Visions of the Future of Engineering Education: Sharpening the Focus

Over the last several years, a number of engineering organizations have postulated visions of engineering education beyond 2020. In 2005, the National Academy of Engineering published Educating the Engineer of 2020: Adapting Engineering Education to the New Century 1 . Soon thereafter, ASCE released The Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025 2 followed by Achieving the Vision for Civil Engineering in 2025, A Roadmap for the Profession 3 in 2008. Mechanical engineers went through a similar visioning process in 2008 with 2028 Vision for Mechanical Engineering: A report of the Global Summit on the Future of Mechanical Engineering 4 followed by Vision 2030: Creating the Future of Mechanical Engineering Education 5 in December 2011. In 2012 the National Academy of Engineering convened a distinguished panel of experts in Washington, DC, for a forum entitled “Educating Engineers: Preparing 21st Century Leaders in the Context of New Modes of Learning.” And the dialogue continues into the present. In late October 2013, the National Academy of Engineering convened its annual symposium “Frontiers of Engineering Education” in Irvine, California. This scholarly paper will delve into a series of questions about the future of engineering education including: What do various visions for the future of engineering education have in common? How are the various visions distinct from each other? How might the various engineering societies collaborate to realize their visions of engineering education in the future (perhaps through the AAES Working Group on Engineering Education)? Since 2020 is only six years away, is it time to take another look at the future of engineering education? In characterizing one aspect of a future state of civil engineering practice, ASCE’s roadmap to achieving Vision 2025 declares, “Civil engineering is universally recognized as a ‘learned profession’ characterized by competency and the continued pursuit knowledge and experience.” Engineering societies can work together to make this a reality for all branches of engineering.