Abstract:

In accordance with the Bologna Declaration, Flanders has implemented a new higher engineering education system. The former two cycle engineering programmes at hogescholen were converted into academic Bachelor programmes followed by a one-year Master programme. GROUP T - Leuven Engineering College is a former hogeschool and has become an innovative and international university college for engineering education. From the academic year 2008-2009 on a two-year path for the Master programme in Industrial Sciences is offered, focusing on strong collaboration with the industry. This innovation project in engineering education is approved by the Flemish Minister of Work, Education and Formation and supported by the Province of Vlaams-Brabant.
GROEP T offers the possibility to spread the official one-year master program (60 ECTS credits) over two academic years. The content of the one-year master program is maintained and supplemented with the Postgraduate Program in Entrepreneurial Engingeering Experience of 60 ECTS credits. The Postgraduate Program is comprised of:
1. an extended learning experience (40 credits) in an enterprise (the Entrepreneurial Engineering Experience, EEE). This is a challenging engineering project (design, process, product, service, research, development, …) that should develop student’s engineering, entrepreneurial and innovation skills. Students are preferentially operating in a team of students and in an international context. domain specific engineering courses (10 credits) selected on base of their necessity of relevance for the content of the EEE.
2. 5E-enginering courses (10 credits): engineering courses organized according to GROUP T’s 5E-concept for engineering Education. The 5E-concept stands for focus on the dynamic interaction between Engineering, Education, Enterprising (the roles the 5E-engineer plays in society), Environmenting (integrating elements from nature and culture in technolog) and Ensembling (observing and approaching things in a holistic way).
The Postgraduate Program is a competence based and student centered programme offering an individual study programme as part of a personal development plan. Competences were validated by a questionnaire sent to graduates, employers and professors from GROUP T. The paper will present the results of this questionnaires and discuss the final selection of competences and related learning activities. In addition the EEE is positioned as the ultimate form of workplace learning during engineering education.

Keywords:

Engineering education, workplace learning, competences.