Teaching innovations in the special engineering programme at brunel university

The paper describes some of the innovative features of project-type courses in the Special Engineering Programme at Brunel University. In accordance with the objective of training engineers for manufacturing industry, the programme aims to develop the problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills of students through their active participation in task or project courses of different kinds. Described are two courses provided during the first year, called `Problem solving¿¿ and `Artefact study¿¿: the first introduces ideas related to the nature of engineering problems and the appropriate attitude and approaches for their successful resolution; the second involves an in-depth study of an artefact manufactured by the student´s sponsoring company. Two design courses are then described, which aim to develop conceptual thinking in design work. The `Tasks¿¿ course, provided in the second year, consists of a number of miniprojects, each comprising theoretical and practical components, and all within a single subject area: analogue electronics. Project courses which feature in the third and fourth years are distinctive in that the projects derive from the sponsoring company. Finally, the difficulties in assessing project work are discussed, and an appraisal of the effectiveness of the courses is provided.