Global J. of Engng. Educ., Vol.8, No.1 © 2004 UICEE Published in Australia

UICEE Centre for Problem-Based Learning (UCPBL)

Flemming K. Fink Finn Kjærsdam Faculty of , University Fredrik Bajers Vej 7A, DK-9220 Aalborg,

Aalborg University has proven to hold a strong position in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) so that an increasing number of universities and engineering schools worldwide are seeking consultancy and cooperation with (AAU) in this matter. Based on this background, a UICEE Centre for Problem-Based Learning (UCPBL) was established in May 2002. This article describes the status, structure and achievements of the UCPBL. The activities include consultancy for university organisations that are changing from traditional models to a PBL concept, the development of staff on organisational, educational and pedagogical levels, a PBL Masters programme and short courses. The UCPBL is involved in re-organising universities in developing countries and focuses on capacity building as an integrated part of the UCPBL’s activities. Continuing Professional Development is also a natural task for the centre as one of the various important aspects of university- industry cooperation. The global aspects of the UCPBL and the establishment of a UCPBL’s Global Network on Problem-Based Learning are presented and discussed in this article.

INTRODUCTION September 2002 [1]. The UCPBL is now organised with the following A UICEE Centre for Problem-Based Learning Board of Directors (BD): (UCPBL) was inaugurated in May 2002 as a satellite centre of the UNESCO International Centre for • Director, Prof. Flemming K. Fink Engineering Education (UICEE). Due to many years • Vice-director, Prof. Stig Enemark of experience of using PBL in engineering education, • Vice-director, A/Prof. Egon Moesby Aalborg University (AAU), Aalborg, Denmark, was • Vice-director, Prof. Anette Kolmos chosen to host the UCPBL with its role as a global centre dedicated to Problem-Based Learning (PBL). The Board of Governors (BG) consists of the This has given Aalborg University a leading position following persons: among institutions internationally with world’s best practice in this field. • Prof. Finn Kjærsdam (Chairman) This article describes the status and main achieve- • Prof. Zenon J. Pudlowski ments obtained thus far by the UCPBL. The profile • Prof. Fernando J. Jaimes of the UCPBL is presented briefly, and the outcome, as listed in the First UCPBL Annual Report covering BD meetings are being convened on a regular the period until the end of the academic year basis, and the profile is formed and the main tasks 2002/2003, is presented and discussed. discussed. There has been one meeting between the Board of Directors and the Board of Governors thus THE ORGANISATION OF THE UCPBL far. Faculty staff at Aalborg University who are, or The role, organisation and achievements of the want to be, active in the UCPBLs’ activities can be UICEE Centre for Problem-Based Learning was appointed as members of the UCPBL. Some of these presented at the 6th Baltic Region Seminar on members bring in their own projects to the UCPBL. Engineering Education in Wismar, Germany, in This activity has not been given too much focus in the

65 66 F.K. Fink & F. Kjærsdam first year of the operation of the UCPBL, but will be • Hochschule Didaktik Zentrum der Universitäten of high priority in the coming year. des Landes, Baden Württemberg, Germany (April Two major activities are, and will continue to be, 2003); the small staff development courses given at • University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA Aalborg University, as well as at different sites around (August 2003); the world, and a Masters Programme. In order to • Osaka University, Osaka, Japan (December organise this, the UCPBL has established a 2003). decentralised management unit under the leadership of Prof. Anette Kolmos. This unit will also be UCPBL’S GLOBAL NETWORK responsible for research activities, such as PhD programmes. As one of its major activities, a Global Network has The UCPBL is serviced by two secretariats: one been initiated by the UCPBL. The idea to set up such supporting the educational activities and one Secre- a Global Network is to attract organisations that are tariat of the Management. The activities are described actively involved in PBL activities. The main objec- on the Web, and can be found at http://ucpbl.org and tives are as follows: contacted at [email protected] • The UCPBL’s Global Network aims to strengthen THE PROFILE OF THE UCPBL the global work on the implementation and further development of Problem-Based, Project- On 27 June 2002, the Board of Directors presented Organised Learning in engineering education and the Profile of the UCPBL to the Board of Governors continuing education. at a joint meeting in Aalborg (please see • The UCPBL’s Global