Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Internationalization of Higher...
Final Intel Proposal
1. Portland State University-Vietnam
International Center for Engineering, Science, & Technology
U.S. University Development Project Proposal to Intel Vietnam (December 2007)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Letter of Transmittal
II. Executive Summary
III. Narrative Proposal
1: Introduction/Overview of the Vision 2
2: Academic Program: Faculty Capability / Curriculum 7
3: Teaching Focus / Undergraduate 13
4: Research Focus / Postgraduate 16
5: Student Support 16
6: Physical Campus and Facilities 18
7: Financial and Operational Sustainability 20
8: External / Government Relations 26
Conclusion 30
Appendices:
A: List of PSU Course Offerings
B. Biographical Sketches of Management Team Members
C. Student Costs of Attending the PSU-Vietnam International
Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology
D. Partners and Collaborative Relationships
E. PSU Intensive English Language Program and MA: TESOL
F. November 2007 High School Survey for Ho Chi Minh City
2. Office of the President
Post Office Box 751 503-725-4419 tel
Portland, Oregon 97207-0751 503-725-4499 fax
www.pdx.edu
20 December 2007
Rick A. Howarth, General Manager
Intel Products Vietnam
ICDC, Lo T3B, Saigon Hi-tech Park,
District 9, Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam.
Dear Mr. Howarth:
As the University’s chief executive officer, I am pleased to offer my unqualified and enthusiastic
support for Portland State University’s proposed collaboration with you on Intel’s US-University
Development Project.
Portland State is Oregon’s largest and most diverse public university. Positioned in the state’s
economic and cultural core, Portland State has grown to become a university of distinction that attracts
students and faculty from around the region, the nation and the world. We take very seriously the
responsibility to meet the demands of the region and, by extension, our regional and national
interaction with an increasingly interdependent world. To this end one of my key initiatives is that of
internationalization, of which I am particularly proud.
Since 2000 Portland State University has pursued a comprehensive Internationalization Initiative which
includes goals for increasing international learning opportunities for students, faculty, staff, community
partners, and our alumni. Internationalization has become integral to University operations campus-
wide, and is aligned with each of our Presidential Initiatives: diversity, assessment, access, and student
advising. An Internationalization Council oversees the initiative and supports projects for faculty,
academic professionals, and staff to incorporate international dimensions into their teaching, scholarly
agendas, programs, and professional development. Portland State University’s approach to
internationalization was featured in the November 2, 2007 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education.
I regret that other University commitments took me away from campus during your November 2007
visit but am gratified to know that the meetings with you were excellent. You heard present and
former representatives of Intel Oregon comment that: Portland State graduates are among the most
valuable, highest achieving, and likely to advance of all its employees. These facts, along with the
University’s commitment to internationalization and its particularly strong record of achievement on
the ground in Vietnam, confirm for me that the opportunity to work with Intel on the US-University
Development Project is full of promise.
Intel and Portland State are considering together a truly innovative and vitally important educational
venture. I very much look forward to hearing that our proposal for collaborating with Intel’s US-
University Development Project is selected and I stand ready to provide any additional information that
may be needed for your deliberations.
Cordially,
Michael F. Reardon
Interim President
3. 2
Portland State University-Vietnam
International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology
1: Introduction / Overview of Portland State’s Vision and Capability
Portland State University (PSU) is the largest and most diverse of Oregon’s public institutions of
higher education, enrolling over 26,000 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Portland State’s urban campus and location in the state’s economic and cultural center support
deep community engagement and the creation of dynamic partnerships with hundreds of
organizations throughout the world. The fall 2007 entering freshman class is the largest in the
University’s history and marks 12 straight years of enrollment growth. Record numbers of
international students are also choosing to attend PSU: 1,626 students from 88 countries in 2006-
07, an 11 percent increase over the previous year. More than 1,250 accomplished and dedicated
faculty members are pursuing excellence in teaching and innovative scholarship that is both
globally significant and relevant to the needs of the Portland metropolitan region.
Since January 2007 Portland State University and Intel Vietnam have been exploring the
potential of an exciting new partnership opportunity. The proposed Portland State University-
Vietnam International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology is the result of joint
discussions and information gathered in Vietnam, across key academic units at Portland State
University, and in collaboration with local and international business/industry partners. This new
initiative will meet Intel’s identified workforce development needs as it completes Assembly
Test facilities in Ho Chi Minh City that at full production will require 4,000 or more local
employees. The initiative will address the higher education challenges that Vietnam faces in
trying to prepare a well-qualified entry-level workforce and improve its approach to educating
future engineers. Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has mandated reforms
of the country’s higher education system to meet the quickly evolving demands of global
industries. Intel’s substantial investment in Vietnam provides the Ministry with fertile ground for
testing more rigorous and up-to-date teaching and learning methods.
Portland State University is uniquely positioned to meet these needs and challenges. Intel’s U.S.
University Development Project is congruent with Portland State’s mission and stated vision to
be “an internationally recognized urban university known for excellence in student learning,
innovative research, and community engagement that contributes to the economic vitality,
environmental sustainability, and quality of life in the Portland region and beyond.” Portland
State is submitting this proposal toward the goals of expanding educational opportunities for its
students and expanding scholarship opportunities for its faculty and staff. PSU’s partnership with
Intel and other industries within Vietnam’s emerging economy is designed to
Realize excellence in global engineering education;
Leverage PSU’s recognized leadership in engagement, internationalization, sustainability,
boundary-breaking research, and student-centered teaching; and
Serve as a model for international industry and labor standards in Vietnam.
Engagement is the organizing principle for Portland State’s teaching, scholarship, and service
activities. Engagement describes the University’s collaborative approach to exchanging
knowledge and resources with partners at the local, regional, national, and global levels for the
4. 3
mutual benefit of students, faculty, and the wider community. In 2005 the Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching selected PSU as one of fourteen campuses around the country
to participate in piloting its new Community Engagement Classification, in the areas of
Curricular Engagement and Outreach and Partnerships. One of the three strategic priorities PSU
has identified for the next five years is to expand innovative scholarship/creative activities that
address regional issues and have global significance.
Internationalization, an initiative led by the PSU President’s Office since 2000, has become
integral to University operations campus-wide, across all departments and disciplines. An
Internationalization Council oversees the initiative in conjunction with the Office of International
Affairs. Portland State’s approach to internationalization was recently profiled in the November
2, 2007 issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education. As that article pointed out, nearly one in
five jobs in Oregon is connected to global trade and services. The increasingly international
character of the metropolitan community is one of the important trends of the last twenty-five or
so years. Many of today’s most pressing local and national issues – economic competitiveness,
sustainability, education reform, health care, air and water quality, cultural change, social justice
– are better understood in their global context. The number of Portland State University students
studying abroad has increased 58% since 1999, and over 40 internationally born faculty members
and 150 professors and researchers are on campus as exchange visitors.
