Abstract:

Romanian higher technical education is based today on many specializations, due to the growing demand on the labor market for engineers in different fields. Practical training of students in engineering requires modern means of teaching and laboratory equipment in the field of teaching, quality tools and equipment that streamline the process of acquiring the knowledge necessary for future engineers.
However, many technical universities or faculties in Romania do not use judiciously and efficiently the existing instruments in laboratories, although every year teachers request equipment and software more efficient than existing ones. So, it is necessary to propose a model for maintaining the quality of laboratories equipment in Romanian technical universities.

Firstly, the paper followed the discovery of the main causes of this situation, involving in the research project many academics, laboratory technicians, and students from three technical universities which train engineers and transport. After a brainstorming session, using several tools dedicated to quality management, they ranked the main causes of inefficient operation of equipment in the specialized laboratories.
Secondly, there were issued several measures to improve the situation and an action plan in this regard was developed.

Thirdly, based on suggestions from experts involved in this project, we built an Ishikawa diagram useful in evaluating teaching tools that would be purchased by the university in the future. This chart was developed by analyzing the views of academics who teach in different engineering specializations and it is the starting point of the new model.

Finally, we present the new model for maintaining the quality of laboratories equipment, based on many techniques of general and quality management. We appreciate that this model can be helpful in all Romanian universities, not only in the technical ones.

Keywords:

Technical, laboratories, engineering, model.