4.5 Best Practices for Educational Institutions

Nevertheless, budget pressures have also led some universities to seek additional revenues by moving more aggressively into continuing education, in particular in short courses for practicing engineers. In addition, most universities have instituted programs involving literature research and open-ended design projects that encourage the development of learning-based attitudes.

Examples of best practices are summarized below.

Best Practices for Educational Institutions Teach how to learn in undergraduate school. Include the extent of commitment to lifelong learning in internal and external departmental reviews and accreditation procedures. Work energetically to make the acquisition of knowledge user-friendly through the use of P.C. based expert systems. Provide courses specifically designed for engineers who have graduated ten or more years earlier, or engineers making career changes, with emphasis on senior undergraduate courses in areas undergoing rapid technological change and in specialized graduate courses. Expand the availability of short courses to disseminate state-of-the-art technical developments. Such courses are often best provided by research institutes associated with the university. Undertake consulting assignments and small R&D projects for SMEs and large companies, involving both professors and students. These assignments should involve technical, management, and financial issues. Collaborate with other institutions in providing an array of lifelong learning programs, accessible by video link, Internet and video and audio tapes. Assist private sector program deliverers in developing appropriate course material. Set open-ended design problems which require learning and information gathering by the student.