Educating the Engineer of 2020 : Adapting Engineering Education to the New Century

Phase I in the Engineer of 2020 project, Visions of Engineering in the New Century, described a set of attributes that are expected to be necessary for engineers. This Phase II report provides a suite of recommendations that can guide engineering educators, employers of engineers, professional societies, and government agencies in their efforts.

Educating the Engineer of 2020 is grounded by the observations, questions,and conclusions presented in the best-selling book The Engineer of 2020:Visions of Engineering in the New Century. This new book offers recommendationson how to enrich and broaden engineering education so graduatesare better prepared to work in a constantly changing global economy. Itnotes the importance of improving recruitment and retention of studentsand making the learning experience more meaningful to them. It also discussesthe value of considering changes in engineering education in thebroader context of enhancing the status of the engineering profession andimproving the public understanding of engineering. Although certain basicsof engineering will not change in the future, the explosion of knowledge,the global economy, and the way engineers work will reflect an ongoingevolution. If the United States is to maintain its economic leadership and beable to sustain its share of high-technology jobs, it must prepare for thiswave of change.