scholarly journals ENGINEERING EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES IN AFRICA: A CASE FOR RWANDA

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Despres-Bedward
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Urban Growth ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
The Political ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
The Government

Rwanda’s rates of urban growth and urbanization are unprecedented [1]. This change in the number of urban-dwellers will require increased engineering talent and resources to support resulting demands on the urban infrastructure. This study builds on the engineering education literature in Rwanda, explores how the country is prepared to manage current and future urban growth rates through engineering education, and examines the processes universities undergo when reforming their engineering curriculum in Rwanda. A research team travelled to Rwanda in July, 2016 to study engineering programs and interview two faculty members at two universities. Four significant subjects emerged from this study: the involvement of the political institutions in the curriculum design and approval processes, the need for allocating new resources to meet an increase in student enrolment, the importance of considering the historical and regional contexts in the curriculum, and the need for more hands-on training in engineering education. Further study is recommended on the political involvement in engineering curriculum reform, the government-led student and faculty funding initiatives, the impacts of the historical and regional contexts on the tertiary education system, and the increase

scholarly journals Modeling Humanizing Education Through Newly Reviewed Materials Engineering Curriculum

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-79
Author(s):  
Norshahida Sarifuddin ◽  
Zuraida Ahmad ◽  
Ahmad Zahirani Ahmad Azhar ◽  
Hafizah Hanim Mohd Zaki ◽  
Amelia Wong Azman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Academic Field ◽  
Materials Engineering ◽  
New Curriculum ◽  
Humanitarian Engineering ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The University

In line with the current global focus on sustainability and the well-being of the planet, becoming a professional engineer nowadays requires more than simple mastery of technical skills. Considering that engineers are required to have a deep sense of responsibility not only for humankind but also for the environment, engineering education and practices must be reformed substantially to prepare engineers that will contribute to sustainable development. This necessitates updating conventional engineering programs (CEE) to incorporate Humanizing Engineering Education (HEE). Although HEE is an old practice of individual engineers and other organizations outside the academic field, it is relatively new in academic engineering. While the definition of what truly merits being considered HEE remains debatable, many engineers believe that their work involves a humanitarian aspect. To streamline the development of HEE, there is a need for developing guidelines and frameworks for a comprehensive model. Ideally, that framework should integrate humanizing pedagogy in the new curriculum design. The objective of the paper is to share the experience of the authors in designing a new curriculum for a Materials Engineering Programme (MEP) that is embedded with Humanitarian Engineering (HE), which is among the main elements of HEE. Data collection was through interviews, qualitative surveys, reports from the stakeholders, accreditation bodies and benchmarking with other Higher Learning Institutions (HLI). An extensive scholarly literature review was executed to identify shortcomings in CEE and how it could be reformed by integrating it with HEE. The Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF); a strategic framework for academic programmes developed by the university, was used as a reference to customize MEP to better meet students’ needs. Since the proposed model applies a new emerging concept, it inevitably raises challenges related to different levels of understanding among course implementers and perceptions of external stakeholders. Moreover, the developers had to consider the limitations imposed by the university's policies and structures while acknowledging the availability of finite resources (i.e. time, money, equipment, and expertise).

Het beleid van de provincies

Res Publica ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-298
Author(s):  
Staf Lauwerysen
Keyword(s):  
Social Welfare ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Financial Analysis ◽  
Community Organization ◽  
The Political ◽  
Government Structure ◽  
Provincial Level ◽  
The Government

The abolition of the political institutions of the Belgian provinces, as provided in the government declaration of 7 June 1977, puts a question into the usefulness of the provincial institutions.This contribution intends to throw more light on the policy at the provincial level - now and in the near past - by means of a brief functional and financial analysis. Beforehand, it has to be mentioned that juridical and institutional limitations do exercise a restraining influence on the functioning of the provinces.A task-analysis shows that they are mainly concerned with «traditional» tasks ( e.g. education, traffic), but they recently take into consideration «modern» tasks in the domain of social welfare (e.g. culture, community-organization) .However, the means of the Belgian provinces are very limited ; as a result, the current expenditures of the provinces do not exceed 3 % of all public current expenditures. It shows the relative small importance of the provinces in the total government structure.

