Engineering Education for Competitiveness (EEC): Improving Engineering Curricula in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

June 22, 2010

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Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI)Department of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism (DEDTT)

ProsperityProsperity(reaching social welfare)

ProductivityProductivity(more production per worker)(more production per worker)

Quality + InnovationQuality + Innovation(value-added products, services and

processes)

CompetitivenessCompetitiveness(markets and exports expansion)

Innovation, Competitiveness Innovation, Competitiveness and Prosperityand Prosperity

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Triple Value Added of OASTriple Value Added of OAS

“Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation as tools for Prosperity”

(Plan of Action of the 2nd Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities in Science and Technology, Mexico 2008)

STEI and public policies for integral

development

STEI as tools for sustainable natural resource

management

STEI as tools for increasing

competitiveness

Mandates Mandates and Political and Political Priorities ofPriorities of

governments of governments of the Americasthe Americas

Power to Convene: Cooperation and Strategic Partners

OAS – Office of Science, OAS – Office of Science, Technology and Technology and

InnovationInnovation

Programs and ActionsPrograms and Actions

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STEI = Science, Technology, Engineering and Innovation

Engineering for the Americas Engineering for the Americas (EftA)(EftA)

Educational InnovationEducational Innovation

Promotes innovation Promotes innovation and educational reform, and educational reform, the implementation of the implementation of advanced technologies advanced technologies and best practices for and best practices for curricular improvement curricular improvement in engineering. in engineering.

Accreditation and Quality Accreditation and Quality AssuranceAssurance

Promotes activities to establish or enhance quality assurance in engineering education, so that engineering programs comply with national, regional and hemispheric standards.

Cooperation for Job Cooperation for Job CreationCreation

Promotes sustained cooperation with the industry, government and academia through internships, coops and programs that stimulate employment.

EftA is an EftA is an hemispheric hemispheric

initiative of OAS that initiative of OAS that seeks to develop and seeks to develop and

support support qualified qualified engineersengineers to to

improve industry improve industry competitivenesscompetitiveness in in Latin America and Latin America and

the Caribbean.the Caribbean.

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“Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.”

Theodore Von Karman

• Engineers create new technologies, systems, processes and products. They also innovate and improve upon existing ones.

• They help ensure that products, services and processes comply with global market demands in terms of quality, security, safety, reliability, productivity, punctuality and environmental compatibility.

• Engineering helps increase competitiveness by using human, capital, and natural resources efficiently and sustainably.

• Building engineering capacity intersects the needs of multiple stakeholders, providing the broadest possible opportunities to improve the region’s economic vitality and security, mitigate poverty, foster community health and improve long-term quality of life.

Why Engineering?Why Engineering?

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Engineering Curricula: Engineering Curricula: LAC vs OECD LAC vs OECD

Indicators LAC OECDCoursework Fixed core curricula, fewer

elective courses and specialization tracks.

Flexible curricula, more electives and specialization options.

Entrepreneurial skills

Few options to acquire entrepreneurial skills to promote

start-up business

Strong emphasis on business, managerial, ethical and

entrepreneurial skills

Co-ops Extremely limited opportunities for hands-on experience in

institutions or the private sector.

More availability of structured academically accredited co-op programs with private sector.

Innovation Little emphasis on innovation practices.

Innovation as a fundamental tenant of engineering education.

International program accreditation

Very few programs are accredited by international

boards; graduates seek accreditation from institutions

abroad.

Accredited programs that result in career improvement,

international mobility and recruitment by multinationals.

Sources: OAS, ABET, Dabipi et al. (2002)

General Objective:General Objective:Contribute to increase competitiveness and capacity for Contribute to increase competitiveness and capacity for innovation in LAC countries through a better-prepared innovation in LAC countries through a better-prepared engineering labor force.engineering labor force.

Engineering Education for Engineering Education for Competitiveness Program (EEC)Competitiveness Program (EEC)

Specific ObjectiveSpecific Objective::To improve engineering curricula in LAC universities through To improve engineering curricula in LAC universities through content upgrade, the incorporation of global competencies content upgrade, the incorporation of global competencies and entrepreneurial skills, and the development of academia-and entrepreneurial skills, and the development of academia-private sector partnerships.private sector partnerships.

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5 Program Modules5 Program Modules

First ModuleFirst Module

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Program ComponentsProgram Components

Curricular and standard program Curricular and standard program requirements in industrialized requirements in industrialized

countriescountries

Identification of improvement Identification of improvement needs in study programs of the needs in study programs of the

regionregion

Core study program modelCore study program model

Adaptation and implementation Adaptation and implementation of core model in 8 LAC univ.of core model in 8 LAC univ.