Network is open to all http://ucpbl.org/profile/index.htm). This presentation universities and higher educational institutions, was fully accepted and supported by the BG. The using or planning to use PBL in one way or presentation described the main objectives of the another. UCPBL, which are as follows: • The UCPBL’s Global Network will expose and profile the diversities of various PBL concepts in • To support PBL interests worldwide; order to encourage an exchange of experience • To initiate and conduct PBL research; with PBL and to encourage the further develop- • To offer consultancy concerning PBL; ment of PBL. • To facilitate PBL in Continuing Engineering • The UCPBL’s Global Network seeks to facili- Education; tate cooperation between its members regarding • To develop educational capacity building within PBL related research and staff development, as relevant engineering sectors; well as organisational development and curricu- • To provide a Education in lum development. PBL and offer summer schools. It is envisaged that the UCPBL’s Global Network SUPPORTING PBL INTERESTS will be a major activity in the coming period. WORLDWIDE Worldwide activity in Problem-Based Learning and related pedagogical concepts is growing, and there is As mentioned earlier, the profile of the UCPBL was an increasing interest in learning from these different later presented at the 6th Baltic Region Seminar on experiments. So as to give members of the UCPBL’s Engineering Education in Wismar (September 2002) Global Network better access to the published [1], and at Frontiers in Education (FIE’03) in Boulder, results and to the ongoing research activities and USA (November 2003) [2]. educational experiments, the UCPBL has initiated work The UCPBL has received international visitors who on establishing a bibliographic database. Members of want to learn more about the UCPBL, and Aalborg the UCPBL’s Global Network will be asked to University’s way of implementing PBL. These guests contribute to this activity, enabling the database to be represented the following academic institutions: as complete as possible.

• Mondragon University, Mondragon, Spain (August PBL RESEARCH 2002); • Queens University, Kingston, Canada (January Although the main focus of the UCPBL is not 2003); research-based, the BD, as university scientific staff UICEE Centre for Problem-Based... 67 members, will always be involved in research activi- environment, started in spring 2003. It is envisaged ties. Some of this research will be recognised as a that the project will finish in 2004. There are currently UCPBL activity. 35 students enrolled in Monterrey and 12 students in The UCPBL has taken the initiative to apply for a Aalborg, working together on this project. grant from the European Union (EU) 6th frame The UCPBL has taken the initiative to develop a programme, Lifelong-Engineering, with partners study guide for a PBL-based curriculum, focusing on from the following universities: project management, cooperation and PBL learning. The Danish Pedagogical Network for Engineer- • Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, ing Education finances this project. The project will Scotland, UK; be finished in 2004. • Université Catholique de Louvain, Leuwen, Belgium; PBL CONSULTANCY • Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; It is the mission of the UCPBL to offer its expertise • , Aveiro, ; concerning PBL as consultancy services. This is based • Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, on the consultants’ personal practical experience with Lithuania; processes of change. Integrated in this consultancy • Tallinn Technical University, Tallinn, Estonia. are training services that are based on research and developments. The UCPBL will be linked to the EU Leonado These consultancy services can be offered as Project: CEE_as_WBL (Continuing Engineering initial or overall introductory courses or workshops for Education as Work Based Learning). The ELITE organisations considering change, or as advisors for Centre for Continuing Engineering Education at executives in the initial phase of change considera- Aalborg University currently manages this project. This tions. It can also be more formalised as long-term or two-year project began in September 2003 with short-term agreements, where the UCPBL staff can partners from the following universities: work at the institution for a period of time, supervising the process of change at an institutional level, as well • Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, as on the operational teacher level. Scotland, UK; The staff at the UCPBL have been acting as • University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, Wales, UK; educational consultants at the following Institutions: • University of , Porto, Portugal; • Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, • IEC-POL, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Austria; Superiores