Project background

Development Awareness Fund, DFID

18 months of research, workshops and dialogue

Identify drivers, barriers, case studies and innovation

Promote collaboration and partnership

Draw out wider lessons

Provoke and inform wider debate

The Global Engineer

• Why global issues are critical to engineering education

• What global skills look like and

the alignment between different initiatives

• How the global dimension can be embedded: looking at examples of current practice

Global Dimension of Engineering

Convergence of crises: Ring road issues

• Climate change

• Poverty

• Globalisation

Growth in developing countries

Huge investment ($10-20 trillion) in oil, gas and mining over next 20-30 years much in poverty and conflict prone regions

Over $600bn projected expenditure over the next 10 years in Africa alone.

Growth in developing countries

Expansion in infrastructure investment esp. slum upgrading and urban infrastructure

In 2005 the G8 nations pledged $150bn additional aid for African infrastructure in the next 10 years.

By 2015 it is estimated that 80% of new infrastructure will be in developing countries

Growth in developing countries

Enterprise solutions to poverty incl. ‘base of the pyramid’, fair trade and social enterprise.

Opportunities from emerging computing, energy, nano and bio-science technologies.

Opportunities from adaptation and mitigation of climate change and sustainability

Lens to view the global dimension

A futures perspective

A business perspective

A critical perspective

A systems perspective

A futures perspective“At no point in our whole history has the speed and scale of

technological change been so fast and pervasive.”

Gordon Brown at the TUC conference 2005

Unprecedented global challenges and opportunities.

Interdependency and convergence of issues.

Increasing speed of change.

High degree of complexity and uncertainty.

Key role of science, engineering, technology and innovation (SETI) driving forward and adapting to change.

A business perspective

‘UK engineering degree courses must recognise the changing requirements of industry’. RAEng 2007

Importance of business, enterprise & innovation skills

Interest in CSR and social enterprises

Global skills debate

Case study: Red button design

A critical perspective

Challenge assumptions

Value diverse perspectives

Value local knowledge

Political and social dimension

Open Space for Dialogue and Exchange

A systems perspective

Systems engineering and whole life analysis

Interconnection and relationships

Complexity and uncertainty

Holistic thinking

Places engineering in wider context (STEEP)

Applies to natural and human systems

MSc Holistic Science, Plymouth University

How UK engineering academics perceive the global dimension to

engineering

• The ability to take a broader perspective • Application of curriculum across countries • An appreciation of what we do in developing countries impact upon ourselves.

• Understanding our culture doesn’t have all the answers and there is more than one perspective and approach.

• Understanding the local context of development

UK academic views continued

• Coping with uncertainty • Dealing with global issues doesn’t necessarily mean going to developing countries

• Challenging stereotypes • Recognition of finite resources in the world and the impact of globalisation

• Potential role of different technologies• Mitigating and adapting to climate change

Policy Drivers

• UK government education policies on internationalisation and sustainable development

• DFID strategy on Building Support for Development

• Up-skilling UK workforce

Employer Drivers

• Growing number of employers want employees who can practice and promote sustainability

• Need not only for specialist knowledge but well rounded, positive and socially engaged employees

• Cultural sensitivity• Critical thinkers

Student Drivers

• Global nature of student body

• Evidence suggests students are motivated to engage in global issues

• Importance of Engineers Without Borders

Perspectives and Approaches

• Concern for the future

• Critical thinking

• Seeing things holistically and in a systematic way

Global Skills

• Bringing together range of initiatives, agendas and needs from sustainability to corporate social responsibility, ethical questions to enterprise and community cohesion

• Multi-disciplinarity• Ability to deal with complexity, uncertainty and

insecurity• Dealing with a culturally diverse workforce• Team working and creative thinking

Importance of International Development

• Role of engineering within achieving MDGs• Key profession in building support for

development within higher education• Linkage between higher education and business

Key barriers and constraints and how can these be overcome?

Limited space in curriculum

Limited staff time, skills, knowledge and capacity

Funding constraints

Research focus

Importance of senior management support

Towards a five stage framework for embedding the global dimension

Stage 1: Mapping the Global dimension

Social

Environmental

Professional skills

Business and enterprise skills

Stage 2: Map against the UK-SPEC

Map how the global dimension supports UK SPEC learning outcomes

Design

Creativity and innovation

Sustainable development

Transferable skills

Fit for purpose

Ethics

Practical experience

Stage 3: Opportunities to embed the global dimension

Embed within curriculum

Through partnerships

Extra-curricular learning

University wide strategy

Inter-university, national and international collaboration

Stages 4 and 5:Cohesion and Evaluation

Link course components into a cohesive whole

Cross–cutting themes flow through course

Pilot, monitor and evaluate

Value and invest in on-going learning and adaptation

Case studies

Over 60 examples of current practice incl. modules, design projects, UK and overseas volunteering, placements, partnerships, education centres, etc.

Michael Clifford, Appropriate Technology, Nottingham

Centre for Sustainable Development, Cambridge

Envision 2010, Imperial

CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate)

Conclusions

• Grounds for optimism but not complacency• Place the global dimension at the heart of

engineering education• Place poverty reduction at the heart of the global

dimension• Invest in professional development and curriculum

review and development• Reward teaching excellence• Strong coherent leadership from govt., industry

and professional bodies

Selected recommendations

• HEIs to review current provision• Bring agendas together• Partner with business and NGOs• Collaborate internationally• Invest in professional development• Embed in strategy• DIUS and DFID: Joint policies and support• Further research

Potential future work

• Presentation to Joint Board of Moderators June 20

• Seminar for DERN, Galway• Discussion with Imperial Envision 2010,

Cambridge CSD and CPI• Masters in ‘Sustainable Engineering’• Practical Action, ECUK, ESC and EPC on

prof. development and curriculum review• ‘Dragon’s Den’ showcasing appropriate tech.• Work based learning Masters in Prof. Eng