INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING EDUCATION DIGEST

November 2007

Copyright © 2007 World Expertise LLC – All rights reserved

A periodic electronic newsletter for engineering education leaders,

edited by Russel C. Jones, Ph.D., P.E., and Bethany S. Jones, Ph.D.

 

 

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS: This is the final issue of the International Engineering Education Digest prepared by two educators for you, our colleagues.  Several of the organizations which have distributed the Digest have now supplanted it with their own electronic newsletters, including one published daily via an automated commercial service. The editors have enjoyed preparing thoughtful, selective summaries of important, newsworthy articles from the international media for you for the past seven years. We hope that the Digest has been informative and useful to you.

 

 

CONTENTS

 

1 - International developments

 

2 - US developments  

 

3 - Technology

 

4 - Students, faculty, education

 

5 - Energy

 

6 – Journals

 

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1 - International developments

 

OECD to create international ranking of universities – The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is setting out to create an international ranking of universities based not on proxy measures such as input, but rather on a measurement of how much students are learning.  The task is formidable, given the extreme differences between curricula in various countries, says the article which appeared in the November 15 print edition of The Economist. But the methodology calls for examining the transferable skills that employers say that they want, such as critical thinking.  Currently, there are two similar rankings: Shanghai ’s Jiao Tong University has been publishing a list since 2003, and the Times Higher Education Supplement began their ranking system in 2004.  The OECD believes that their rankings will shake up a system which permits some institutions to bask in past achievements. (See http://www.economist.com)

 

Chinese translator of Euclid ’s works honored – This year marks the 400th anniversary of the publication of Xu Guangqi’s Chinese translation of the first six volumes of Euclid ’s Elements, an occasion celebrated at the Partner Institute for Computational Biology in Shanghai .  Xu’s achievement was significant on several fronts.  For example, the translation introduced planar geometry and other mathematical concepts to China for the first time.  It also was likely the first scientific collaboration between a European (Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit, was Xu’s partner in the work) and a Chinese. Xu was a multi-talented man who served as a government minister, worked to improve agriculture by applying scientific principles well in advance of the West, reformed the Chinese calendar, and according to some, began China ’s enlightenment.  Richard Stone wrote this report for the November 2 issue of Science. (See http://sciencemag.org)

 

OECD “Scoreboard” looks at economic indicators – The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) has just published the OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2007, the eighth edition in the series.  The report compares performance and policies of member nations with those of non-member economies.  This report contains new indicators, including university patenting initiatives and a chapter on S & T activities in nanotechnology.  Findings include figures that show investment in new knowledge now grows apace with GDP.  Also, Brazil , India , China and others are making advances in the knowledge economy.  The report is available at www.sourceoecd.org/scoreboard. (See http://www.oecd.org)

 

Figures on US student achievement in math, science, are ambiguous – A new study on student achievement in science and math shows that American students are better than most of their peers abroad, but lag far behind the best students, who come from Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan.  The study, carried out by the non-profit, independent American Institutes of Research, compared scores on tests given by the US Department of Education in 2005 and 2007, with scores on the Timss (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) administered abroad.  Reactions from researchers were mixed, with some emphasizing the good news, that US students were in the upper half of performers, and others emphasizing the bad news, that the best US students still did not compete well with the best students from other countries.  This article was written by Sam Dillon for the November 14 on-line edition of The New York Times. (See http://nytimes.com)

 

 

2 - US developments  

 

No shortage of engineers, US Congress told – A US Congressional committee recently heard that there is no shortage of engineers and scientists, and was told that the government ought to look into how to support scientific research without adding to an existing oversupply of science professionals, reports Richard Monastersky in the November 7 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Federal support for research, claimed Michael S. Teitelbaum, vice president of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, is used to fund more graduate students and post docs, while many engineers advise their own children not to follow them in that career.  And Paul J. Kostel, vice president of the IEEE, said the US could draw upon the talent of mid-career engineers who have left the profession and could be employable with proper retraining.  What the country really needs, stated some, is more graduates of high schools and two year programs trained for technical fields.  (See http://chronicle.com/daily/2007/11/623n.htm)

 