Sustainability is one of the hallmarks of “The Portland Way,” often cited by planners and civic
leaders across the country, and is the result of PSU’s many years of experience in working with
government, corporations, citizens’ groups, and nonprofit organizations to address
interconnected environmental, social, and economic issues in the region, nation, and abroad. In
Vietnam a PSU-Oregon Environmental Alliance has introduced a Community-Based
Environmental Management model for reducing pollution in the canals of Ho Chi Minh City.
Several valuable partnerships have developed as a result of this program and PSU has launched
other sustainability collaborations elsewhere in Asia.
As part of its planning process over the past year, PSU worked with local partners to help
develop its vision of an engaged and sustainable PSU-Vietnam International Center for
Engineering, Science, and Technology. Among the key elements of this vision are:
The International Center initiative serves as a vital and leading-edge model of research,
teaching and learning, innovation, and knowledge exchange;
Connections with the surrounding neighborhoods and environment are included in
program and facilities design – with other companies, residential areas, agricultural land,
open space, and recreation;
Streets, pathways, open spaces, and circulation nodes foster social, educational, and
commercial exchange and healthy interactions.
The initiative is established in a series of carefully planned phases; expansion/revision of
each phase is based on an iterative process of program assessment and data collection.
Boundary-breaking research and exemplary, student-centered teaching are being carried out
across the University. The proposed PSU-Vietnam International Center will benefit from both
broad and deep faculty research expertise and commitment to student-centered teaching provided
through the PSU Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, which includes
5. 4
programs in electrical and computing engineering, mechanical engineering, and related subjects.
This initiative will also capitalize on and incorporate other noted educational programs at PSU,
including a nationally recognized general studies curriculum and quality programs and services
for English language learners.
Building on the existing successful partnership with Intel. Portland State University is the
third-largest supplier of Intel’s engineers in the United States and enjoys an excellent reputation
for preparing graduates who have the requisite engineering skill set as well as demonstrated
abilities and experience in areas such as critical and creative thinking, teamwork, problem
solving, written and verbal communication, intercultural knowledge and competence, and civic
engagement at the local and global levels. As summarized on page 6, this new partnership with
Intel Vietnam also has clear benefits for PSU students, faculty, departments, the institution as a
whole, and the state and region.
Preparing students for 21st
century challenges and realities. Portland State University is
among the institutions profiled in College Learning for the New Global Century, a report
released in 2007 by the National Leadership Council for Liberal Education and America’s
Promise (LEAP), a ten-year initiative convened by the Association of American Colleges and
Universities (AAC&U) to bring together high-level business, education, labor, philanthropy, and
policy leaders to chart a way forward for higher education in the 21st century. The report’s
findings apply equally to the United States and Vietnam by highlighting what college graduates
from any country will need to succeed in today’s global economy:
Much more cross-disciplinary knowledge in science, global cultures, technology, and
society;
An expanded set of advanced skills, including communication, teamwork, and analytic
reasoning skills; and
Much more practice in applying what they learn to real-world problems.
The LEAP Council also released two national polls that explore how well schools are preparing
the future workforce, both conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates. Nearly two-thirds
(63 percent) of employers polled said that too many of today’s graduates lack the skills to
succeed in the global economy. By large numbers, employers call on colleges and universities to
place more emphasis on helping students acquire broad knowledge, intellectual and practical
skills, personal and social responsibility, and the integration and application of learning. A
separate survey of recent college graduates also found that 72 percent felt that the main objective
for U.S. colleges and universities should be to provide a balance of both a well-rounded
education and knowledge/skills in a specific field.
As one of the universities invited to propose ideas about establishment of a U.S. University
Development Program in Vietnam, Portland State believes that it is being recognized by Intel for
the same reasons that it was profiled in College Learning for the New Global Century. Among
the key factors that make PSU an exemplary potential partner with Intel include:
A unique curriculum that graduates students with critical thinking and teamwork skills,
grounded in a first-class program in engineering;
Working relationships with high-technology industries –local and global – that provide
deep understanding of Intel’s partnership objectives;
6. 5
Working relationships and pragmatic experiences in Vietnam that can ensure realization
of an ambitious educational program; and
A project implementation team with the vision, skills, and experiences required to forge
an effective collaboration among government, academe, and industry and ensure the
success of the proposed International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology.
This document proposes activities to realize the goals of Intel Corporation and Portland State
University. Intel’s goal is to partner with a U.S. university to accelerate preparation of a highly
qualified engineering workforce in Vietnam. The chart in Figure 1 shows the anticipated
production of degrees from the activities described in the body of this proposal. The Bachelor of
Science (B.S.) degrees area split equally between students in Mechanical Engineering (BSME)
and Electrical and Computer Engineering (BSCmpE). Similarly, the Master of Science (M.S.)
degrees are split equally between Mechanical Engineering and Computer Engineering. The
degrees will be awarded to Vietnamese nationals and will be in addition to those produced by
PSU’s current educational program, which is also anticipated to increase. As a long-term partner
of Intel in Oregon, PSU will, through the activities described in this proposal, help Intel to
realize its workforce training goals. The partnership with Intel must also align with PSU’s core
mission of advancing student learning, innovative research, and community engagement that
contributes to the economic vitality, environmental sustainability, and quality of life in the
Portland region and beyond. This proposal contributes to PSU’s core mission in several ways as
summarized in the list on the next page.
Figure 1: Number of Undergraduate & Graduate Degrees Produced by this Project in Portland & Vietnam
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2005 2010 2015 2020
DegreeProduction
PDX BS
PDX MS/PhD
HCMC BS
7. 6
PSU-Vietnam International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology:
Anticipated Benefits for PSU and the Portland Region
PSU students –
• PSU’s Internationalization Strategy aims to create global learning opportunities for students,
faculty, and staff. The proposed collaboration advances each of these goals through unique learning
opportunities in Portland and Vietnam, curricular innovation on campus, new study and research
opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and strategic alignment with companies that
employ our students and engage our faculty in advanced research.
• PSU students will be able to gain necessary cross-cultural and critical thinking competencies
required for high-value employment in an increasingly interdependent world – through study
abroad, internships, and capstone courses taught by faculty committed to advancing global
understanding.