de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico • Mondragon University, Mondragon, Spain; (2001-2003); • Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki, Finland; • International workshop on PBL/POL, a two-week • Budapest University of Technology and Economics, certification programme for teachers, Aalborg Budapest, Hungary. University (June 2002); • Meetings and a three-day course on PBL imple- The main tasks in this project will be as follows: mentation at Aalborg University for Mondragon University (August 2002); 1. The development of Work Based Learning (WBL) • A workshop on an introduction to PBL, Chiang – a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand (Septem- process based on the interrelationships between ber 2002); tacit and explicit knowledge and advanced knowl- • Introduction to PBL workshop, Muced-I&UA, edge skills; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, (September 2002); 2. The development of a WBL CPD - process based • A workshop for facilitating tutors, Mexico on experiences gained from PBL; (December 2002); 3. Evaluation and estimation of the needs and possi- • A workshop in PBL for executives, Monterrey, bilities for ICT support in WBL. Mexico (December 2002); • A workshop in PBL for executives, Mexico City, A joint research programme, together with the Vir- Mexico (December 2002); tual University at Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios • A three-day PBL staff development course, Superiores de Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico, concern- Mondragon University, Mondragon, Spain ing Project Oriented Learning in a virtual educational (February 2003); 68 F.K. Fink & F. Kjærsdam

• An international workshop on PBL/POL for MASTER IN PROBLEM-BASED academic directors, with a two-week certifica- LEARNING tion programme, Aalborg University (June 2003); The UCPBL has initiated its own Master in Prob- • A one-week workshop on PBL in Thailand lem-Based Learning programme in engineering, which (October 2003); is a part-time continuing education programme that is • A three-day workshop on experiences with PBL equivalent to one full academic year. The programme at Nijmegen University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands has been accepted by the Danish University Rectors (October 2003); Conference and has been forwarded for approval to • A one-week workshop on PBL in Chile the Danish Government. The programme is intended (November 2003); to start in 2004. • A two-day presentation on the introduction to PBL The UCPBL has applied to the European Union in Chile (November 2003). for funding of the development of a Socrates joint European master programme. The application has Negotiations on consultancy programmes are in been accepted for funding. There will be some shared progress with institutions, national educational elements between the two Master programmes. development programmes, or as joint programmes in Connected to the Master programmes and other cooperation with international organisations, such pedagogical programmes, the UCPBL is involved in a as the World Bank, the EU and the United Nations European/Canadian exchange programme in coopera- (UN). tion with the PUC (the Staff Development Centre). A five-day start seminar was conducted in February FACILITATION OF PBL IN CONTINUING 2003. ENGINEERING EDUCATION OTHER ACTIVITIES The UCPBL has supported the application from ELITE for an EU Leonardo Pilot project on The UCPBL has, in cooperation with the PUC, Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) as organised an internal AAU conference on develop- Work-Based Learning (see above). The main ments of the AAU model. The outcome of this contribution of Aalborg University to this project conference will be included in an anthology that will will be to develop the necessary tools in order to be published primo 2004 in book format with facilitate CEE, based on the AAU experience, with approximately 30 contributions. PBL as a special focus for the team facilitator/ In cooperation with the Danish Engineering supervisor. Pedagogical Network (IPN), a Scandinavian confer- ence on Faculty Development was organised in the CAPACITY BUILDING fall of 2002. The conference had 30 participants from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. A book The UCPBL is involved in a pilot study with the comprising papers presented at the conference will World Bank with the purpose of defining a project, be published autumn 2003. titled the Enhancement of the Educational Level in The UCPBL is planning, in cooperation with IPN Mozambique, within three state universities in the and the SLP-group, an AAU seminar on PBL and areas of: intercultural learning entitled Integrating Foreign Engineering Students in Project Groups, in • Urban planning; October 