Engineering Education in Canadian Universities

SUMMARY

Canada's future prosperity and quality of life will depend in large measure on the incorporation of superior skill, intelligence and added value into its products and services while establishing a sound basis for a sustainable global environment. Professional engineers can play important roles in creating high-quality employment, establishing new enterprises, restructuring existing processes and developing new products and services. The basis for excellence in the engineering profession is excellence in the system of engineering education at undergraduate, graduate and career levels. It is imperative that this education system evolve effectively to meet these changing needs of Canadian society.

This report of the Canadian Academy of Engineering responds to a rising ferment in engineering education. Our engineering faculties are perceived to be scientifically strong by international standards but far from optimal in the contribution they could make to the initial and continuing education of engineers for effective practice of their profession in Canada. The report develops a new vision of engineering education and recommends a number of thrusts and directions to implement this vision . Some of the highlights are:

• Broader, less specialized, more integrated undergraduate programs with increased emphasis on design and social context.

• Increased interaction between engineering professors and practitioners in the profession.

• One-year professional masters programs.

• More formal development programs for Engineers-in-Training.

• More formal continuing education programs.

• Expanded cooperative research and development programs.

• Enhanced professional experience for engineering professors.

Significant changes will be needed in the cultures, policies and practices of universities, engineering faculties, industry, governments and the engineering profession if this report's vision of the role of engineers in assuring Canada's future welfare is to be achieved.