FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY: RENEWED CURRICULUM IS OFF AND RUNNING!

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOCUS

How do you put an education programme on the map that allows young talent to grow and blossom into versatile engineers? How do you maximise the benefits of a multicampus faculty? These were the challenges that the Faculty of Engineering Technology faced three years ago when it decided to reinvent the engineering technology programme. The first bachelor’s year was launched this autumn. Prof. Greet Langie, former Vice Dean for Education and pioneer of the ‘Gideons gang’ of programme reformers, and Jeroen Buijs, former Vice Campus Chair at Group T Leuven Campus, explain.

Our companies - and by extension our society - are asking for versatile, inquisitive and creative ‘problem solvers’ and developers,” says Prof. Langie. “Engineers deployable on many fronts. Engineers who can link disciplines in order to come up with new solutions and put them into practice. We are therefore starting the programme with a solid polyvalent engineering programme for all the students on our campuses. (This new programme does not apply on Campus Diepenbeek.) Their entire programme now rests on four pillars. In the first pillar, ‘Engineer and Science’, we lay a foundation and students immediately see how the sciences are applied in technology. The ‘Engineer and Technology’ pillar also starts with a polyvalent training that forms the basis of the four graduation tracks in the bachelor’s programmes and ends with specialised training within the eight master’s programmes. In ‘Engineer and World’ we broaden the students’ horizon. And in the ‘Engineering Experiences’, everything comes together. Students are challenged to think up and work out concrete technological solutions like a real engineer. It goes without saying, that this also includes skills such as team work, communication and an entrepreneurial spirit. What’s more, from now on these so-called ‘professional skills’ will be structurally integrated in the new curriculum and supervised by experts”.

Wide range, extensive choice

“All this ensures that students will encounter concrete technological issues from the very beginning of their studies,” continues Jeroen Buijs. “Another innovation is that from now on, students can take their curriculum more into their own hands. The range of specialisations, options, electives and modules on six of our seven campuses is such that everyone will find something to suit him/her. In addition, switching between campuses from 2020 onwards is child’s play. Nevertheless, those who prefer to stay on their familiar campus also benefit. In the multicampus modules, everyone at each of our locations can go beyond campus boundaries to immerse him/herself completely in his/her interests. Remaining mentally mobile does not necessarily imply physically changing campus”.

Jeroen Buijs and Prof. Greet Langie

“We take a similar approach internationally. Of course, we continue to encourage students to participate in international exchange programmes. We are already doing this successfully. At the same time, however, we are also fully committed to expanding the range of English-language education on all our campuses”. This way, we want to attract even more international students and create a real ‘internationalisation at home’. Flemish students are also reaping the benefits of this. They learn to cooperate with other nationalities and deal with diversity, which contributes to their education as all-round engineers. For both Flemish and international students it offers a training ground for developing communicative and intercultural competences”.

Professional practice

“Last but not least, from 2020 onwards the relationship with the industry is being significantly intensified, which goes hand in hand with our aim to train entrepreneurial engineers,” explains Prof. Langie. “You do not just learn from a book; but also from experience. For example, by spending a day with an engineer right from the start. By visiting companies on a regular basis. By working together in projects. And by creatively taking on assignments originating directly from the professional practice.

When new entrants instantly can look out on the finality of it, the education programme will also become more attractive. Even those starting an engineering programme are still not fully or not at all aware of how varied and fascinating the engineering profession is. Therefore, we want to highlight this even more and better. Our message to young people is clear: on each of our campuses you can indulge today as the engineer of tomorrow”.

Yves Persoons