University president recommends giving up claims on IP – Bill Destler, president of Rochester Institute of Technology, wants to see US universities give up on trying to make huge profits from intellectual property.  The current system, which has spawned wealth for many attorneys, distorts the relationship between universities and industry, prolongs decision-making, and makes businesses reluctant to call upon universities to conduct research for them. Destler proposes that universities instead give up claims of intellectual property rights and instead charge businesses for the reasonable cost of doing research for them, plus a modest amount for any IP eventually resulting from the work. This is not a replacement for government funded basic research, and should not permit inappropriate corporate influence on universities, writes Scott Jaschik in the November 28 issue of Inside Higher Education. (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/28/rit)

 

MIT suing Gehry over building flaws – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is suing architect Frank Gehry for an unspecified amount of money over leaks and cracks which have required expensive repairs.  The Stata Center opened in spring of 2004, write Robin Pogrebin and Katie Zezima in the November 7 on-line edition of The New York Times.  By late 2006 MIT had hired a contractor to do $1.5 million in repairs on an outside amphitheater which is part of the building.  Gehry says that the client (MIT) made decisions which led to problems, and indicated he thought that MIT was trying to get insurance money from him.  The Institute says that Gehry’s company was negligent and breached its contract with them. (See http://nytimes.com)

 

Import and export of students continues to improve for US – On November 12 the Institute of International Education released its annual Open Doors report, containing information on international students in the US and US students abroad.  The number of US students studying abroad increased by 8.5% in academic year 2006-2007, and the number of international students in the US increased by 3%.  The most popular majors for those US students are social sciences, business and management, and humanities.  The UK remains the most popular destination.  Engineering is the second most popular major among foreign students studying in the US , lagging behind business and management, and followed by physical and life sciences. India sent the US the most students, followed by China , then Korea , then Japan . The University of Southern California again hosts the largest number of foreign students (7,115) followed by Columbia and New York University .  (See http://opendoors.iienetwork.org)

 

 

3 - Technology

 

MIT puts high school math and science materials on line – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced a further development of its OpenCourseWare program, notes Scott Jaschik in the November 29 edition of Inside Higher Education. A high school version of the materials, called Highlights for High School, will put materials online for use in improving the teaching of science, engineering, technology and math.  Currently about 1,800 of MIT’s courses are available online.  (See http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/29/qt)

 

University leaders confirm importance of on-line education – The National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation released results of a survey of member presidents and chancellors which reveal that 67% of them believe that on-line education is a vitally important component of their institutions’ strategic planning, but that only 40% actually had it in their strategic plan.  The greatest barriers to development of online capabilities, according to the respondents, are the need for faculty time and effort and the expense associated with course development, writes Scott Jaschik in the November 12 issue of Inside Higher Education. (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/12/qt)

 

Librarians concerned about government surveillance of researchers – Today’s university libraries frequently run their own Internet networks through which students and faculty send e-mail, chat, and conduct research in a separate system.  This may make libraries fall under the designation of a “communications service provider,” thus making them subject to some proposed legislation that is of concern to library groups such as the Association of Research Libraries and the American Library Association.  According to Ellen Nakashima, writing for the November 2 on-line edition of the Washington Post, the legislation would permit the government to monitor the communications of non-US citizens participating in an online research project, and that of US participants in the same project, all without sure judicial review and appropriate warrants.  With so many US universities operating branch campuses abroad, online access to non-US citizens becomes more frequent. (See http://www.washingtonpost.com)

 

UC Berkeley on YouTube – The University of California at Berkeley has created a partnership with YouTube which is mutually beneficial, according to Wendy Melillo, writing in the November 12 online edition of Adweek.com. Berkeley accesses wider audiences with its content, and YouTube is associated with a prestige “brand.” YouTube is not permitted to place ads on the Berkeley pages, but Berkeley has its own ad, a promotional video, available for viewing.  By using YouTube, the university reaches audiences without having to rely on the media, which according to Dan Mogulof, executive director of UC Berkeley’s public affairs, is frequently interested only in controversy and confrontation.  (See http://www.adweek.com/aw/iq_interactive/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003671154)

 

 

4 - Students, faculty, education

 

On line education must diversify to attract new students – A report from Eduventures, a company that provides consulting services about on-line higher education, reveals a maturing market, reports Andy Guess in the November 28 on-line edition of Inside Higher Education. The survey of 2,033 people who expressed interest in on-line education in the near to medium range future, shows that there is a preference for enrolling in a program located in their home state, and that the biggest growth is now in the traditional college age cohort, rather than the older adult learner. What this survey shows, concludes Richard Garrett, the author of the report, is that colleges need to move away from preconceived notions of what the market is for on-line education, and to diversify their offerings to attract the wide diversity of potential students.  (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/28/online)