Inter-American Portal of Inter-American Portal of Engineering EducationEngineering Education

Module I: Module I: Industrial Industrial

EngineeringEngineering

CIMEQ Modules:CIMEQ Modules:-CivilCivil-IndustrialIndustrial-MechanicalMechanical-ElectricalElectrical-ChemicalChemical

Component No. 1Component No. 1

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Curricular and Curricular and standard program standard program requirements in requirements in

industrialized industrialized countriescountries

Study program Study program requirements in requirements in

industrialized countriesindustrialized countries

Minimum requirements Minimum requirements for accreditation for accreditation

Study program in terms of:Study program in terms of:-CurriculaCurricula- Best global competenciesBest global competencies- Best entrepreneurial practicesBest entrepreneurial practices

Component No. 2Component No. 2

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Identification of Identification of improvement improvement needs in study needs in study

programs of the programs of the regionregion

Agreements with 8 LAC Agreements with 8 LAC universities (2 per sub-region)universities (2 per sub-region)

Consultation rounds with Consultation rounds with engineering deans and faculty engineering deans and faculty

to establish regional needsto establish regional needsStudy program needs in terms of:Study program needs in terms of:-CurriculaCurricula-Global competenciesGlobal competencies-Entrepreneurial practicesEntrepreneurial practices

Establishment of baseline Establishment of baseline indicatorsindicators

Component No. 3Component No. 3

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Core study Core study program modelprogram model

Agreements with at least 4 Agreements with at least 4 mentor universitiesmentor universities

Design and development of Design and development of upgraded core study program upgraded core study program

modelmodel

Presentation of core program Presentation of core program model to Deans and faculty of model to Deans and faculty of LAC participating universitiesLAC participating universities

Review and modifications of Review and modifications of core program modelcore program model

Validation of core program Validation of core program model by LAC participating model by LAC participating

universitiesuniversities

Component No. 4Component No. 4

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Adaptation and Adaptation and implementation of implementation of

core model in 8 core model in 8 LAC universitiesLAC universities

At least 2 agreements with private At least 2 agreements with private sector/academia ( internships, co-ops sector/academia ( internships, co-ops

and applied research)and applied research)

Adaptation of core study program Adaptation of core study program model in LAC universitiesmodel in LAC universities

Implementation of study programs:Implementation of study programs:

-Faculty trainingFaculty training-Exchange of faculty and studentsExchange of faculty and students-Women in engineering leadership seminarsWomen in engineering leadership seminars-Engineering entrepreneurial labs (train-the-Engineering entrepreneurial labs (train-the-trainers)trainers)

Component No. 5Component No. 5

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Inter-American Portal Inter-American Portal of Engineering of Engineering

EducationEducation

Agreement with LAC university Agreement with LAC university to host Web Portal to host Web Portal

Identification of technical and Identification of technical and operations requirementsoperations requirements

Implementation of Web PortalImplementation of Web Portal

Module AssessmentModule Assessment

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Module Module AssessmentAssessment

Monitoring report (year 2)Monitoring report (year 2)

Evaluation report (year 5)Evaluation report (year 5)

Impact evaluation report Impact evaluation report (year 7)(year 7)

Additional InformationAdditional Information

Potential BeneficiariesPotential Beneficiaries: : • Direct: Schools/Deans of Engineering, Graduates/future engineers, LAC firms (Production and Services Industry).

• Indirect: Ministries/Governments, Professional Associations, national economy, environment, society in general.

Quick factsQuick facts: : 5 Modules: Civil, Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical & Chemical Participating LAC universities: 40 (8 per module) Mentor universities: 20 (4 per module) Estimated budget per module: US$3.4 million Expected contributions: in-kind & financial Total estimated budget for 5 modules: US$ 17.1 million

Benefits of Partnership for Benefits of Partnership for Mentor Universities (Germany)Mentor Universities (Germany)

• Academic leadership and influence in the region.• Increased collaboration with LAC universities (mentees)• LAC universities will be exposed to German methodologies,

know-how and technologies. • Exchange of information and experience abroad (e.g.

exchange of faculty).• Increased diversity in the student body (e.g. exchange of

students).• Exposure to new cultures. Opportunity to expand outreach

activities internationally.

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Current Institutional Partners Current Institutional Partners (EftA members)(EftA members)Young Americas Business Trust

(YABT)American Board for Engineering

and Technology (ABET)Canadian Engineering

Accreditation Board (CEAB) International Federation of

Engineering Education Societies (IFEES)

Consortium of Latin American and Caribbean Engineering (LACCEI)

Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)

Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (PCU-Chile)

Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM-Tec)

The University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago

Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI)

Ibero-American Science and Technology Education Consortium (ISTEC)

Argentinean Center of Engineers (CAI)

Federal Council of Deans of Engineering of Argentina (CONFEDI)

MicrosoftHP Laboratories Open Innovation

Office

Thank you for your attention.Thank you for your attention.Oscar HarasicChief, Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI)oharasic@oas.org

Jorge DuranSenior SpecialistScience, Technology and Innovationjduran@oas.org

Engineering Education for Engineering Education for Competitiveness (EEC)Competitiveness (EEC)

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