A possible future pattern for first degree courses in engineering

A number of factors indicate that there is a need to change the character of engineering education in Britain. These factors range from student opinions of the courses and employers´ dissatisfaction with graduates, to educational research into `how students learn´. The Engineering Professors´ Conference has considered how these deficiencies might be overcome and has produced a discussion document upon which this article is based. The document proposes that degree courses should emphasise understanding and transferable skills so that graduates become better prepared to keep pace with change, become independent learners and can turn their hands and minds more quickly to new challenges as they arise