Engineering Education as a Competitive Advantage for Finland

of the final report FuturEng is an anticipation and development project on the Finnish engineering education that was carried out during years 2000 – 2004 by the Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers TEK. The objectives of the FuturEng-project were to anticipate the development of the environment of the Finnish engineering education and its impact on education, to analyze current strengths and weaknesses of engineering education in Finland, to anticipate future development of the Finnish engineering education and to make concrete action proposals in order to develop the engineering education to face the challenges of the global knowledge-based society environment in the coming 10 – 15 years. FuturEng-project consists of several engineering education related subprojects that were carried out by individual researchers, research teams and networks of researchers. One of the subprojects is a Decision-maker Delphi panel that consisted of 21 participants from the following stakeholder groups: rectors of universities and polytechnics, industry leaders, Parlamentarists and top-level public servants in the Finnish ministry of education and leaders of research organizations. In the first round panelists were interviewed and the second round of the Delphi was a questionnaire. The results of the FuturEng-project and most of the publications are available at http://www.tek.fi/futureng. FuturEng was carried out in close co-operation with the key stakeholders of the Finnish engineering education. Representatives of universities and polytechnics, industry, research organizations, Parlamentarists, public servants in the Finnish ministry of education, students and labour market organizations participated in the project. The project was funded by the Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers TEK, the Finnish Ministry of Education, the European Social Fund and the Finnish industry (Nokia, UPM-Kymmene and Elisa Communications). The project manager of the FuturEng was Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki from TEK. The Decision-maker stakeholders of the Finnish engineering education (rectors of universities and polytechnics, Parlamentarists, top-level public servants in the Finnish ministry of education, top-management in the industry and top-management in the research organizations) seem to have a shared vision on the key role of technology and Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki & Sanna Allt 31.08.2004 2/6 education in the national strategy of Finland: The competitiveness of Finland is based on the widely networked top-quality higher education and research, where technological excellence plays a key role. The strength of Finland is to keep together welfare state and knowledge-based society development. The cornerstones of the Finnish society are very high general level of education of the population and higher education that is free of charge or has only a nominal fee. In the conclusions of the research, 15 trends in the environment that have an impact on the Finnish engineering education have been presented. Furthermore, nine uncertainty factors are listed that might be opportunities or threats depending on the actual development. The most desirable scenario of Finland according to the Decision-maker Delphi panel is “Learning society and global welfare”. However, the most probable scenario is “A global knowledge-based society of materialistic values”. Scenarios “Slowing down the development of the knowledge-based society” and “Chaos, terrorism and environmental catastrophes” are seen to be improbable and undesirable. The analysis of the current state of the Finnish engineering education is summarized in 12 issues. The anticipation of the future of the Finnish engineering education is summarized in 15 trends that seem to be probable and two trends whose materialization includes remarkable uncertainty factors, but are rated to be desirable by the Delphi panel. One of the key findings of the research is that the Decision-maker stakeholders of the Finnish engineering education don’t have a shared vision on the future of the Finnish engineering education. It seems that the Finnish engineering education doesn’t have a clear direction on the development of the structure and degree system and duties of universities and polytechnics in the higher education system. Two scenarios that are very different by nature “New parallel model”, “Parallel in theory – overlapping in practice” are both estimated to be probable. According to the Delphi panel scenarios “Return to the old parallel model” and “All higher education institutions become universities” are improbable in the Finnish system of education. Political decision-makers (Parlamentarists and top-level public servants in the Finnish ministry of education) seem to be hindering the development towards desired direction, for all other stakeholder groups in the Delphi panel find the scenario “New parallel model” desirable. The opinions of the political decision-makers on the desirability of the scenario split up. Three out of five political decision-makers in the Delphi panel wouldn’t like the “New parallel model”, whereas two political decision-makers find the “New parallel model” very desirable. Key issues in the scenario “New parallel model”: Content-wise, the higher education system is based on a parallel model. Universities and polytechnics have different duties in teaching and research. Administratively, the majority of universities and polytechnics offering engineering education have merged. What comes to the curriculum, two very different types of Bachelor programs exist. The Bachelors programs at polytechnics are professional oriented, whereas Bachelors programs at universities have a more theoretical orientation. The Masters programs are mostly available only in universities. Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki & Sanna Allt 31.08.2004 3/6 However, there are a couple of polytechnics that offer Masters programs as well. The aim of universities is to produce new knowledge and expertise in co-operation with the industry and society. The aim of polytechnics is to apply the new knowledge (the results of the basic research) created at universities and make it available to society at large. Both higher education sectors aim to promote entrepreneurship. Thinking about how new research results can create new business and companies is a central issue. As a result of research, the anticipation and current state analysis of the Finnish engineering education, 20 proposals for action were made: 1. The Finnish engineering education lacks clear vision. A common scenario and strategy process is needed, where all important stakeholders of engineering education are involved. A common scenario and strategy process could clarify the roles of universities and polytechnics in engineering and increase co-operation between these two sectors in higher education. 2. The possibilities for mergers and effects of mergers of universities and polytechnics according to the scenario “New parallel model” should be researched. Possible mergers need to have a voluntary basis. 3. One of the current strengths of the Finnish engineering education is the close cooperation with the industry. The importance of stakeholder co-operation in future will further increase and there will be more co-operation partners. Both national and international co-operation between universities, polytechnics, industry and research organizations should be still intensified so that close stakeholder co-operation is also in future a specific strength of the Finnish engineering education. The closer stakeholder co-operation requires clear understanding on the functions and roles of higher education institutions. 4. Higher education institutions will get more and new responsibilities in anticipation and quality assessment of higher education. A well functioning anticipation system of education and quality assessment system, where self-assessment of universities plays a key role, requires well-developed follow-up and feedback systems in higher education. Higher education institutions offering engineering programs need to develop their follow-up and feedback systems of education. Degree programs need to have a clear strategy to which the working-life feedback is compared and evaluated. The gathering of the formal feedback from the industry should be co-coordinated better and the feedback needs to be utilized more efficiently. Tacit knowledge gained through informal interaction with stakeholders should be utilized better and more systematically in the development of engineering education than at present. 5. When comparing on an international level, higher education institutions in Finland offering engineering programs have a remarkable educational responsibility. Over 20 % of all Bachelors and Masters degrees in Finland are in the engineering field. Because the participation rate to higher education is in Finland 72 % (statistics year 2003), with current intakes in engineering in future about 15 % of Finns will have a Bachelors or Masters degree in engineering. On the other hand it is anticipated that the need for continuous education and Ph.D. degrees will increase remarkably. It is not sensible that Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki & Sanna Allt 31.08.2004 4/6 all higher education institutions offer undergraduate, graduate and continuous engineering education. 6. One of the strengths of Finland is to keep together the welfare and knowledge-based society development. The highest possible general educational level of population combined with world-class excellence in certain fields and individuals is a must in a knowledge-based welfare society. Higher education that is free of charge for students has to be available. On the other hand, learning industry offers remarkable business opportunities on a global level, so legislation need to be changed so that it is possible for the Finnish higher education institutions also to offer higher education programs with a studying fee in all levels of higher education. 7. The fragmentation of resources in research and teaching in small units in engineering weakens the competitiveness of the Finnish engineering education on a global scale. The national interests need to dominate the regional interests in Finland. The number of higher education institutions offering engineering programs should not be increased. 8. Gaining practical working experience during studies is an essential part of engineering education. So called sandwich studying, where work and studies are combined or periods between work and study alternate, fits very well to the life long learning principle and has to be developed and supported especially in Masters, Ph.D. and continuous education programs. In addition to the close link between practical working experience and studies, in engineering education programs in universities, it is important to link the education closely to the scientific (academic) research already in the Bachelors education. 9. The appreciation of teaching at universities of technology needs to be boosted. The merits in teaching need to be remarkable factors in the recruitment to positions with responsibilities in teaching. In addition to the general teaching strategy of a higher education institution, all units planning and providing teaching need to have a more detailed teaching strategy in order to have a common understanding of the educational objectives and methods in offering engineering programs. The informal discussions on teaching should be encouraged by giving the actors a common language through training and public discussion. 