2003. This will be a highly specialised • Engineering; seminar on how to teach foreign engineering students • Business economics. on Collaboration, Learning and Project Management (CLP). The pilot study includes four missions to Mozambique and completion is envisaged at the PUBLICATIONS end of 2003. The planned project will run for five years. The UCPBL initiated its work by organising and Closely related to this work is the organisation of editing a Special Issue of the Global Journal of an Aalborg University Development Research and Engineering Education, with a particular focus on Education Programme (AUDREP). The UCPBL is engineering education in Denmark [3]. This publication a member of the AUDREP Committee. presents different facets of engineering education and UICEE Centre for Problem-Based... 69 attempts to profile engineering education in Denmark • Kolmos, A. and Krogh, L., University pedagogy in order to celebrate the establishment of the UICEE for assistant at Aalborg University activities at Aalborg University, Denmark. (part 1). Das Hochschulwesen, Universitäts Verlag Webler, 1 (2003). • Fink, F.K., Enemark, S. and Moesby, E., The • Kolmos, A. and Krogh, L., University pedagogy UICEE Centre for Problem-Based Learning for assistant professors at Aalborg University (UCPBL) at Aalborg University. Proc. 6th Baltic (part 2). Das Hochschulwesen, Universitäts Region Seminar on Engng. Educ., Wismar/ Verlag Webler, 2 (2003). Warnemünde, Germany, 34-38 (2002). • Kolmos, A. and Kofoed, L., Development of • Fink, F.K., Enemark, S., Moesby, E. and Kolmos, process competencies by reflection, experiment A., Global Network and Global Centre for Prob- and creativity. Proc. Teaching and Learning in lem Based Learning. Proc. Frontiers in Educ. Higher Educ., Aveiro, Portugal, CD-ROM Conf. (FIE’03), Boulder, USA (2003). (2003). • Kjærsdam, F. and Fink, F.K. (Ed.), Engineering • Kolmos, A., Future competencies and learning Education in Denmark, Special Issue. Global J. methods in engineering education. Proc. 6th of Engng. Educ., 6, 2, 101-184 (2002). Baltic Region Seminar on Engng. Educ., • Fink, F.K., Andersen, O.K., Bak, T. and Larsen, Wismar/Warnemünde, Germany, 19-22 (2002). L.B., The internationalisation of postgraduate • Kolmos, A. and Busk Kofoed, L., Developing programmes. Global J. of Engng. Educ., 6, 2, process competencies in co-operation, learning and 125-133 (2002). project management. Proc. 4th World Conf. of • Moesby, E., From pupil to student - a challenge ICED, (2002), for universities: an example of a PBL study http://www.csd.uwa.edu.au/iced2002/publication/ programme. Global J. of Engng. Educ., 6, 2, toc.html 145-152 (2002). • Kolmos, A., Facilitating change to a problem- • Enemark, S., Innovation in surveying education. based model. Inter. J. for Academic Develop- Global J. of Engng. Educ., 6, 2, 153-159 (2002). ment, 7, 1 (2002). • Vinther, O. and Kolmos, A., National strategies • Kolmos, A. and Kofoed, P., Sig det så! for staff and faculty development in engineering Projektvejledning på Universitetet. PUC/VCL, education in Denmark. Global J. of Engng. 31 (2002). Educ., 6, 2, 161-166 (2002). • Kolmos, A. and Kofoed, P., Sig det så! • Fink, F.K., Continuing engineering education: a Projektvejledning på Universitetet. Video new task for universities in Denmark. Global J. (2002). of Engng. Educ., 6, 2, 167-174 (2002). • Kjærsdam, F., The problem solving Renaissance • Fink, F.K., Problem-Based Learning in engineer- engineer. Proc. 30th SEFI Annual Conf., Florence, ing education: a catalyst for regional industrial Italy (2002). development. World Trans. on Engng. and • Kjærsdam, F., Engineering education for the knowl- Technology Educ., 1, 1, 29-32 (2002). edge society. Proc. 3rd Global Congress on • Moesby, E., Introduction of new educational sys- Engng. Educ., Glasgow, Scotland, UK, 87-90 tems calls for changes in practices at many lev- (2002). els. Proc. 2nd Congreso Inter. Docencia Universitaria e Innovatión, Signo Impressió REFERENCES Gràfica S. A., C/. Múrcia, 54 d, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat – Barcelona (2002). 1. Fink, F.K., Enemark, S. and Moesby, E., The • Moesby, E., The process towards implementing UICEE Centre for Problem-Based Learning Problem-Based Learning (edited version). Reflec- (UCPBL) at Aalborg University. Proc. 6th Baltic tions on PBL Newsletter, 1, A Republic Region Seminar on Engng. Educ., Wismar/ Polytechnic Publication, November (2002). Warnemünde, Germany, 34-38 (2002). • Fink, F.K, Innovations in engineering education – 2. Fink, F.K., Enemark, S., Moesby, E. and Kolmos, the Aalborg Model. Proc. Ibero-American Sum- A., Global Network and Global Centre for Prob- mit on Engng. Educ., Sao Paulo, Brazil (2003). lem Based Learning. Proc. Frontiers in Educ. • de Graaff, E. and Kolmos, A., Characteristics of Conf. (FIE’03), Boulder, USA (2003). Problem-Based Learning. Inter. J. of Engng. 3. Kjærsdam, F. and Fink, F.K. (Ed.), Engineering Educ., 19, 5 (2003), Education in Denmark, Special Issue. Global J. http://www.ijee.dit.ie/contents/c190503.html of Engng. Educ., 6, 2, 101-184 (2002). 70 F.K. Fink & F. Kjærsdam

