W-05 The CDIO Experience : Why the CDIO Initiative?

Abstract

The CDIO (which stands for Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) Initiative is known as "an innovative educational framework for producing the next generation of engineers." The framework was formally proposed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in collaboration with three Swedish universities in 2000 and, as of May, 2013, 99 universities and colleges from some 30 countries and regions have joined the initiative as the so-called "collaborators." The Initiative aims to reform engineering education emphasizing the importance of the practical side of engineering without risking the solid basis in engineering fundamentals and sciences. In 2011, Kanazawa Institute of Technology (KIT), following Kanazawa Technical College (KTC), was allowed to join the Initiative. The basic concepts and framework of the CDIO Initiative, including the 12 CDIO Standards and the new version of the CDIO Syllabus, will be presented. The author will also give his personal observations gained from his involvement in KIT's experience as a collaborator.