Support for Core Curriculum Components and Graduate Attributes

The EWB Challenge integrates into existing semester one and two courses for first-year engineering students. Therefore, the program has been designed to support core curriculum components relevant to first-year engineering students.

The EWB Challenge supports a wide spectrum of core curriculum components including the following:

Introduction to the engineering design process;
Developing communication skills via reports and presentations;
Introduction to team roles, teamwork and team dynamics;
A competitive hands-on design project, including reverse engineering; and
Ethical, professional and sustainability considerations in engineering practice.

The EWB Challenge also promotes a range of key generic attributes for engineering graduates. Key attributes include:

Ability to apply knowledge of basic science and engineering fundamentals;
Ability to communicate effectively, not only with engineers but also with the community at large;
Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution;
Ability to utilise a systems approach to design and operational performance;
Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, with the capacity to be a leader or manager as well as an effective team member;
Understanding of the social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities of the professional engineer, and the need for sustainable development;
Understanding of the principles of sustainable design and development; and
Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them.

[Adopted from "Changing the Culture: Engineering Education into the Future", 1996]

Learning for Development: Participatory Approaches

We are not teachers or transferors of technology, but instead conveyors, catalysts and facilitators. Our role is to enable local people to do their own investigations, analysis, presentations, planning and action, to own the outcome and to teach us, sharing their knowledge. (Robert Chambers, 1995)

Engineers Without Borders Australia works with disadvantaged communities to improve their quality of life through education and the implementation of sustainable and appropriate engineering projects. To achieve its mission EWB focuses on developing the capacity of the local technical sector to ensure that innovative, appropriate and sustainable solutions to issues that impede development are locally generated and driven.

learn more

EWB Challenge

OVERVIEW

Support for Core Curriculum Components and Graduate Attributes

Learning for Development: Participatory Approaches