Engineering deans and engineering education stakeholders gathered at the University of Calgary campus on October 18 to 20 to discuss ways they can improve collaboration. Ishwar Puri, Chair of the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science (NCDEAS), opened the meeting by noting the air of authenticity that came from gathering on a university campus, and reported on an issue around the upcoming Global Engineering Deans Council Conference, where a Canadian dean was denied the opportunity to participate in one of the associated events, ostensibly due to that dean's country of birth.
Following Puri’s remarks, Jim Nicell, Vice Chair of NCDEAS, initiated the conversation with his presentation on the Future of Engineering Education. His comments focused how engineers, as problem solvers, now face the trifecta of “wicked” problems: accountability for social, economic, and environmental outcomes. Adding to the complexity of the the situation is the “democratization” of technology, where technology is no longer the sole domain of engineers and it is possible for significant technologies to be put on the market by non-engineers. In this context, he spoke of the concept of “stewardship” where he invited meeting participants to consider whether engineers should have ownership of problems and solutions over the long term.
With the stage for the meeting set, participants heard a number of presentations throughout the day. Norman Fortenberry of ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education) outlined the ASEE value proposition, while Bob Brennan and Clifton Johnston of the CEEA (Canadian Engineering Education Association) spoke with meeting participants about possible partnerships, for instance, with the Engineering Graduate Attribute Development (EGAD) Project. Engineers Canada provided updates on recently approved criteria changes, the status of the Accreditation Improvement Program, and the progress of the AU Task Force.
Organizations such as NSERC and NRC also made key presentations. Notably, the 2018 federal budget provided a historic infusion of funds into both those organizations and now work is underway to ensure the intended outcomes of those budget allocations.