• PSU students will be uniquely prepared to make the transition from “globally aware” to “globally
engaged” through interaction with an increasingly diverse student population and through
additional opportunities for long- and short-term, two-way study exchange programs.
PSU faculty and departments –
• PSU faculty will have new research, teaching, and learning opportunities through the proposed
collaboration.
• PSU faculty will have access to an increasing supply of high-quality, dedicated graduate assistants
through scholarship and internship resources made available through this collaborative program.
• PSU departments will have opportunities to create a diverse, internationally savvy faculty through
resources provided through the collaboration.
PSU as an internationalized higher education institution –
• PSU will differentiate and leverage itself as a leader in international higher education engagement
and sustainable practices – through a close collaboration with Intel, the Vietnamese Ministry of
Education and Training, and local Vietnamese institutions.
• PSU will both contribute to and learn from the collaboration’s engagement in global learning, at
the cultural, intellectual, and applied level of policy making and product development.
Portland region and Oregon –
• Portland businesses will have direct access to new trade and investment opportunities in one of
Asia’s most dynamic economies – through personal relationships with PSU faculty, staff, and
students who are engaged in science and technology work in Vietnam.
• Oregon businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations will have access to a higher
quality pool of globally aware and competent job candidates – through improved curriculum and
learning experiences while at PSU.
• Oregon’s Vietnamese communities will have an opportunity to participate in cultural and scientific
exchanges – through collaboration with PSU students, faculty, and staff.
8. 7
2: Academic Program
Overview of Portland State’s Plan for a High-Quality Engineering Program in Vietnam
Students who attend the International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology will
receive world-class, hands-on, and student-centered engineering education. The academic
program will capitalize on the faculty expertise, curricular rigor, and research-based instructional
excellence of PSU’s Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (MCECS). Students
who complete the program will receive a U.S. engineering degree. At each phase of its
development, the academic program will incorporate key components of PSU’s innovative
general studies curriculum, including inquiry-based senior capstone courses that provide
students with experience working in teams on real-world, industry-relevant projects. Portland
State’s Intensive English Language Program (IELP) will support the engineering program.
PSU will “grow” the new Center’s engineering program in a deliberately planned and carefully
evaluated set of phases. While Portland State University offers exemplary and comprehensive
four-year undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering, the International Center will
start by establishing an undergraduate upper-division engineering program, with majors
in Computer Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
Portland State has extensive experience in working with community colleges and other
institutions of higher education to design effective “2+2” transfer programs and in providing the
support system that students need to succeed in its rigorous engineering curriculum. PSU
proposes to take a similar approach to working with Vietnamese universities in designing
effective pathways and partnerships in a transfer model program. In this model, students will
take pre-engineering, math/science, and general education classes their freshman and sophomore
years at a local Vietnamese institution of higher education; then apply for admittance to PSU’s
core engineering program as juniors and seniors. In addition to working with Vietnamese
universities on lower-division curriculum alignment, the PSU-Vietnam International Center will
include a set of sophomore-level Engineering “Bridge” courses that will serve a marketing as
well as orientation function, plus an intensive summer English language program that students
will be encouraged to attend prior to entering the upper-division engineering program.
Plan for Phasing in the Academic Program
As outlined on the next page, PSU will establish the academic program and its facilities in Ho
Chi Minh City in three phases. To ensure effective collaboration and alignment of financial and
human resources among all of the partners, the project will require a Pre-Phase 1 Implementation
Planning period that would start as soon as the University is notified that it has been selected by
Intel. Initial tasks will include developing a start-up work plan to mobilize the project and begin
to draft an “inception report” that will address key remaining implementation questions and
milestones for Phase 1.
A deliberate and efficient start-up process is consistent with PSU’s dedication to providing
world-class, quality education. It is also prudent given the ambitious scope and cutting-edge
nature of this new endeavor. A step-by-step process will allow Intel, PSU, MOET, and other
stakeholders to understand what it takes, through a “learning by doing” approach, to enter into
the Vietnam high-tech workforce training and education arena.
9. 8
Plan for Phasing in the Academic Program
Pre-Phase 1 – Planning for Implementation (Spring 2008 – Fall 2009) Location: Portland
Activities and Deliverables:
Finalize staffing plans, establish management structure, hire site manager, develop
communication teams between PSU and Intel, develop student housing costs model,
form an advisory council
Arrange PSU faculty/administrator travel to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) as part of
implementation planning
Develop relationships with Vietnamese institutions for lower-division curriculum
alignment and future partnership
Develop a set of sophomore-level “Bridge” courses to be offered in spring 2009 as an
introduction to the rigorous upper-division engineering program
Arrange for scholars from Vietnamese institutions to visit PSU to learn the curriculum
and develop the working relationships necessary for success of the 2+2 model
Bring test cohort of students from Vietnam to PSU
Provide English as a Second Language (ESL) courses beginning summer 2009
Estimated Pre-Phase 1 Start-Up Costs: Over $2 million
Phase 1 (Fall 2009 – Fall 2013) Location: Portland
Activities and Deliverables:
Vietnamese undergraduate engineering students travel to PSU to complete upper-
division coursework and earn undergraduate degrees, starting with juniors, then adding
seniors, as well as some students who continue past their senior year
Students are initiated into U.S.-style inquiry-based curriculum, teaching pedagogy, and
PSU’s internationally recognized engaged learning style
English as a Second Language courses and Bridge courses continue
Internships and corporate learning experiences at Intel Oregon are provided
Seniors work on Capstone projects for Intel Vietnam
Master/doctoral candidates and visiting scholars invited to Portland to build capacity
for ramp-up to Phases 2 and 3
PSU assesses learning outcomes among students from Vietnam and uses data to revise
curriculum, as necessary
Phase 2 (2011 – 2016) Location: Vietnam temporary facility & Portland
Activities and Deliverables:
Two-way exchange of PSU and Vietnamese faculty and students
Sophomore Bridge courses, ESL, upper-division engineering courses in temporary
facility in Ho Chi Minh City
Some students continue in Phase 1 activities
Ongoing assessment of student learning to improve curriculum
Phase 1 participants return to Vietnam upon completion of PSU degree to meet Intel’s
workforce demands
Evaluate PSU General Education models (Freshmen Inquiry and Sophomore Inquiry)
for potential expansion to a four-year program model in Vietnam
10. 9
Phase 3 (Fall 2014 – Spring 2019 ) Location: Vietnam permanent facility
Activities and Deliverables:
• Full set of upper-division engineering courses, sophomore Bridge courses, ESL classes,
possible other coursework as determined through Phase 2 evaluations. Some Center
graduates may be ready to pursue master/doctoral degrees
• Fully transferable PSU degree contextualized to Vietnam’s quickly emerging high-tech
workforce needs is offered
• Full-service Center campus community is in place, incorporating environmentally
sustainable design and operations
• Two-way student/faculty exchange is ongoing
• Research and master’s degree components are developed
• Ongoing internship program to service the emerging local high-tech sector is
established
• PSU-Vietnam International Center is established as a training center for engineering
faculty throughout Vietnam
Estimated Operating Costs, Phases 1-3: $61.7 million
Faculty Capability (Undergraduate and Graduate)
What is the faculty model that you will use to teach in Vietnam (what are the faculty
qualifications, experience, etc.?)