BIOGRAPHIES Management) from Harvard University. Prof. Kjærsdam’s professional career has spanned Prof. Flemming K. Fink is various noteworthy institutions. Initially, he was currently Director of Studies employed at Percival Nielsen, a chartered surveyor in Electronics and Information practice (1969-1970). Between 1970 and 1975, he was Technology at Aalborg Uni- a research fellow, assistant and associate versity, Aalborg, Denmark. at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, He received his MScEE from . From 1975 to 1980, he was an associ- Aalborg University in 1978. ate professor and Head of Department at Aalborg Subsequently, he was a re- University, before becoming a senior research fellow searcher at Odense Univer- at the Nordic Institute for Advanced Urban and sity and established an educa- Regional Studies in Stockholm between 1980 and 1983. tional programme in Digital He then went on to become Associate Professor at Signal Processing at the Engineering College in Odense. Aalborg University from 1983-1988, before progress- Since 1986, he has been with Aalborg University doing ing to be a professor in physical planning and Dean of research and teaching within speech recognition and dig- the Faculty of Engineering and Science at Aalborg ital signal processing. His major research is in auditory University (since 1988). He is also a visiting profes- modelling, and he has patented a new concept for para- sor in industrial physical planning at Stavanger metric hearing aids in cooperation with three colleges. University College. Prof. Fink has been Director of Studies since 1993 He has published widely in the field of urban and has initiated an internationalisation of the curricu- planning, project innovation and Problem-Based lum. He is presently doing research in Continuing Learning (PBL). Engineering Education as Head of the Centre for Prof. Kjærsdam is Chairman of the Danish Engi- Continuing Engineering Education in Electronics and neering Educations Consultation Council, Chairman of IT (ELITE). the Board of the Danish Centre for Educational Stud- Currently, he is also Director of the UICEE ies in Science and Chairman of the Utzon Centre. He Centre for Problem-Based Learning (UCPBL), a is a member of the Board for the National Foundation satellite centre of the UICEE. Prof. Fink has for the Advancement of Science, and a bureau mem- published several papers on Problem-Based Learning ber of the International Society of City and Regional (PBL), university-industry cooperation and Continu- Planners, as well as a council member of the ing Professional Development (CPD). Association of European Schools of Planning and a Prof. Fink is member of The National Advisory member of the Board of Danish Centre for Industrial Board for Technology in Denmark, a Senior Member Production. He is a Member of Honour and former of the IEEE and represents Aalborg University on President of the Danish Association of Town Planners, several national and international boards. and an invited member of the German Association of Prof. Fink received the UICEE Silver Badge of Urban, Regional and State Planners. He is also a Honour in 2002 for his outstanding contribution to member of the Danish Academy of Technical engineering education. Sciences, the Board of the Biological Bank Denmark Foundation, the Board of Novi Innovation, the Board Prof. Finn Kjærsdam of Northern Jutland Innovation Forum, and on the achieved his MSc (Char- Steering Group of the Danish Wind Energy Centre. tered Surveyor) from the He is also a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog. Royal Veterinary and Agri- Prof. Kjærsdam has also been appointed as a Deputy cultural University, a GradDip Chairman of the Academic Advisory Board of the (Traffic Planning) from the UNESCO International Centre for Engineering Edu- Technical University of Den- cation (UICEE). He is also Chairman of the UICEE mark. He was also awarded Centre for Problem-Based Learning, a satellite a GradDip (Landscape centre of the UICEE, and is a member of the Inter- Architecture) and a PhD national Liaison Group for Engineering Education (Town Planning) from the (IL-GEE). He is an Associate Editor of the Global Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University. He has Journal of Engineering Education. Prof. Kjærsdam gained a DrTechn (Applied Science) from the Nordic is also the recipient of the UICEE Silver (2000) and Institute for Advanced Urban and Regional Studies/ Gold (2002) Badges of Honour for his outstanding Aalborg University, as well as a GradCert (Educational contribution to engineering education.