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11.03.2012
International Symposium on Innovation and Quality in Engineering Education, April 26-28, 2012, Valladolid, Spain.

Higher Education in Europe had to face several challenges since the Bologna Declaration was signed in 1999. As an answer to the new situation most of University Curricula have undergone substantial changes, and new Degrees have appeared all over Europe. On the other hand, those changes have promoted a deeper interest on methodology, and particularly on learning oriented education and innovation.

Innovation is a key issue in Higher Education in Europe, closely related today to accreditation and quality assessment. A comprehensive and holistic approach to curricula and flexibility to address the different requests on learning by students are the topics involved in innovation. Because of that, discussions among all those implied in engineering education are today more necessary than ever.

Accreditation and quality assurance can hinder innovation both in contents and methods of curricula if they are not properly dealt. However, innovation is a must for achieving the best in engineering education programmes. This Symposium aims to analyze the balance between the introduction of innovative changes and the maintenance of high quality standards, as well as the discussion of good practice examples on those matters.

The Symposium is organised by the SEFI Working Group on Curriculum development. It is mainly a discussion oriented meeting addressed to all those interested in actively participating in innovation processes in Engineering Education: administrators, students and teachers. Papers as well as poster presentations focused on the topics listed below are welcomed. There will be a limited number of invited introductory lectures in the plenary sessions, and additional discussion on papers dealing with the topics listed below. Experienced discussion leaders will structure with that material discussions in small groups.

The main topics to be discussed are:

• Active learning. Problems and project based learning.
• Assessment of students involved in active learning environments.
• Accreditation and quality assurance.
• Impact of world crisis on engineering curricula.
• Sustainability and attractiveness in engineering education.
• Examples of innovation and good practice.

Additional information on the Symposium

Address of Yury P. Pokholkov,
AEER President

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