Industry as a partner in shaping engineering education

Current relationships between industry and the academy in shaping engineering education are enumerated and the issue is raised as to how tight the coupling between the two should be. The argument is made that current pressures on both, as well as the changing nature of the engineering profession, suggest that a tighter coupling would be desirable. To this end it is proposed that engineering schools enter into strategic partnerships with the major industrial employers of their graduates to implement engineering practice clinical programs. Such programs would enable engineering students to gain an appreciation for aspects of engineering practice that are less easily captured in on-campus settings. In addition to “building the breed” such programs can also aid in the establishment of mutually beneficial joint research programs and the exchange of technology