng Birmingham 155 final year • probably 20~30 industries • Across SSC’s

9. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? RAEng “Educating Engineers for the 21st century”

10. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Little doubt that practical training has suffered over past 20 years • Universities can’t afford it • Is this what is meant by Industry?? • Education vs training • CAD jockeys • Theoretical & breadth of knowledge • What Universities are good at • Battle to maintain standards • Creativity and team working • Most universities trying to do this • Business skills • Most vocational departments trying to do this

11. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Areas of Concern • Too few students • Entry to Universities • Undergraduate • PG Taught • Research • got to move from 3+3 to 3+2+3

12. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Too few Students • Can’t be cured by running “attractive degrees” • Capacity already exists to take appropriately qualified students • 50% HE participation implies University entry at 5 C grade passes at GCSE level (Alan Ryan) • Work to improve A Levels • Engineering Diploma • Work to change potential students perceptions • Many fragmented attempts • Joined up thinking

13. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Undergraduate • Timescales • 1-2 years planning & approval • 1-2 years to advertise and recruit • 4 years to graduate (Meng) • Total 6-8 years • What will the industrial spectrum look like in 8-10 years time - 2020??? • What skills will the graduates need ?? • Leave crystal balls in circuses

14. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Undergraduate degrees • Wide curricula for wide employment prospects • Accreditation requirements • Cannot design undergraduate degrees on narrow criteria • Won’t recruit / be sustainable • Standards • Constant battle against changed standards on entry

15. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Entry to University • Changed (Falling?) A level standards • Maths and Physics (Mechanics) • Most Universities have not fully adjusted to the changes • Many still struggling • Knock-on effects in all years • Do we need 5 year degrees to keep standards?

16. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Undergraduate degrees • More practical experience • More workshop training • More industrial placements • Better theoretical skills • 5 year degrees? • With integrated industrial experience • Industry has got to collaborate fully • Government has got to foot the bill

17. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Postgraduate degrees • MEng degrees • Are we always meeting the QAA Benchmark? • Now Bologna compliant • QAA have now “self certified” • Europe won’t believe us • MSc’s • ECuk Work based MSc’s (IGDS model) • Flexible, short lead times can respond to industry • One year under pressure ~ Bologna • Norway ~ not fit for PhD entry

18. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • There is a great deal going on: • Universities • Depts have their own industrial liaison officers • Careers services • UoB College Based relevant employer engagement • Partnership agreements & action plans • Industry • HEA - employability & enterprise • SSC’s/RDA’s • Employers Federations • Chambers of Commerce/Ethnic Business Networks

19. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • Need for meaningful dialogue • A conversation should be more than an exchange of words • Difficulties: • Coherent sets of requirements • Role for SSC’s • Understanding of different constraints • Timescales

20. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • What should be done (1) • 2020 Student choice – diverse market • 3 year BEng – mobility degree • Broad syllabus/High quality fundamentals • 3+1 MEng OK for engineering in UK • Proper masters level modules • 3+1 MEng + WBL better internationally • 3+1 MSc for “professional market” • Work based MSc? • 3+2 Research based masters • 3+1+1 BEng + MENG/MSc taught + extended research project • 3+2+3 PhD

21. Engineering in higher education: what changes are needed? • What should be done (2) • Engagement at all levels • High level meaningful dialogue between SSC’s and Professional Bodies/Ecuk • Broad, generalised, coherent requirements • Universities can then respond according to their individual missions • Government and Industry need to fund changes