Preparing Systems Engineers for Future Challenges: Education and Innovation in Science and Engineering

Session chaired by Tibor Vamos.

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ICT Entrepreneurship Model: A New Approach for Information Technology Bachelor Education, by Pasi Juvonen & Paivi Ovaska (Finland)

While there is an increased need for ICT soft skills (eg business, communications, transferable skills, team-working, competencies, etc), this is not necessarily represented in education. This has led to the need to renew the IT Bachelor education.

In prior realisations of such education, technical skills were emphasised, with little focus on the soft skills. This form also lacked a systematic model of cooperation with companies, organisations, and international partners.

The essential theoretical framework then requires Organisational Learning, per Argyris and Schon (including defensive reasoning of human beings and planned interventions); The five diciplines of learning Organisation per Senge et al.; Knowledge Theory by Nonaka and Takeuchi (such as SECI process); studies of organisational culture and leadership by Schein, and Kouzes and Posner (such as change process); and studies on experimental and or communal learning and group dynamics, per Johnson & Johnson, and also Kolb.

This would lead to a conventional first year to establish a basis of learning, followed by a more dynamic later learning process choosing from one of three options: international/team learning, project learning, or ICT Entrepreneurship, the last of which forms the basis of this discussion.

This Entrepreneurship involves theoretical projects and practical, which requires that the students develop their own company under the auspices of the university. This is done through 4 modules: Team Learning Tools, Teampreneurship tools, Coaching Tools, and Development Discussions. Students build their network, their brand, their knowledge, and their experience through this process. The 360 review function within the model allows for peer evaluation, customer evaluation, and coach evaluation, enabled the application of grades / credits and benchmarking as is necessary. On the back of this, the student is placed in a position to anticipate where they may want to go or what they wish to specialise in later on.

The action research forms a framework for the PhD study (PDCA). Data collection and analysis was by a mixed method approach: data collection via theme based interviews, direct and participative observation, field notes, and the information repository used by teampreneurs; data analysis through grounded theory and case study, utilising critical incident technology, and a comparison of notes between researchers (to enable triangulation).

Key themes included learning methods (eg how to unlearn traditional structures.school learning?) coaches roles and responsibilities (eg to intervene or not? how to operate within the framework…), Learner’s roles and responsibilities (trust and knowledge sharing providing issues), and overcoming fear (such as in dealing with potential customers).

Currently, the model is being looked at now by a number of institutions and countries.

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Trust and Team Development to Fight Chaos: Three Student Reports, by Annette Juras, Janine Brockmeier, Vera Niedergesaess & Dietrich Brandt (Germany)

Based on the merger of three student reports from the ESTIEM Summer Academy, the purpose initially was to address and provide solutions for current problems and issues. Part of the process involved clear lines for listening and communicating in order to promote trust and working together successfully, with topics including ‘Living with today’s hypocrisy,’ What is human?’, ‘the perfect world’ and more.

Team-building was developed through trust games (the falling backwards exercise, crossing the wall), group games (board game of their own invention, sports), and other group activities (food preparation, singing and dancing, theater play, campfire discussion). This had a significant impact on the learning process.

As a team, the group had to trust and respect one another, receive and give feedback, and share thoughts and ideas; as an individual, it enabled open-mindedness and listening; and for learning, it enabled the group to deal with chaos, help each other to improve, and develop ideas together.

In forming an atmosphere of trust, the group was enabled for the creation of ideas (brainstorming, questions, solitude, discussions, silence), leading to opinion polls (priority analysis with 1 to 3 votes). This was followed by working on the issues raised (discussions, stories, examples, mind-maps and pictures), and in turn reporting on the outcomes (visuals, keywords, pictures, timelines), leading to two reflections: on the process or on the outcome. To facilitate this, rules and guidelines were developed to further focus and refine the process.

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Using Modern Management Concepts and Tools for Developing Advanced Quality Management Systems in new Higher Education Institutions, by Edmond Hadjrizi (Kosovo)

At the outset of the research, and with an effective lack of administration, the engineering program in Pristina was a kernel for later development to be built upon in Kosovo. The remit of the university grew as requirements dictated.

Quality management was introduced in order to enable accreditationm internationalisation and conformity with wider-adopted standards. This also enabled the organisation of international events, leading to events hosting such as SWIIS in 2006 and 2010, with another iteration to occur next year. This would also potentially incorporate other countries such as Albania and Serbia. Furthermore, this allowed specific and planned expansion of the programs currently offered by the institute.

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As ever, be sure to let us know if a question you have is for a specific presenter so that we can direct it appropriately.