Academic strategy

The debate, promoted by the deliberations of the Committee of Inquiry into the Engineering Profession, has shown the need to have an academic strategy for the future. Many considerations should influence this strategy. The flow of information into schools should provide a much clearer picture of the opportunities that engineering provides. This is one task which should receive priority from any statutory authority emerging from the Committee recommendations. An attempt to classify the activities of engineers leads to the conclusion that there are two separable groups ¿ diploma engineers and qualified engineers ¿ for whom distinct types of degree course should be provided. The design of courses for qualified engineers is discussed in general terms. The paper concludes with an account of some of the ways in which the Electrical Department at Imperial College has responded to the ever-changing technological scene.