 

International students return to US graduate programs – Total enrollments of foreign students in US graduate programs increased substantially this fall, up 7%, according to a survey conducted by the Council of Graduate Schools. Although foreign enrollments in physical sciences held only steady over last year, and education enrollments declined, all other majors saw increases.  First-time enrollments increased by only 4%, down from the 12% increase in 2006.  Business, engineering, the life sciences and the humanities all grew faster than last year.  It is unclear whether the slowing growth in first year enrollments is attributable to competition from other countries, or whether the larger US institutions have reached capacity, reports Eugene McCormack in the November 7 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. (See http://chronicle.com/daily/2007/11/621n/htm)

 

Foreign students receive most PhDs in electrical, civil, industrial/mechanical engineering – Doctoral degrees awarded in the US grew by 5% in 2006, when a record 45,596 were granted in a wide variety of disciplines.  The vast majority of those degrees which accounted for the increase over 2005 figures were in science and engineering.  At the same time, non-citizens received over 70% of the doctorates given in electrical, civil and industrial/mechanical engineering.  In total, 7191 doctorates were awarded in engineering in 2006, as compared with 6425 in 2005.  11,469 women received doctorates in engineering, while men earned 18,341.  The figures came from a report issued by the National Science Foundation. (See http://insidehighered.com/news/2007/11/21/phds)

 

US Congress plans cuts in indirect cost reimbursements – The US Congress is prepared to pass a bill shifting indirect costs (overhead) to universities in basic research grants and contracts funded through the Pentagon.  The cap would be 35%, while most universities charge about 50%, reports Jeffrey Brainard in the November 7 edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education. (See http://chronicle.com/daily/2007/11/620n.htm)

 

 

5 - Energy

 

US DoE funds new solar technology – On November 8 the US Department of Energy announced the award of $21 million for 25 projects designed to develop the next generation of solar technology, announced Megan Barnett, the department’s media contact.  Fifteen US universities and six companies will receive support, selected from a large number of proposals.  The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University and Stanford University each received funding for two projects. Prototype cells or processes may be available by 2015, leading to commercialization. (See http://www.energy.gov)

 

Report from Inter Academy Council urges sustainable development – Lighting the Way, a new report written by fifteen experts nominated from the 90 members of the Inter Academy Council, does not include new recommendations on the need for sustainable development, but its authors and supporters seek to use it to bring about concrete action, just as the US National Academies’ report, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, brought about the passage of the COMPETES Act. China was a prime mover in this report, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is working to create a renewable energy R & D center to help move the country away from its reliance on coal. Reporters Eli Kintisch, with Richard Stone, writing in the October 26 issue of Science, say that the report’s emphasis on the developing world should make it popular in Washington , DC . (See http://www.sciencemag.org)

 

Wind power blows hot and cold in international markets – Swedish power company Vattenfall has spent $280 million to build a windpark in the sea between Sweden and Denmark . When connected with the grid, it can generate power to light 60,000 homes. But around the world wind power is encountering some barriers to advancement as an alternative source of power.  Its drawbacks include the fact that the wind does not blow consistently, the cost of building materials for the turbines is increasing, some people object to windfarms on esthetic grounds, and the power grids cannot always take the strain of solar power surges.  But rising oil prices and increased interest in taxing carbon-dioxide emissions may work to wind energy’s benefit, reports Mark Landler, along with Sarah Plass, writing in the November 23 on-line edition of The New York Times. (See http://nytimes.com)

 

 

6 – Journals

 

Global Journal of Engineering Education – The current issue includes some eleven papers on topics such as collaborative learning, intercultural communication considerations, higher education reform, a volunteer learning support scheme, alliances between engineering and humanities educators, and communication skills for engineers. (See http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/uicee)

 

Chemical engineering education – The Fall 2007 issue contains articles on a graduate course in theory and methods of research, an introductory course in bioengineering and biotechnology, and incorporation of data analysis throughout the curriculum. (See http://cee.che.ufl.edu/index.html)

 

 

 

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