Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Session 2660

How can universities provide a global perspective for engineers? One institution’s solution

Natalie A. Mello Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Abstract

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has long embraced a project-based curriculum that now extends to the four corners of the globe. With established programs in Europe, the Far East, Latin America, Australia, the US and new initiatives in Africa, WPI provides opportunities for undergraduates to complete meaningful off-campus experiences. WPI offers students the freedom to complete degree requirements away from campus in a professional experience under the direct supervision of WPI faculty, an experience that is unrivaled by traditional international study abroad. The impact of successfully completing professional-level projects at remote locations is that students solve real-world problems while being immersed in a different culture. With over 350 students leaving campus this year and substantial growth predicted for the 2000- 2001 academic year, students are recognizing the unique benefits of the Global Perspective Program at WPI. This paper will provide the rationale for the program and its place in the overall curriculum at WPI, a history of the program’s formation, recruitment and training of faculty and the outcomes for students. Finally this paper will outline how the Global Perspective Program at WPI addresses some of the issues raised by ABET Engineering Criteria 2000.

I. Introduction

There has been a call for changes in engineering education by both representatives of academia and industry. The ASEE's report, Engineering Education for a Changing World, presents a typical viewpoint:

[E]ngineering colleges must not only provide their graduates with intellectual development and superb technical capabilities, but, following industry’s lead, [they] must educate their students to work as part of teams, communicate well, and understand the economic, social, environmental, and international context of their professional activities.1

The breadth of skills needed by graduate engineers in the 21st century is also addressed by the National Science Foundation’s Restructuring Engineering Education: A Focus on Change 2. There an integrated systems approach is highly regarded as the way to accomplish the changes needed in the curriculum today.

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Mello, N. A. (2000, June), How Can Universities Provide A Global Perspective For Engineers? One Institution's Solution Paper presented at 2000 Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri. 10.18260/1-2--8428