Faculty in the five departments comprising the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer
Science at PSU support a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge research, share a commitment to high-
quality teaching, and have forged strong partnerships with industry, government, and nonprofit
organizations. These five departments are Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer
Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering and Technology Management, and
Mechanical and Materials Engineering. The College’s 45-year history parallels the growth of
Oregon’s burgeoning high-technology “Silicon Forest,” and faculty have leveraged connections
to the region’s most innovative companies to create distinctive learning opportunities for
students. MCECS faculty members came to Portland State from outstanding universities and
research institutions across the world. Faculty members work closely with students in small,
collaborative, and flexible instructional environments that reflect the values, challenges, and
excitement of the engineering workplace. The result is engineering graduates who have the
research abilities, high standards of excellence, and practical work skills needed for success in
their professional careers.
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at PSU has 24 full-time faculty, including
five Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) fellows. Department faculty
members are widely recognized for their involvement in theoretical research that lays the
groundwork for solving long-range problems, and for their collaboration with local industries to
meet short-term demands. The 11 full-time faculty members in the Mechanical and Materials
Engineering Department engage students in research projects ranging from fundamental
investigations sponsored by federal agencies to applied projects sponsored by local industry. The
11. 10
department is organized into three groups: design and manufacturing, materials science, and
thermal and fluid sciences.
The classes provided in Vietnam will be taught by faculty who combine outstanding professional
qualifications with demonstrated abilities to deliver PSU’s hands-on and student-centered
curriculum, which is characterized by a low faculty-to-student ratio, interactions with working
engineers, and research that is locally relevant and globally significant. All faculty involved in
the program – Vietnamese and U.S. – will be held to the same rigorous hiring and promotion
standards. PSU will be able to draw on experience gained through a partnership established in
2003 with the International Institute for Information Science and Technology (IIIST) that is
supporting an undergraduate and master’s program in engineering in Shanghai, China.
Assessment practices used at Portland State will be adapted and extended to the Ho Chi Minh
City campus.
What is your plan and capability to attract qualified professors to come to Vietnam and teach?
What will be your rotation duration for these professors? What is your plan and capability to
attract local Vietnamese qualified professors? How will you train them to ensure the quality of
education?
The professional research and teaching opportunities opened up through the new Center and its
partnership with Intel, MOET, and other stakeholders are expected to attract highly qualified
new faculty. MCECS will oversee all hiring decisions and orientation/training activities.
Decisions about rotations will vary depending on faculty interests/needs and will be determined
as the program phases unfold and are evaluated. There will be opportunities for frequent faculty
exchange between Portland and the Center in Ho Chi Minh City, both face-to-face and by remote
video-conferencing. During the planning and early implementation phases PSU faculty will be
provided opportunities for visits to Vietnam varying from one to two weeks, to the duration of
academic quarters. It is expected that highly qualified Vietnamese nationals who have obtained
their doctorates in the United States will seek out employment by PSU, with its attendant
salaries, benefits, low student-faculty class size ratios, and access to outstanding facilities and
equipment. A distinguishing feature of the proposed Center is that newly hired faculty will be
trained in PSU’s nationally recognized engagement curriculum and pedagogy. Over time, the
program also expects to help develop academic leadership among Vietnamese students.
Curriculum / Academic Focus
Please describe your planned engineering courses for Vietnam and how they can easily satisfy
Intel’s requirements.
The core curriculum provided by the Portland State University departments of Electrical and
Computer Engineering and Mechanical and Materials Engineering integrates education and
research through student-centered learning experiences that are hands-on and inquiry-based;
focused on group process and other practical skills; and connected to real-world topics,
questions, and problems. Community-based learning experiences and opportunities for
internships with partners in business/industry, government, and nonprofit organizations are
essential components of the curriculum, which is designed to prepare students at each step of
their education for successful pursuit of advanced degrees, research opportunities, and
professional careers.
12. 11
To earn an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree, students complete course requirements in
three blocks: math/science, the disciplinary major, and general education, which includes
innovative Senior Capstone courses. The ECE program provides a comprehensive background in
the electrical and computer sciences. The computer engineering program provides a balance of
electronic hardware design classes and software design classes, and offers an opportunity for
specialization in areas such as digital or analog IC design, power, communications, and signal
processing. The ME program is distinguished by its computer applications at all levels and
emphasis on the design process. The curriculum allows for specialization in fluid systems,
mechanical systems, thermal systems, and machine design with emphases in materials and
advanced computational design methods.
Senior Capstone projects are an important distinguishing feature of the PSU curriculum. As
described in the next section, this final general education requirement has earned strong support
among PSU faculty and students and garnered the University national and international acclaim.
Combining the principles of inquiry and group process learned in the engineering core
curriculum, the Capstone requirement provides students with experience working on real-world,
industry-relevant projects. As they would in industry, students work as part of a team under the
supervision of faculty and often a practicing engineer from a local company. At the end of the
courses students summarize and present their findings and products to their industry sponsor.
PSU plans to collaborate with Intel Vietnam to design new Capstone projects that are relevant to
the ATM facility in Ho Chi Minh City.
The ME Capstone curriculum is a sequence of three courses: Design Process, Conceptual Design
Product, and Detailed Design Project. ECE also requires a three-course Capstone experience in
which students work on an industry-supplied project with a small team of classmates, a professor,
and business/community advisors. As just a few examples of ME Capstone projects, students
have designed, fabricated, and tested (1) a water treatment device to experiment with various
purification techniques to determine the prospects of large-scale water reclaim economics in
collaboration with an advisor from Intel Oregon; (2) a cooling system for the test probe of a
high-performance oscilloscope in collaboration with advisors from Tektronix, a local high-
technology company; (3) a device for measuring wrist tremors of Parkinson disease patients,
with Oregon Health & Science University as a community partner; and (4) an interactive display
on water polygons for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Intel Oregon has been a
partner in several other innovative Capstone projects.
