Engineering, Engineering Technologist, Engineering Technician Qualifications and Professional Designations: National and International frameworks Outline
Objective: to describe how an alliance of national engineering bodies to develop a consensus framework for:
• The attributes of graduates of engineering education programmes for - Engineers - Engineering Technologists - Engineering Technicians • The professional competencies for the above groups The Engineering/Technology Spectrum
Operation Engineering Theory Construction Adv. Design Routine Design Development Manufacturing Technical Management Management How? Engineering Technology Why? Engineering and Engineering Technology Careers Two Different (but overlapping) Paths
Less More Mathematical Mathematical
Engineering Technology
Engineering The Technological Spectrum
Product Product Technical Research Manufacturing Production Field Design Development Testing Sales Services
ENGINEERS
TECHNOLOGISTS International Standard Builders
Developed Consensus Statements The international Engineering Alliance Consisting of Signatories to: Engineers mobility Graduate Washington Accord forum Attributes and (Engineer Education) APEC Engineer Agreement Professional Competencies Engineering Sydney Accord Technologist mobility (Technologist Education) Forum www.ieagreements.org Dublin Accord (Technician Education) Attribute Definition and Differentiation
• Need to define and differentiate Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies for - Engineers - Engineering Technologists - Engineering Technicians • Method adopted - Knowledge Profile: Knowledge areas and levels - Outcomes: Common stem with ranging keywords - Level Descriptors: • Level of problem solving • Level of engineering activities (PC only)
Knowledge Profile
Engineering Engineering Knowledge Area Engineer Technologist Technician
• systematic, theory-based, • systematic, theory-based, • Descriptive, formula-based, applicable to the sub- Natural Sciences applicable to the discipline applicable in a sub-discipline discipline
• Conceptually-based to • Conceptually-based to • Conceptually-based to Mathematical support analysis and support structured analysis support structured analysis Sciences building models in the and building models in the and building models in the disciple sub-disciple sub-disciple
Engineering • systematic, theory-based, • systematic, theory-based, • Coherent, procedural formulation as required in formulation as required in formulation as required in a Fundamentals the engineering disciple the engineering sub-disciple sub-disciple
• Theoretical frameworks • Theoretical frameworks Specialised and bodies of knowledge • Body of procedural and bodies of knowledge for practice areas in the knowledge for an accepted Engineering for an established sub- discipline; much at sub-discipline Sciences discipline forefront Plus: Engineering design knowledge, Role of engineering in society, engagement with literature in next slide Knowledge Profile (continued)
Engineering • Supports design using the • Supports procedural ad • Supports engineering design technologies of a practice technique based in a Design in a practice area knowledge area practice area • Ethics, professional • Issue in applying • Issues in technician Comprehend responsibility, public safety; engineering technology; practice: ethics, financial, Role of impacts of engineering; safety, ethics and impacts; cultural, environmental and economics social, cultural, economic, social, Engineering in sustainability procedures in environmental, environmental society practice area sustainability sustainability
• Selected knowledge in the Engagement with • With the technological research literature of the literature of the discipline literature discipline
Plus: Engineering design knowledge, Role of engineering in society, engagement with literature Outcomes: Graduate to Professional
GA1: Problem Solving PC1: Problem Analysis GA2: Use of knowledge PC2: Solution Synthesis GA3: Design PC3: Use of knowledge GA4: Investigation and Expt. PC4: Management of EA, self & GA5: Use tools, techniques & IT teamwork GA6: Communication PC10: Communication GA8: Self & team work PC7: Ethics GA7: Impact of Eng’g Activity PC5: Impact of Eng’g Activity GA10: Professionalism & Ethics PC6: Legal and regulatory GA9: Independent learning PC9: Responsibility PC8: Judgement PC11: Professional Development Form of Range Statement Engineer: Engineering Technologist: Engineering Technician: Complex Problems Broadly-defined problems Well defined problems • Require identification and • Require identification and • May require refinement of analysis, analysis requirements • May be abstract • Generally are concrete • Are concrete • May be divergent • Maybe ill-posed • Usually well-posed • May involve significant • May have a degree of • Requirements are uncertainty uncertainty complete and certain • Maybe unfamiliar, • May be infrequently • Maybe unfamiliar, but belonging to family of encountered types occur in familiar context problems • May required first- • Amenable to solution by • Can be interpreted for principles analysis established solution in practice area methodologies More International framework builders
European Higher Education Area Bologna “3” International Engineering Alliance (IEA) & “5” year model
Signatories of: CALIBRATION PROJECT Washington Accord EUR-ACE Sydney Accord 14 EHEA Bodies Dublin Accord Appropriate standards Engineers Mobility Forum for engineering within Technologists Mobility Forum Bologna APEC engineer agreement No general engineering standard
Overlapping Membership Getting systems to talk to each other
IEA: Graduate attributes focus on education EUR-ACE: Focus is standard for and for: accreditation of • Engineers ??? • First cycle degrees • Technologist • Second cycle degrees • Technicians In engineering And Professional competencies focus on ….With the notion of regulated practice for: • Theoretical engineers and • Engineers • Application-oriented engineers • Technologist In a single (unregulated) system • Technicians Translation into local context
