Educating Engineers: Preparing 21st Century Leaders in the Context of New Modes of Learning

Engineering education is changing in the United States and around the world in response to integration with new science, particularly nanoscale science and biology; increased emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship to drive economic growth; accelerating speed, complexity, and globalization of engineering functions; preparation of graduates to address the Grand Challenges; efforts to empower a more diverse population of young American engineers; renewed commitment to design and production; and new approaches to large-scale engineering systems that must engage society. As in all of higher education, there are also significant challenges such as declining financial support and vast opportunities such as interactive online learning and massive open online courses. What lies ahead? What are the ramifications for engineering schools? During the 2012 annual meeting of the National Academy of Engineering, these questions were at the center of the forum titled “Educating Engineers: Preparing 21st Century Leaders in the Context of New Modes of Learning.” This report is a summary of that discussion.