Accordingly, the Canadian Academy of Engineering established a Task Force in April 1998 to study the roles in which engineering faculties are or should be involved, and to make recommendations. These several roles relate to education of engineering students, contributions to useful knowledge through engineering research, interaction with industry in the design and development of new products and systems, contributions to the innovation and creation of new industry, education of other university students, continuing education of practising engineers and informing the public on issues of technology and its impact on society. There are many issues of immediate concern associated with these roles. While all of these roles are important, it became evident that adequate treatment of all could not be readily achieved in a single implementable report. It was then decided to focus the present report on education-related aspects, on establishing desirable general directions for the future evolution of engineering education in Canada and on measures to implement the necessary developments.

Engineering faculties in Canada enjoy a fine record of accomplishment both in the careers of their graduates and in their research contributions to engineering knowledge. Over the past decades they have adapted well to rapid changes in science and technology. However, the pressures and demands on these faculties and on the present engineering curricula continue to grow. The time is opportune for a review of how these faculties should evolve to meet these extended demands. Particular factors that lead to this review are:

• the broadened range of the roles that engineering graduates fill in society
  
• the rapid expansion of technology in the established engineering disciplines
  
• the emergence of new engineering disciplines such as bioengineering
  
• the high demand for graduates in the information technology industry
  
• the need for increased interaction of engineering professors with industry
  
• the need for more engineers with leadership capability in Canadian corporations
  
• the need for the creation of new technology-based enterprises in Canada
  
• the increased role which Canadian engineering plays in international markets
  
• the concern of society with matters of health, safety and environmental protection

The task faced by Canadian engineering faculties is a particularly daunting one in view of these increased demands coupled with the serious funding constraints that most of them have experienced in recent years. In spite of these constraints, notable progress has been achieved at many institutions providing models for future evolution. However, the flexibility of the engineering education system to respond to new demands is severely limited. It is not feasible to accommodate the pressures for broadening of the undergraduate curriculum and for incorporating the continual expansion of relevant technology within current time and resource constraints. Decisions among options for the evolution of the Canadian engineering education system over the next decade are needed if it is to respond adequately to the needs of our economy and our society.

The fundamental direction of this report is toward further broadening of engineering education. The recommendations of this report call for fundamental evolutionary changes in engineering education in Canada. These cultural changes are considered to be both desirable and necessary if engineering is to make its proper future contribution to the wealth and health of Canadian society and its environment. Many aspects of this evolution are already underway in Canadian engineering faculties but even with the enthusiastic involvement of engineering deans and professors these changes will not occur unless adequate resources are provided.

The Academy’s objective has been to arrive at a set of principles and directions which will have the concurrence and support of both the Fellows of the Academy and the Engineering Deans. Reactions to early drafts of this report were obtained from a number of Engineering Deans, from several Academy Fellows in industry and from the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students. The report was discussed at a meeting in May, 1999 with the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Sciences providing further valuable input. A penultimate draft was prepared for discussion in the Annual General Meeting of the Academy in June, 1999. At that meeting, the Fellows unanimously endorsed the general principles of this report while providing additional input and recognizing that many matters of detail would have to be addressed in the process of implementation. This draft was sent to the Deans and input received has been incorporated into the report.

The Academy plans to mobilize the support of its Fellows together with that of leaders of industry to assist the engineering academic community in persuading governments, universities, industry, the engineering profession and the public of the need for these changes and in requesting from them the necessary resources.