10. As a result of the sharp increase in the intakes to engineering programs, the first year students’ abilities in math and natural sciences vary remarkably. Moreover, there is a need for more individualized curriculum and ways for taking a course, for example because of the more heterogeneous student mass and greater variation in the career paths of engineers. However, the resources for teaching and counseling have not increased in accordance with the student numbers and challenges. The average number of undergraduate students per teacher has risen from 15 to 25 during years 1990 – 2003. The resources for teaching and counseling need to be increased so that the number of undergraduate students per teacher is on average 15. The counseling of students needs to be improved considerably. 11. The increased need to provide counseling services is evident also in graduate and continuing engineering education. In the knowledge-based society, where lifelong learning is a must for all engineers, studying and working periods alternate. Individuals Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki & Sanna Allt 31.08.2004 5/6 need to develop their knowledge and skills in a more systematic way than ever before. The counseling services need to be available to support the whole career path. In order to support better the work force with a higher education degree, so called life long learning support centers could be established in the biggest higher education institutions. Counseling should be available to both employed and unemployed persons with a higher education degree. 12. The dropout problem is serious in the engineering field. More often than in other disciplines the reasons for dropping out are difficulties in passing the courses or that there is a lack of motivation. The reasons behind this development seem to be the sharply risen student intakes in engineering. There are more students with insufficient skills in math and natural sciences and a large number of students that lack motivation because engineering was only their second choice. The widening of the recruitment base in engineering is not probable at least in the near future, so the intakes to engineering programs both in polytechnics and in universities should be decreased. 13. The gender differences have not been taken into consideration in the learning environment of engineering education. Gender has effects on the prior experiences, interests and studying habits of students. Even though also personal differences in these areas are great, the effect of gender on studying engineering can’t be ruled out. The development of learning environment in engineering and changes in the organization culture in the higher education institutions offering engineering programs are essential in order to be able to increase the number of female students in engineering. 14. The general economic situation has a heavy impact on the labor market situation in engineering. The effects of economic cycles need to be balanced by making it possible to study while being unemployed without losing unemployment compensation. 15. The undergraduate, graduate and continuing engineering education needs to offer a wide variation of learning and teaching methods. The formal continuing education offered by the universities needs to meet better than at present the needs of engineering professionals. The majority of the engineering professionals are of the opinion that networking, learning through work and self-studying are the most suitable ways for developing their knowledge and skills. The universities should increase opportunities for short-term continuing education for example by dividing the PD-degrees (Professional Development degrees) into short course modules. 16. A remarkable share of innovations in the future is multidisciplinary by nature. Multidisciplinarity between different engineering fields and other disciplines, like social sciences, needs to be promoted. Environmental values and ethical thinking has to be built in the engineering education. 17. Possibilities for individual choices in the curriculum and ways for taking a course need to be increased in engineering programs in polytechnics and universities. As one option for taking a course, opportunities for e-learning need to be improved. It should be let for the engineering student to decide, whether he / she wants to get a very multidisciplinary and wide engineering education or a very deep disciplinary-specific education aiming to research education and career. Kati Korhonen-Yrjänheikki & Sanna Allt 31.08.2004 6/6 18. In the Bachelors programs in engineering at universities, more stress needs to be put to solid math and natural science skills and IT combined with wide cultural understanding. The degree program system should be changed so that the choice of the engineering field would take place only after 1 – 2 years of studies in a Bachelor program. 19. The engineering science plays a remarkable role in the development of biotechnology. Combining biotechnology with other fields like IT and materials technology is anticipated to offer remarkable opportunities in the future. The results of the FuturEng-project indicate that biology should be part of compulsory natural science studies in the Bachelors programs in engineering. 20. The Bachelors degree in engineering at a university is an intermediate degree aiming to Masters degree. Its primary aim should not be labour market relevance although especially during economic boom some of the students with Bachelors degree move permanently to the labour market without getting the Masters degree.