Better engineering education with less financial support: a look into the future

Proposes that business incubators can be natural and valuable extensions of engineering schools. This paper reviews experience gained through the Cape Technikon´s chemical engineering business development programme. It recommends a return to technical education by entrepreneurs. Engineering education is directed at freedom from poverty, disease and oppression. Very often, those countries that need education the most have the least to spend on it. Economic development requires a combination of engineering, entrepreneurial and management skills. The association of entrepreneurs with engineering schools through business incubators can result in great mutual benefit. People involved in these business units contribute towards the needs of education in return for access to high-technology facilities and expertise. This makes the schools much less vulnerable to cutbacks in external funding