Over the years MCECS has produced a significant number of new college graduates for Intel
Oregon and is recognized by company management for the quality of its graduates, who are
well-prepared and successful once they enter the workforce. ECE and ME curricula are both
accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org). Toward the
goal of continuous improvement, individual courses and the overall structure of the curriculum
are assessed annually by examining student learning outcomes and other relevant information.
Program objectives encompass the following key areas:
Knowledge. To provide students with a broad knowledge base in the fundamentals and
techniques of the engineering sciences, required for engineering careers in a changing
technical environment and for successful participation in multi-disciplinary teams.
13. 12
Application. To provide students with an in-depth knowledge of disciplinary concepts,
techniques, and tools; and with the ability to apply their proficiency to engineering design
and problem solving.
Innovation. To provide students with the ability and desire to continually renew their
education in a rapidly developing discipline, enabling them to participate in the research and
development of the discipline, and to realize their full potential throughout their careers.
Community. To ensure awareness of (a) the need for personal development, both in
discipline-related aspects and in terms of understanding the impact of the profession on
social and environmental issues; and (b) the importance and benefits of personal involvement
in professional societies and local communities.
As previously described, the PSU-Vietnam International Center will be launched as an upper-
division program in ECE and ME and will include the salient features of the PSU curriculum:
inquiry-based learning, business/community connections, small classes, and Capstone projects
that emphasize teamwork, communication, and other essential workplace skills. Intel’s survey of
2,222 students attending the top four high schools in Ho Chi Minh City provides support for this
approach (sample results are included in the Appendix). While 39% of the respondents were
interested in attending a PSU program in Ho Chi Minh City, 34% required more information.
Furthermore, when asked whether they would prefer to attend a top local engineering university
or PSU in Ho Chi Minh City if they passed the entrance exam, 61% of respondents preferred to
attend the local institution. PSU will work to establish viable 2+2 relationships with top
Vietnamese institutions of higher education as part of its recruiting efforts. A planned series of
sophomore engineering Bridge courses will also introduce interested students (and their families)
to the academic rigor and high expectations built into PSU’s curriculum. A list of ECE and ME
course offerings from the PSU Student Bulletin are included as Appendix A.
Describe your engineering lab requirements associated with the programs discussed above.
Students in PSU engineering programs perform laboratory work on the same computers, test
equipment, and software used in the industry. Because of a long-standing partnership with
Tektronix, PSU receives a 75% discount on their equipment, as well as many generous donations.
Over the years they have invested many millions of dollars in lab equipment and are a potential
contributor to this project. The International Center will require an electronics laboratory and two
computing labs: one Window-based and another for Unix/Linux-based workstations. The two
computing labs would support both ECE and ME classes. The ECE curriculum includes three
intensive laboratory classes, and students in the Vietnam program will be expected to complete
coursework comprising at least eight laboratory credits. Space and equipment will be needed for
at least five undergraduate courses in the ME program. Equipment is needed for demonstrations
and experiments in materials properties, manufacturing processes, fluid mechanics and heat
transfer, instrumentation and measurements, and Capstone projects.
Describe your approach to U.S. and Vietnam course articulation. Does the coursework in
Vietnam get to transfer to a U.S. degree program?
Improving educational opportunities for its students is the core mission of Portland State
University. The coursework provided at the Center will be articulated with freshmen and
sophomore classes offered at Vietnamese universities. Students studying at the International
14. 13
Center will be part of a U.S. degree program. The courses offered in Ho Chi Minh City will be
interchangeable with those offered in Portland. This means that a student who elects to study for
one or more terms in Vietnam or Portland will complete coursework that is equivalent in all
respects except where it is delivered. As maintenance of accreditation at the Portland campus is a
core value for the institution, it is essential that the quality of courses provided at the PSU-
Vietnam International Center in Ho Chi Minh City is the same.
PSU students will be encouraged to pursue studies and take part in exchange opportunities in
Vietnam consistent with their educational interests and aspirations, as students enrolled at the
PSU-Vietnam International Center in Ho Chi Minh will have opportunities to visit the PSU
campus. PSU will work with MOET to ensure that freshman-sophomore coursework in math and
science at Vietnamese universities will prepare students to enter PSU upper-division courses
successfully. Vietnamese students will also be encouraged to pursue advanced degrees from PSU
or other U.S. engineering schools.
3: Teaching Focus – Undergraduate
Describe your emphasis on undergraduate teaching and quality of outcome. What
features/models can you deploy in Vietnam to ensure the success of this project?
Portland State is the third-largest supplier of the Intel workforce in the U.S. and is consistently
cited by corporate leaders at Intel’s Hillsboro campus for the quality of its graduates.
Undergraduate teaching and learning at Portland State provides the disciplinary knowledge,
practical skills, and real-world experiences that prepare students for success in further studies
and productive careers. PSU will leverage its success in creating an innovative general education
curriculum to improve teaching and learning through the proposed International Center for
Engineering, Science, and Technology.
College Learning for the New Global Century, the 2007 LEAP Report, describes the essential
skills that business and community leaders nationally and internationally have identified as
paramount for students to succeed in the workplace and contribute as informed citizens in a
complex and interconnected world. Portland State’s leadership in transforming undergraduate
education is profiled in Chapter 3 of College Learning for the New Global Century:
“In 1994, Portland State University faculty adopted University Studies, a four-year general
education program for all students. The program is organized around four broad goals: inquiry
and critical thinking, communication, the diversity of human experience, and ethics and social
responsibility. The culminating senior experience is a community-based learning course designed
to provide interdisciplinary teams of students with the opportunity to apply what they have
learned in their major and in other University Studies courses to real challenges emanating from
the metropolitan community. These partnerships...designed to engage diverse communities in
common purposes...are mutually beneficial ventures, as the organizations help students place
their academic learning in a real world context…”
For six consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Portland State among the top
public institutions nationally as “programs to look for” in the areas of undergraduate senior
Capstone courses, learning communities, service learning, and first-year experiences. This
nationally recognized and proven approach to undergraduate education will ensure that students
at the PSU-Vietnam International Center receive a high-quality education that will prepare them
15. 14
for advanced studies and future careers. It will also provide a model for transforming teaching
and learning practices at other institutions of higher education in Vietnam.
