In 1998 the Canadian Academy of Engineering established a Task Force to study and make recommendations on the roles in which Engineering Faculties are or should be involved. While a number of important roles were identified, this report focuses on education-related aspects and on establishing general directions for the future evolution of engineering education in Canada.

Engineering faculties in Canada have a fine record of accomplishments and have adapted well to rapid changes in science and technology in spite of a continuing environment of serious funding constraints. The new millennium presents them with increasing pressures and challenges arising from a broadening of the roles that engineers fill: in emerging engineering disciplines; in innovation and entrepreneurship; in international markets; in team leadership and interdisciplinary activity; and in protection of health, safety and the environment. Graduates of engineering faculties are needed to serve society not only in the traditional technical capacities which they need to master well but increasingly in non-technical leadership capacities.

The fundamental direction of this report is toward further broadening of engineering education. However, there is little flexibility to accommodate these pressures for broadening of the undergraduate curriculum and for incorporating the continual expansion of relevant technology within current time and resource constraints.

The report contains five recommendations which call for fundamental evolutionary changes to ensure that this broadening will actually take place:

1. Engineering faculties should ensure that breadth of learning, beyond the technical aspects of the specialist engineering discipline, is a major thrust in engineering education.

The most important and fundamental role for engineering faculties is to prepare young people to work in various capacities in an evolving world, providing them with an education which is technically focused and has adequate breadth. Narrow specialization is not considered to be an appropriate response to expansion in technology. Society requires that engineering graduates be broadly educated, that they be knowledgeable about the society in which they live and work, that they be sensitive to the economic, social, political, environmental, cultural and ethical dimensions of their work.

The undergraduate curriculum should emphasize problem solving and design. Increased postgraduate opportunities and an emphasis on lifelong learning can provide both specialist information content and further broadening.

2. Engineering faculties should emphasize the development of the learning skills of their students.

A high priority should be placed on "learning how to learn." Acquisition of the skills of self directed learning is important in preparing for life after leaving the university.

3. Leaders of engineering faculties should ensure that their faculty members have the vision, values and behaviours needed for their evolving role in preparing undergraduate and graduate students to function effectively in our rapidly changing world.

The desired broadening must take place largely within the engineering curriculum. It cannot be left to faculty in other parts of the university, to the more liberally minded engineering faculty members or to part-time faculty brought in to teach specific courses. It should permeate each component of the program. This requires active participation of professors in developing their own skills in education and in developing suitable educational experiences for their students. Access to specific preparation in teaching and learning pedagogy should be provided.

Criteria and practices on tenure and promotion must be such as to promote these broadening activities. Faculty must be assured that their efforts in these directions will enhance rather than impede their career progress.

4. Research conducted in engineering faculties should be characterized by excellence, by relevance to industrial and social issues and by concern for the life preparation of the graduate students involved.

Conducting quality research and design enhances the learning of both faculty and students and contributes to the innovation base for industry and society. Beyond the intrinsic value of the research results, there is a need for increased recognition of the value of the research experience to the professional development of the graduate students. Most employers will be primarily interested in the "people products" of graduate programs.

5. Engineering faculties should participate in providing liberal education opportunities for all university students, and in improving the technological literacy of the general public.

In a society which is so profoundly influenced by technology, the techno-
logical literacy of many university graduates is open to question. Engineering professors regularly deal with the interface between science and society and are in a position to contribute to liberal education of students and the public.

The Academy wants to see implementation of the directions charted in this report. The key players in implementation are the engineering deans who have direct responsibility for leadership in engineering education; and leaders in Canadian industry, business and government who have the responsibility to ensure that the importance of these directions to the health of the Canadian economy and society are fully appreciated and that the necessary resources are allocated.