E-Portfolios as a Quantitative and Qualitative Means of Demonstrating Learning Outcomes and Competencies in Engineering

2012 ◽  
pp. 124-154
Author(s):  
Juliana Kaya Prpic ◽  
Graham Moore
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Individual Student ◽  
Tertiary Sector ◽  
Professional Body ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Body ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Engineering Career

An outcomes-based approach to engineering education within the tertiary sector is now mandatory in Australia, with the government body responsible for the quality of tertiary education (TEQSA) and the professional body responsible both for accrediting engineering degrees and for registering professional engineers (Engineers Australia) couching their expectations and requirements in terms of outcomes expressed as competencies. In response, the institutions providing engineering qualifications have expressed the outcomes anticipated from successful completion of their courses in terms of graduate attributes. The net effect is that the outcomes attached to engineering education relate to a wide variety of domains, ranging from the spatial (what points on the engineering landscape must be covered) through the agentic (what actions an engineer should be able to undertake) to the temporal (when in an engineering career particular competencies should be evident), but how these translate to practical competencies at the level of the individual student or practicing engineer is not explicit.

scholarly journals Practical Elements of Mechanical Engineering – An Enrichment to University Engineering Education

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony G. Straatman
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Practical Knowledge ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Materials Engineering ◽  
Enrichment Program ◽  
Applied Arts

Practical Elements of Mechanical Engineering (PEME) is an enrichment program developed by the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Western University in collaboration with Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology. The PEME program was developed mainly in response to the changing backgrounds of students entering university engineering programs, and to provide an opportunity for students to get exposure to practical courses in machining, welding, metrology, and other practical areas, which complement the traditional Mechanical engineering curriculum. The PEME program is thus a formal avenue whereby students have an opportunity to gain some additional practical knowledge of their profession.

Enterprise 2.0 in Engineering Curriculum

2014 ◽  
pp. 599-617
Author(s):  
Andreas Ahrens ◽  
Olaf Bassus ◽  
Jeļena Zaščerinska
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Enterprise 2.0 ◽  
Multicultural Environment ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
The Baltic

Engineering education is facing a challenge to bring e-business closer to student engineers. Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering education advances engineering students’ enterprise for the development of innovative products, processes, and services. The aim of the research is to analyze student engineers’ Enterprise 2.0 application underpinning elaboration of pedagogical guidelines on student engineers’ Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum. The meaning of key concepts of Enterprise 2.0 and engineering curriculum is studied. Moreover, the study indicates how the steps of the process are related following a logical chain: Enterprise 2.0 ? engineering curriculum design ? modelling Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum ? empirical study within a multicultural environment. The present empirical research was conducted during the Baltic Summer School “Technical Informatics and Information Technology” in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The findings of the research allow drawing the conclusions that student engineers’ Enterprise 2.0 application in engineering curriculum is efficient.

: The Analysis of British Political Institutions

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Political Process ◽  
The Political ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Public Inquiry ◽  
Comparative Government ◽  
The Government

The analysis of British political institutions in the twentieth century has not emerged solely from the writing of textbooks by political scientists. The genesis of general thinking about the government of the United Kingdom is to a lesser degree the product of professional reflection than is the development of theories about comparative government. It evolves more directly from the political process itself and from the controversies about government that government itself generates. This chapter discusses the powers of Parliament, the nature of cabinet government, the accountability of ministers, the dignified institutions, the re-modelling of Dicey’s institution, political institutions and public inquiry, and theory and analysis in political institutions.

scholarly journals The Political Economy of Salt Imports in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-46
Author(s):  
Beltahmamero Simamora ◽  
Marlina Deliana ◽  
Syafruddin Ritonga
Keyword(s):  
Political Economy ◽  
Chemical Industry ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Government ◽  
Industrial Needs

The use of salt is wide, including in the chemical industry, various foods and beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The decision to import salt is aimed at protecting the sustainability of production in the national industrial sector. Government Regulation Number 9 of 2018 was issued without involving the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP). The PP for Salt Imports removes the authority of the KKP in providing recommendations for importing industrial salt. The salt import made by the government has received legitimacy from the Ministry of Industry because it is seen as being able to increase investment and welfare for the community. However, the import of salt do not have to get recommendations from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries are a blunder for the government. Because it is very contrary to the constitution. The concepts presented by Thomas Oatley, namely interests, political institutions and Helen V. Milner, namely Interest, Institutions, and Information, are used to analyze salt import policies. 100 percent of industrial salt is still imported, because Indonesia unable to produce salt for industrial needs. Thus, in terms of the political economy of salt business, it can be concluded that the recurring issue of salt scarcity has been caused by serious errors in the political economy of the salt business in Indonesia. This mistake, objectively, can be traced from the behavior of salt business players and the government to reform for a better Indonesian salt business. 100 percent of industrial salt is still imported, because Indonesia unable to produce salt for industrial needs. Thus, in terms of the political economy of salt business, it can be concluded that the recurring issue of salt scarcity has been caused by serious errors in the political economy of the salt business in Indonesia. This mistake, objectively, can be traced from the behavior of salt business players and the government to reform for a better Indonesian salt business. 100 percent of industrial salt is still imported, because Indonesia unable to produce salt for industrial needs. Thus, in terms of the political economy of salt business, it can be concluded that the recurring issue of salt scarcity has been caused by serious errors in the political economy of the salt business in Indonesia. This mistake, objectively, can be traced from the behavior of salt business players and the government to reform for a better Indonesian salt business.

scholarly journals Democratic backsliding as a threat of a return to authoritarianism