Continuous program improvement based on student learning outcomes assessment is a
cornerstone of Portland State’s approach to education. PSU’s internal evaluations confirm the
exciting potential for educational excellence and transformation represented by the Capstone
model, which is an integral part of the curriculum envisioned at the PSU-Vietnam International
Center.
PSU will also be able to deploy at the Vietnam Center its experience in delivering distance
learning engineering education overseas, through a partnership with the International Institute for
Information Science and Technology (IIST). PSU and IIST have jointly developed bachelor’s
degree programs in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. Courses are offered via
distance education technology from PSU, facilitated by Chinese instructors in Shanghai.
Additionally, the Maseeh College offers an online master’s program in Systems Engineering,
which enrolls some overseas students. However, PSU’s experience to date in Vietnam strongly
suggests that live classroom instruction is the best delivery system for Vietnamese students. In
order to attain the program’s ambitious goals, the focus will be on high-quality face-to-face
education in moderately sized classes, supported by technology as appropriate.
What will be your planned faculty per student ratio? Explain how you derived this ratio.
PSU’s engineering program employs approximately 20 FTE (full-time equivalency) faculty
members for every 400 students, or a student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1. Laboratory courses are
split into two groups of 25 students each. A low student-to-faculty ratio is essential to achieve
Portland State’s vision and is consistent with its experience of what it takes to provide a quality
educational program in engineering. For example, small class sizes are integral to the design of
student Capstone courses in order to teach the group process skills that the field requires and that
industry employers value. The financial model estimates that the Ho Chi Minh City program will
reach a “steady state” enrollment of 300 students in 2017, supported by an engineering faculty of
12 FTE, or a 25:1 student-faculty ratio. Table 1, below, shows the estimated staffing needs in
each phase of program implementation at PSU and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).
Table 1: Estimated Staffing Levels
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
2009 2012 2015
Staff Category PSU HCMC PSU HCMC PSU HCMC
Engineering Faculty 1.0 1.0 2.0 9.5 2.0 12.0
CLAS Faculty - - - 2.0 - 4.0
University Studies Faculty - - - - - -
Professional - - - 1.5 - 2.0
Teaching Assistants 1.0 - 1.0 8.0 - 10.0
Clerical 0.5 - 1.5 5.3 1.5 5.5
Technical - - - 4.0 - 4.0
16. 15
Describe your plan and capability to teach ESL. How will you judge the proficiency of the
students?
Beginning in summer 2009, selected international students from Vietnam will receive English
language training in PSU’s existing Intensive English Language Program (IELP) in Portland.
The IELP is an intensive, academic-based English language program consisting of five levels of
instruction for international students studying English as a Second Language (ESL). All students
are in ESL classes for 18 hours per week. Students in the two lower levels of classes take the
following classes each quarter: listening/speaking, reading, writing/grammar, plus an elective
course. Students in the highest three levels take classes in the four basic skill areas: reading,
listening/speaking, writing, and grammar, plus one elective class. During the first term of study,
all students are required to take an Introduction to University Life classes so they are prepared to
participate fully in both campus life and the American culture. Like other international students
enrolling as undergraduates at PSU, they will be limited to ESL classes in IELP until they pass
the University’s TOEFL requirement.
At the beginning of each quarter, all new students take a series of placement level tests. A more
specific skills test is given the first day of class in all classes to confirm the student placements.
At the end of the 11-week term, all students are given final exams which measure their progress.
The tests may be in a variety of forms (written, oral, group presentations, projects, research
papers). It is expected that the undergraduate Vietnamese students chosen to study at PSU will
study an average of three terms in the IELP before passing the PSU required TOEFL score of
525.
During Phase 2 and Phase 3, a Vietnam-IELP (V-IELP) program will be established and
operated at the PSU-Vietnam International Center in Ho Chi Minh City. Although some of the
entering students in Phase 2 will complete their undergraduate engineering education in Portland,
all will receive the necessary English language training in V-IELP at the Center. The V-IELP
will have the same structure, curriculum, and staffing pattern as the IELP in Portland. Instructors,
hired locally in Vietnam, will have a Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
(TESOL) Master of Art degree and meet other requirements for PSU faculty in the IELP. Student
enrollment and staffing levels for V-IELP will be ramped up during Phase 2.
To build the local instructional capacity needed for V-IELP, students from Vietnam will be
recruited and trained in PSU’s existing MA TESOL program. (See additional information in
Appendix D on the TESOL and IELP.) This graduate program prepares English language
teachers to deliver high-quality instruction to various populations of adults including college
students wishing to attend English language universities. Many of the program’s alumni become
instructors in the PSU IELP and similar programs elsewhere. About one in three of these
students is international and preparing to teach English in their home countries. By training
international students from Vietnam in the MA TESOL program, PSU will develop the human
resources required to staff the Ho Chi Minh City program with instructors already quite familiar
with the IELP because of the close affinity between PSU’s MA TESOL and IELP programs (for
example, many class observation, internship, and teaching assistant opportunities).
17. 16
4: Research Focus – Postgraduate
What is your ability to deliver post-graduate and doctoral programs? Please discuss your areas
of interest in postgraduate and research programs.
There is a strong interest within both the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering
and Mechanical and Materials Engineering at PSU to plan for future post-graduate and doctoral
programs in Vietnam. Even as early as Phase 1, Vietnamese students will be invited to pursue
available engineering graduate programs on the Portland State University campus. Once the
undergraduate programs are in place and have been evaluated and refined to ensure their quality,
the International Center could easily accommodate Vietnamese graduate students, either by
bringing them to Portland State and/or by offering remote classes. However, because of the
importance of mentor relationships in graduate education, students at Portland State may also
want to work with faculty and Intel partners in Vietnam as part of their graduate studies. One of
the benefits of having PSU faculty working on site in Vietnam is the additional opportunities that
will be opened up for students from both countries.
The PSU Electrical and Computer Engineering Department offers research and study programs
at the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctorate levels. The Ph.D. program has been
offered for 20 years and three to four students annually earn a doctorate. Approximately 90
students graduate with a master’s degree each year.
The Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department currently offers one undergraduate
degree, the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), and two graduate degrees,
Master of Science in Mechancial Engineering (MSME), and Master of Science in Materials
Science and Engineering (MSMSE). About 15 students each year earn master’s degrees. ME is
also developing a stand-alone Ph.D. program in Mechanical Engineering which is expected to be
in place by fall 2008.