• Fundamental requirements are global • IEA attributes are built from signatory standards and feedback into national systems • HEQF compliant qualifications are based on IEA outcomes
Agreement Legacy SA qualification HEQF-Compliant SA Qualification
Washington accord BEng-type BEng-type (no changes)
Sydney Accord BTech (based on ND) BEngTech (new) Adv Cert. (after a higher cert.) or Dublin Accord National Diploma (ND) diploma Structure of the graduate attributes
Knowledge profile elements
Attributes 1-12: Assessable outcomes Range/level of problem solving
The graduate attributes are defined as twelve outcome statements supported by: • A knowledge profile • A range/level classifier for engineering problems International Agreements/ Networks
EDUCATION PRACTICE WASHINGTON ENGINEERS MOBILITY FORUM ACCORD
SYDNEY APEC ENGINEER ACCORD
DUBLIN ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGISTS ACCORD MOBILITY FORUM
FEANI/ UER-ACE/FE (EUROPE) INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING NABEEA (ASIA) ALLIANCE (IEA) / formerly INTERNATIONAL ENGINEERING UPADI MEETING (IEM) (CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA) Engineering Accreditation Department International Standard
• Washington Accord – for Engineering - 4-5 years bachelors or 4-5 years masters
• Sydney Accord – for Technology - 3-4 years bachelors
• Dublin Accord – for Technician qualifications - 2-3 years cert./diploma
Engineering Accreditation Department Requirements as WA signatories
• Review every 6 years • Substantially equivalent to all signatories • At least 4 years at bachelors level - theoretical • Degree lead to professional engineer qualification • Unanimous decision for decision
Engineering Accreditation Department Professional Engineers Technologists Others Engineers
PAE + 3 years work Experience (normally 5 years) + Register with BEM Register with BEM
ENGINEERING GRADUATES
Engineering Accreditation Department Engineering & Technology Domain
ENGINEERS
Career in Supervision & Career in Research & Design WORK Maintenance
TECHNOLOGISTS
Strong in Approriate Mathematics, Mathematics, Engineering Engineering Sciences, Sciences, Professional Engineering Technology Professional courses Breadth & Depth Breadth & Depth courses (Theoretical) of Curricula of Curricula (Practical) Engineering Accreditation Department ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION TRAINING (Knowledge & Understanding) (Skill)
Psycho Cognitive Affective motor
ENGINEERING EDUCATION TRAINING (Knowledge & Understanding) (Skill)
Psycho Cognitive Affective motor
Engineering Accreditation Department EDUCATION (Knowledge & Understanding) 7
6
5
4
3 TRAINING AFFECTIVE 2 (Skills)
1
0
PSYCHOMOTOR COGNITIVE
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Engineering Accreditation Department ENTRY
MATHEMATICS Engineering Mathematics Science Professional Key Skills
Delivery (Theory 40-60%) Practical (60-40%) ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION VOLUME OF KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING
VOLUME OF KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING
ENGINEERING Practical Delivery (Theory 80-90%) EDUCATION (20-10%)
ENTRY Engineering Professional Key Skills MATHEMATICS Mathematics Science
Engineering Accreditation Department Engineering & Technology Domain
Engineering Education Technology Education • Solving complex problems • Solving broadly defined problems • Prepared for future • Prepared for present • Theoretical • Practical/applied/hands-on • High mathematical knowledge • Adequate mathematical knowledge • Strong foundation on Engineering • Adequate foundations on sciences Engineering sciences • Strong engineering fundamentals • Adequate engineering • Knowledge requirements towards fundamentals professional engineer • Knowledge requirements towards technologist
Engineering Accreditation Department Agreements Covering Tertiary Qualifications in Engineering
1.The Washington Accord 1989 2.The Sydney Accord 2001 3.The Dublin Accord 2002. Agreements Covering Competence Standards for Practising Engineers
1.APEC Engineer agreement 1999 2. Engineers Mobility Forum agreement in 2001 3. The Engineering Technologist Mobility Forum agreement 2003.
The three agreements cover recognition of equivalence at the practising engineer level • it is individual people, not qualifications that are seen to meet the benchmark standard. • a person recognized in one country as reaching the agreed international standard of competence should only be minimally assessed (primarily for local knowledge) prior to obtaining registration in another country that is party to the agreement.
The oldest such agreement is the APEC Engineer agreement which commenced in 1999. This has Government support in the participating APEC economies. The representative organization in each economy creates a "register" of those engineers wishing to be recognised as meeting the generic international standard. Other economies should give credit when such an engineer seeks to have his or her competence recognised. The Agreement is largely administered between engineering bodies, but there can be Government representation and substantive changes need to be signed off at governmental APEC Agreement level.
Agreements Covering Competence Standards for Practising Engineers
The Engineers Mobility Forum agreement commenced in 2001. It operates the same competence standard as the APEC Engineer agreement but any country/economy may join. The parties to the agreement are largely engineering bodies. There are intentions to draw EMF and APEC closer together.
The Engineering Technologist Mobility Forum agreement was signed by participating economies/countries in 2003. The parties to the Agreement have agreed to commence establishing a mutual recognition scheme for engineering technologists. Operation Engineering Theory Construction Advance Design Routine Design Development Manufacturing Management Management Technologist Why? How?