2021 ◽  
pp. 170-185
Author(s):  
Oleg Tkach ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Institutions ◽  
Civil Conflict ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Political Crisis ◽  
The Political ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Government ◽  
Democratic Stability ◽  
Democratic Systems ◽  
The Right

The article considers the problems of threats to the collapse of democracy, when the components of democracy are at risk. Examples of the collapse of democracy have shown the lack of free and fair elections, which threatens the independence of the judiciary, the restriction of the right to freedom of speech, and the political opposition’s ability to challenge the government, prosecute and offer alternatives to the regime. The government poses a threat to national security in order to create a „sense of crisis” that allows the government to „denigrate critics as pro-government or unpatriotic” and portray defenders of democratic institutions as „representatives of a tired, isolated elite”. With this in mind, the purpose of the study was determined – to systematize the factors of the collapse of democracy. In order to achieve this goal, the criteria of approaches to the analysis of the problems of coagulation of democracy were analyzed and systematized. As a result, the factors of the collapse of democracy include: the weakening of political institutions, violations of individual rights and freedom of thought, which call into question the efficiency and stability of democratic systems. It is established that the problematic aspects are the level of inequality, differences in identity; democratization through bottom-up peaceful protests has led to a higher level of democracy and democratic stability than democratization caused by elites; constitutions resulting from pluralism (reflecting different segments of society) are more likely to promote liberal democracy (at least in the short term); that the threat of civil conflict encourages regimes to make democratic concessions; development in a democratic direction requires collective security; the process of democratization can occur by chance, as it depends on unique characteristics and circumstances; correlation of democratization with democratization of knowledge as the spread of the ability to create and legitimize knowledge among citizens, in contrast to knowledge under the control of elite groups; correlation with the effect of democratization of design. Key words : democracy, democratic backsliding, political regime, democratization, political crisis.

scholarly journals Political Vector of Northern Sea Route Development

2015 ◽  
pp. 122-127
Author(s):  
A. A. Fomichev
Keyword(s):  
Political Institutions ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Government Support ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
The Political ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The West ◽  
Political Aspect ◽  
Political Processes ◽  
The Government

In this article the author considers the issue of exploitation of Arctic region, especially of NSR. This transport corridor is very important from geopolitical point of view. The future of NSR will be thoroughly considered and the author will pay attention to the political horizons that opens as far as the interest of international community to Arctic rises and socio-economical processes are accelerating. The political institutions which regulate exploitation of NSR, legal framework, estimations of experts from different relevant fields and the problems of exploitation of Arctic region that have emerged on grounds of the current political situation in the world - all these aspects will be considered in the article. The special attention will be paid to the possible Russian self-determined exploitation of Arctic and NSR. Even though there are considerable reserves of natural resources in Arctic, its' capacity does not afford carry out its' active exploitation in short-term. Consequently, its' capacity does not permit exclusion of exploitation of NSR on account of transit route. Saving of the current relations with Western partners and development of opportunities to exploit Arctic region on our own - the main political goals of Russia. Recent events of this year demonstrate two important forces which have an impact on the exploitation of NSR. Firstly, an important role of Russia in international exploitation of Arctic, understanding of that at the international level and interest of foreign partners in cooperation with Russia in Arctic including over the question of NSR despite exacerbation of relation with the West. Secondly, present state of Arctic territories in terms of economics and socio-political aspect does not correspond to the boost of geopolitical power of Russia in Arctic. Western sanctions seriously harm sustainable development of Arctic in short-term. However, they will accelerate political processes in the region in case Russia wants exploit Arctic and take the lead among Arctic states. There is a necessity to overcome the technological and economical lag from the West, to create better infrastructure along the coast of the Arctic Ocean, to attract human resources in High North, to increase the government support of business in Arctic.

scholarly journals FIRST-YEAR COMMON ENGINEERING CURRICULUM FOR THE BC POST-SECONDARY SECTOR

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Dick
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Engineering Education ◽  
Degree Completion ◽  
First Year ◽  
Engineering Curriculum ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Secondary Sector ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Consultative Process

Abstract – Demand for engineering education has grown in recognition of its importance to the provincial economy, while engineering education capacity continues to lag.  Engineering schools in British Columbia traditionally offer a common first-year of study that provides a foundation of science, mathematics, and engineering design before students specialize in second year. The British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer (BCCAT) Engineering Articulation committee believed this transition served as a natural transfer point and undertook a year-long consultative process to establish the feasibility of developing a common, first-year engineering curriculum within the BC post-secondary sector. This study found that although there exists some diversity within the first-year engineering programs at accredited receiving institutions, sufficient curriculum overlap allowed for a sector-wide common first-year engineering curriculum. This proposed curriculum suggests a content framework for students in all regions of the province to begin the first year of engineering studies at their institution of choice, and subsequently transfer to any of the major research institutions for degree completion.  

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