Among the questions to be addressed in planning for post-graduate programs at the PSU-
Vietnam Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology is the need for additional faculty,
particularly faculty whose research interests match up well with Intel’s mission and operations in
Vietnam. There is a potential for faculty at PSU to align their research agendas with the program
in Vietnam. PSU will also be able to recruit from the large pool of approximately 20,000
Vietnamese students who come to the United States each year to study at various research
universities. For Vietnamese students, the Center will provide many strong recruitment
incentives, including salaries based on U.S. rates; access to state-of-the art equipment, labs, and
teaching facilities; and much lower faculty-student ratios. While the initial focus is to establish
an exemplary undergraduate engineering program in Vietnam, over time the Center will also
strengthen academic leadership and credentials through post-graduate research programs.
5: Student Support
What is the minimum enrollment size to make this project viable?
The chart below shows the projected growth in the number of students from Vietnam enrolling in
undergraduate and graduate programs through this initiative. The program will start with 20
students in 2009 and 40 in 2010 who will attend program opportunities at Portland State. By
2017 the program will have reached a more or less steady state of 300 students enrolled at the Ho
18. 17
Chi Minh City facility. In discussions to date of how to provide both rigor and viability through
the Center, the focus has not been on a minimum enrollment size.
A greater viability concern in terms of student enrollment is financial support. Over the past two
months Portland State has developed a financial model for the project that assumes full costing
and full non-resident tuition rates for students, resulting in a total deficit of $64 million over 11
years. Therefore, to become operationally sustainable outside funding will be required.
Scholarships will be essential to make this high-quality educational opportunity a viable option
for students in Vietnam, and Intel and/or company consortiums will be asked to provide this
support.
Figure 2: PSU-Vietnam International Center Engineering Enrollment Trend
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
2009 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Enrollment
HCMC BS
PDX MS/PhD
PDX
What additional student support services do you plan to provide as part of this project? (e.g.,
career counseling, student advising)
The PSU-Vietnam International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology will need to
establish an array of student support structures and procedures appropriate to the needs and
backgrounds of its enrollment. These structures and procedures will need to be in place before
students’ studies begin, as part of recruitment and placement activities. Student Services will
include:
• A strategically designed, implemented, and sustained student marketing, recruitment, and
placement campaign, including face-to-face activities, web outreach, publicity materials,
high school and college/university visits, orientation events covering programs and
expectations, cultural norms, support channels, advisor introductions, and other topics.
• On-site admissions and records staff and procedures.
• Industry relations and career services personnel to manage and track student internships
with Intel and industry consortium member companies; support Capstone projects, as
19. 18
appropriate.
• Advisory/counseling services, to help navigate university rules, understand academic
expectations and consequences.
• PSU Student Services support administrative staff in both the Office of Student Affairs
and the Office of International Affairs.
• Assistance in setting up student exchange between Vietnam and Portland, dealing with
travel arrangements, tuition, living expenses, visas and passports.
• Coordination with the IELP program to support English language learning and assistance
tailored program for each student.
• Provisions for health and dining services.
• Housing-related assistance (student housing provisions will be examined during the Pre-
Phase 1 planning period).
• Library services, bookstores, access to information technology;
• Non-teaching functions such as government relations, business affairs, facilities
management.
6: Physical Campus and Facilities
What are the land space requirements for the campus? What are the physical space requirements
for classrooms, lab, and other facilities? In your view, which party will be responsible for the
design of campus facilities? In your view, which party will be responsible for the construction
support of the facilities? In your view, which party will be responsible for ongoing operation of
the campus?
Portland State proposes that Intel (with a consortium of appropriate companies) plan for the
development of a permanent engineering facility to house the PSU-Vietnam International Center.
All program functions should be accommodated in this facility (with the exception of residential
housing which is assumed to be private for students, faculty, and staff). The Center is intended to
provide the appropriate environment for the delivery of a modern engineering curriculum and
faculty and student research activities. It would house classrooms (3,000 square feet),
instructional labs (l6,500 square feet), research labs (11,000 square feet), and office space
(10,000 square feet) for faculty, administrative, and other support staff.
The expectation is that this facility would be constructed in the Saigon High Technology Park
(see Figures 2 and 3 on the next page), in reasonable proximity to Vietnam National University,
in order to create synergistic relationships and sharing of programs, as appropriate. It is Portland
State’s expectation that the facility would be owned and constructed by Intel (or Intel with a
consortium of appropriate companies) at the International Center for Engineering, Science, and
Technology. Portland State would reserve the right to approve final designs in order to assure
that programmatic needs will be met. Ownership would remain with Intel (or the consortium).
Portland State would manage and operate the facility under a long-term contract with the
appropriate ownership entity. Portland State’s financial model for the Center includes the costs
of providing a quality academic program at this facility.
20. 19
Figure 2: Label 4 shows the envisioned location of the PSU-Vietnam International Center for
Engineering, Science, and Technology in the northeast quadrant of SHTP.
Figure 3: Detail of the envisioned PSU Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology in the northeast
quadrant of SHTP.
21. 20
In order to facilitate analysis by Intel of the costs of the needed facility, Portland State engaged
the PSU Facilities and Planning Division and a private facilities cost estimator, Currie and
Brown, to prepare a very preliminary cost estimate. (A copy of this document is available on
request and PSU will elaborate as needed on the estimate during the conference call and
Powerpoint presentation scheduled in January 2008.) Based on discussions with the PSU’s Vice
President for Finance and Administration in developing the California State University (CSU)
Merced campus, costs associated with the PSU-Vietnam International Center facility in Ho Chi
Minh City would be in the range of $49 million U.S. dollars in 2013 and would need to be
adjusted to reflect location factors particular to Vietnam.
In consultation with local partners PSU has produced several physical design renderings of its
vision of an engaged and sustainable university district community in Ho Chi Minh City, as
suggested in Figures 2 and 3, above. Notable physical design components of the PSU-Vietnam
International Center will include:
• State-of-the-art lab facilities;
• Affordable student and faculty housing, reflective of American and Vietnamese market
analysis;
• Common areas that foster a dynamic learning community and social interactions;
• Restaurants/cafeteria; recreation facilities; and integrated transportation, natural resource,
energy, and information networks.
Organizational and financial decision making related to the physical campus facilities will be
conducted by a top tier of PSU, Intel, and Vietnamese government leaders, with the support of
project managers based at both PSU and Ho Chi Minh City. The onsite manager in Ho Chi Minh
City will work directly with the PSU and Intel facilities group. This manager will require an
understanding of international standard project quality, the idiosyncrasies of achieving that
quality overseas, and outstanding cross-cultural communication skills.
7: Financial and Operational Sustainability
Describe how your school’s international strategy aligns to this program. Are the highest levels
of the university engaged and supportive?
