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Globalization: What Is It, and What Does It mean for Engineering Education?
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Miller, Richard K. |
| Copyright Year | 2007 |
| Abstract | st century, most observers agree they will need a much better understanding than in previous generations of the similarities, differences, and relationships between global cultures. In particular, they will need to understand the global economic and cultural forces that bear on the practice of engineering, as well as the grand socio-technical challenges that transcend national borders. As a result, many U.S. universities include an opportunity for engineering students to study abroad for one or more semesters at some point within their undergraduate program. However, statistics show that less than 2% of all U.S. engineering students take advantage of such opportunities. In contrast, 20-25% of the graduates of Olin College in the past two years have had such experiences, and some other technical colleges have much high percentages 1 . However, there are great differences in the objectives, structure, and outcomes of study abroad experiences across the spectrum of higher education. This paper raises the question of what it means—or should mean—to be prepared for the practice of engineering in the new global economy. Is a study abroad experience appended to a traditional engineering technical education the best way to prepare graduates? What should Olin College’s objectives be in this area, and what is the best educational approach for Olin? Background. Appended to this white paper is a recent publication 2 that provides an overview of the rationale for global experiences in engineering education. It makes the case that although a study abroad experience is important to an authentic global perspective, the effectiveness of such an experience may be greatly enhanced by developing an integrated program that addresses the full spectrum of teamwork and non-technical skills throughout all four years. The paper also makes the case that the skills most needed for effective global teamwork are not technical but rather interpersonal skills. These non-technical dimensions to the educational program may require a whole new conceptualization of engineering education using the notion of “multiple intelligences” first introduced by Howard Gardner of Harvard University 3 . The paper also includes a brief overview of the entire Olin College educational experience in the context of these multiple intelligences. What Constitutes a Global Perspective in Engineering? It is now widely accepted that the practice of engineering in the 21 st century will require a global perspective. Many major technology companies are now global in scope, employing engineers on several continents. Both the manufacture and marketing of engineered products often involve transactions in many countries. The work environment for technology companies now frequently involves multinational teams working on a common project or product. This new environment requires increased proficiency with interpersonal skills and a sensitivity to and experience with intense cultural diversity within the business world. In addition, a global perspective also includes the application of engineering principles to problems and opportunities of global proportion. These might include climate change, sustainable energy, environmental quality and water resources, and affordable healthcare, |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.olin.edu/sites/default/files/globalization_at_olin.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
