Session 6B2 International Conference on Engineering Education August 6 – 10, 2001 Oslo, Norway 6B2-6 ENGINEERING EDUCATION: MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND GLOBAL Ramiro Jordan 1 , Christos Christodoulou 2 , Paulo Franco 3 1 Ramiro Jordan, ISTEC-EECE-UNM and Motorola, 801 Yale NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131 rjordan@istec.org 2 Christos Christodoulou, Chair, University of New Mexico, EECE Department, Albuquerque, NM 87131 cgc@eece.unm.edu 3 Paulo Franco, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Associate Provost, Porto Alegre, Brazil pfranco@ee.pucrs.br Abstract  “Globalization” means that there are fewer resources and more competitors. It also defines new rules of the game. We must think locally and act globally. In the new Creative Economy, the most important force of the present change is the growing power of ideas. Ideas like germs and viruses are infectious. This is the exactly the university environment that must be protected, nurtured, and funded. Furthermore, synergy and ideas from multi-disciplinary activities must be encouraged by tearing down old divisions between colleges, schools, departments and alike. Global Engineering Education must prepare the future human resources for a rapidly changing environment, driven by the accelerated rate of technical innovation and opportunities; engagement in life-long learning; and collaboration across geographical, cultural and time domains. What is essential are teamwork, and creative problem solving skills. We are challenged by the fact that engineering knowledge becomes obsolete quickly making new professions appear and others disappear. Index Terms  education, engineering, ideas, multidisciplinary, globalization. 1. INTRODUCTION: E-CHANGE Information Technology (IT) or Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have shortened effective time and distances, facilitating the exchange of products, ideas and services across geographical, cultural and time barriers. It is changing the world economy, society, and daily life. No country can ignore the benefits and opportunities to transform society that are available with the tools based on IT. For maximum benefit, adequate and appropriate policies in IT are essential requirements for productivity growth and development in the private and public sectors. This must take place with total participation from society in an equitable fashion. The risks of not reaching an equitable development can be counterproductive against the challenges of today. What is change? One definition points to forces that cannot be controlled, forces that produce new businesses. Change comes in waves, originating with the new technologies, growth, and restructuring of the affected industries. Next come the changes in other businesses as they absorb those technologies. New businesses are started, and traditional practices are overthrown. Societies and governments try to adapt to shifts in the demands for goods and services, investment, skilled workers. All of us change our daily routines in work, recreation, and in the way we interact with others, as we adapt, willingly or under pressure, to the new opportunities. The struggle of daily business will be won by the people and organizations that adapt most successfully to the new world that is unfolding. Awareness of change is one thing, but the ability to do something about it is quite another. Change identifies the management challenges we face in the new economy and explore good practices in greater detail. Briefly, we can identify three waves of technological change, the first being the Personal Computer (PC) wave, followed by the telecommunications wave, and presently we are in the net- sources wave. Several developing countries, the majority, have watched or are watching these opportunities pass by with few reacting to it. In addition, depending how these waves are added we can have negative or positive feedback. A second question is related to time, that is, when to react? Time is now! As many experts preach, it is better a poor decision than no decision at all. For nations to compete successfully, it is imperative that they place at their disposal elements of IT. The degree of success that they experience in economic, social, and cultural development will be directly proportional to strategic investments in science, technology, information systems and human capital. Countries that do not adapt to the new technological paradigm will face difficulties trying to keep pace socially and economically with the rest of the world, and will be marginalized from the process of integration and globalization. Positive or negative feedback, what should it be? • Countries need a sound, aggressive, long-term, and flexible national policies in Science and Technology (S&T) • Degree of success is directly proportional to strategic investments in science, technology, and information systems • Countries that do not adapt to the technological explosion will not be able to compete