Conference Session

Track 4 - Session II - Student and Curriculum Development II

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Abdel F. Isakovic, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research; Szu Szu F Ling, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research; Selwa Mokhtar Boularaoui, Khalifa University of Science, Technology & Research; Sara Bashir Timraz; Mualla Kara

Tagged Topics

Student and Curriculum Development

Engineering majors, and followed by the organic chemistry/biochemistrycourse(s), and by the fact that no modern (20th century-themed) science class existed inKUSTAR’s College of Engineering curriculum at the time of building up this lab and the course. Further, this lab program has been motivated by the need to increase the focus ondeveloping students’ competencies and professional skills/soft skills. In recent years, globalcompetency has been introduced as an important “soft” skill2,3 that engineering graduates shouldacquire along the training through a standard engineering curriculum. This trend and suggestionsfor attempting to standardize the “criteria for global competence” of engineering graduates are

Conference Session

Reception & Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Brett Tempest, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Miguel Pando P.E., University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Sandra Loree Dika, University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Michael Adam Hoff, UNC Charlotte

Tagged Topics

ASEE International Forum

compared with responsesfrom the faculty leaders.Background on engineering student service and international education The professional practice of engineering has been changed by emergent 21st centurychallenges, which include a globalizing workforce, newly evolving disciplines and increasinglycomplex, multidisciplinary problems. This environment tests the traditional skill set provided bycollegiate engineering programs, which predominantly focus on developing technical abilities instudents. Professional development and “soft skills” are expected to be acquired throughinternships or co-ops or picked up on the job. Two other activities that might develop the softskills are service learning and study abroad, both of which are less frequently

Conference Session

Partner Organization Plenary I

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Marwan T. Abdelhamid, World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO)

Tagged Topics

Partner Society Plenary

. To become innovators, young graduates shouldposses a range of soft skills as well as interdisciplinary knowledge. This could beencouraged by developing more flexible curricula allowing the students to explorereal potentials.Your Excellencies, Ladies and GentlemenIt has been, generally, acknowledger that students are lacking the skills required inindustry. In the subsequent process, industry stakeholders and representatives fromthe profession were closely involved in the discussion of ways to take EngineeringEducation into the future .Moreover, it is recognized that entrepreneurial skill andattitudes are absolutely needed by everyone. The social, financial and technologicalchanges taking place in the world over the last decade constitute for

Conference Session

Track 4 - Session II - Student and Curriculum Development II

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Nimir Elbashir, Texas A&M University at Qatar; Hamid R. Parsaei P.E., Texas A&M University at Qatar; Elfatih E Elmalik, Texas A&M University at Qatar

Tagged Topics

Student and Curriculum Development

thefuel blend properties; currently, a fourth phase of research is conducted where we’re expandingour map to include new additives and component families in order to optimize the strategy ofblending Qatar’s GTL products and to increase their market value.This one research project is an example of how the FCL has been used as a training ground forour students in order to develop their technical and soft skills that are much needed for success intheir future careers in local and regional industries. Several elective courses that targeted thefundamentals behind this project has been developed for the students involved in this researchwork. Besides the theoretical and the technical experience the students get the opportunity towork in a professional

Conference Session

Track 1 - Session I - Student Development

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Robyne Bowering, Monash University

Tagged Topics

Invited - Student Development

globally competent and locally relevant.Downey et al.[3] define global competent engineers as those who possess ‘the knowledge,ability, and predisposition to work effectively with people who define problems differentlythan they do.’ Engineering has become a discipline where the social and technical havebecome inextricably intertwined.[4] Engineers need to be technically able and proficient atmanaging relationships and building networks. They need strong social skills (a sub set ofprofessional skills/soft skills/generic skills/transferable skills) in particular:  effective oral communication skills - able to differentiate and cater to different audiences.[2, 5] They need to be able to communicate efficiently in English, the official

Conference Session

Reception & Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Steven Chingnam Goh, University of Southern Queensland

Tagged Topics

ASEE International Forum

the professional development stream, the workplace becomes the classroom, and theclassroom becomes the workplace. The former is where work-integrated and informallearning are recognised and captured for articulation; the latter is where the research-basedlearning is part of the company’s innovation or R&D program. These scenarios will be ableto build-on in practice the necessary “soft-skills” but also develop rigour in “intelligence”.Under the personal development stream, there is a case for self-directed but collaborativepeer-driven learning in a philanthropic environment where there is a melting pot of diverseprofiles of participants but also of the recipients of the charitable work. The learning in thesephilanthropic environments will

Conference Session

Reception & Poster Session

Collection

2013 ASEE International Forum

Authors

Mary E. Besterfield-Sacre, University of Pittsburgh; Gisele Ragusa, University of Southern California; Cheryl Matherly, The University of Tulsa; Sarah R. Phillips, Rice University ; Larry J. Shuman, University of Pittsburgh; Lucia Howard

Tagged Topics

ASEE International Forum

. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. New York: Sage. 104-137.38. Del Vitto, C. (2008) Cross-cultural ‘soft skills’ and the global engineer: Corporate best practices and trainer methodologies, Online Journal for Global Engineering Education, 3(1) 1-9.39. Lowell, L., Salzman, H., Bernstein H., & Henderson. E. (2009). Steady as She Goes? Three Generations of Students through the Science and Engineering Pipeline, Annual Meetings of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Washington, D.C.40. National Science Foundation, Chapter 2: “Higher Education in Science and Engineering,” Science and Engineering Indicators, 2010; accessed Dec. 24, 2010, http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind10/c2/c2s2.htm#s4-1