Strategic Alignment of PSU’s Internationalization Goals and the Proposed Center
PSU’s Internationalization Initiative is pursuing the following five goals:
1) Increase opportunities for every PSU student to have meaningful contact with other
cultures through our academic curriculum, study abroad opportunities, distance learning
through the use of technology, international students, visiting faculty, and community-
based learning opportunities.
2) Develop University policies and procedures that encourage leadership and innovation in
the creation and delivery of a world-class international education.
3) Increase opportunities for PSU faculty and staff to incorporate international dimensions
into their teaching, scholarship, and professional development.
4) Build on Oregon and Southwest Washington’s emerging sense as places with an
international character and with critical links to the rest of the world.
22. 21
5) Provide continuing opportunities for our international alumni for life-long learning and to
support the University’s international mission.
The Office of International Affairs coordinates the major international activities in each of
PSU’s eight colleges and schools. Vice Provost for International Affairs Dr. Gil Latz, who heads
the OIA, has played a major role in developing the proposed International Center for
Engineering, Science, and Technology in collaboration with key administrators and colleagues in
the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (MCECS), Center for Academic
Excellence (CAE), College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), and the Hatfield School of
Government within the College of Urban and Public Affairs (CUPA).
The OIA hosts the Middle East Studies Center (established in 1959), Institute for Asian Studies,
Center for Japanese Studies, and a new Confucius Institute, which opened in May 2007 as a
result of an agreement with the China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign
Language (Hanban). In 2003, Portland State was one of eight institutions selected to work with
the American Council on Education (ACE) as part of the Global Learning for All project funded
by the Ford Foundation. More recently, ACE invited Portland State to participate in Assessment
Study of International Learning Outcomes as part of a Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) grant. ACE also provided a mini-grant to help Portland State
host the Second Annual Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum Conference in October
2006. “Building New Connections,” the theme of the conference, was chosen to emphasize the
dimensions of collaboration between disciplines, and among educators, needed to achieve
internationalization goals.
High-Level Administrative Engagement
Throughout a career that started at Portland State University in 1964, Interim President Michael
Reardon has been deeply committed to internationalization. Since he was appointed interim
president in June 2007 Dr. Reardon has overseen the development of this and other projects with
Vietnam partners, including the Community-Based Environmental Management initiative
involving the University of Natural Sciences in Ho Chi Minh City. While serving as interim
provost and vice president in 2004-05, Dr. Reardon helped drive many of the innovations in
international education that earned PSU President Emeritus Daniel O. Bernstine the prestigious
2005 Michael P. Malone Award for International Education Leadership from the National
Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges Commission on International
Programs. A letter from Dr. Reardon stating his commitment to this initiative and potential new
collaboration with Intel is included with this proposal.
PSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Roy Koch has provided campus-wide
leadership since 2006 in organizing discussion and planning efforts to identify a clear vision and
set of guiding principles for the proposed PSU-Vietnam International Center for Engineering,
Science, and Technology. There is widespread agreement within and across PSU departments
and programs that this partnership represents an exciting opportunity to build on the growing
stature of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, expand on successful
existing partnerships in Vietnam, and advance the University’s international agenda. Among the
key principles that have helped secure broad support at all levels of the University are the
necessity of full cost-recovery for the new program and the inclusion of international
23. 22
opportunities for students and faculty, consistent with PSU’s mission, priorities, and long-term
goals.
Describe your program management team that will be responsible for this project, and how they
can ensure its long-term sustainability
PSU-Vietnam Steering Committee
A steering committee representing the essential units from across Portland State University will
continue to guide development of the PSU-Vietnam International Center for Engineering,
Science, and Technology. Among the units represented on the Steering Committee include the
Office of Academic Affairs, Office of International Affairs (OIA), the Maseeh College of
Engineering and Computer Science (MCECS), College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS),
and the Hatfield School of Government within the College of Urban and Public Affairs (CUPA).
In August 2007 PSU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Roy Koch and PSU Vice
President for Finance and Administration Lindsay Desrochers led a week-long fact-finding
delegation of committee members that visited Vietnam in August 2007. In November 2007
Steering Committee members hosted a full day of campus discussions in Portland with Intel
Vietnam General Manager Rick Howarth. The Steering Committee has been charged with
gathering the pertinent information and conducting the due-diligence necessary to identify the
potential benefits, issues, and risks associated with this major new undertaking. Current members
include are listed below:
Dr. Roy W. Koch, PSU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Dr. Lindsay Desrochers, PSU Vice President for Finance and Administration.
Michael Fung, Director, PSU Office of Budget & Planning.
Dr. Gil Latz, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Professor of East Asian
Geography.
Dr. Robert D. Dryden, Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, and Professor of
Mechanical Engineering, MCECS.
Marcia Fischer, Assistant Dean, MCECS.
Dr. Malgorzata Chrzanowska-Jeske, Professor and Chair, Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering, MCECS.
Dr. Branimir Pejcinovic, Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate
Education, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, MCECS.
Dr. Gerald Recktenwald Chair, Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department,
MCECS.
Dr. Marcus Ingle, Professor of Public Administration, Mark O. Hatfield School of
Government, and Director for International Public Service, Executive Leadership
Institute (ELI), CUPA.
Dr. Stephen Reder, Professor and Chair, PSU Department of Applied Linguistics, CLAS.
Brief biographical sketches for key members of the project management team are included in
Appendix B.
24. 23
The current management team has a clear idea, based on practical experience, of what it will take
to manage this type of multi-faceted initiative. The project will require additional team members
based at both PSU and Ho Chi Minh City. Project managers based at PSU and at the Vietnam
Center will report directly to senior leadership of the university. The Vietnam manager will be
responsible for supervising the facilities, staff hiring and supervision, governmental relations,
working with Intel, program accountability, and other key tasks. Required qualifications would
include an understanding of and ability to operate in a business environment in Vietnam;
experience at developing educational programs and working internationally; understanding and
experience in an academic engineering environment. Portland State has developed a financial
model outlining additional staff requirements at PSU and Ho Chi Minh City. These requirements
will be examined in consultation with Intel and other stakeholders, as appropriate, during the
Pre-Phase 1 planning period.
An advisory council will be formed during the Pre-Phase 1 planning periods. Its members will
comprise representatives from each of the partners (PSU, Intel, MOET), and other stakeholders
(e.g., representatives from Vietnamese colleges/universities, consortium companies, government
officials, community-based organizations, students, and civic leaders).
What financial support will your university provide as part of the project?
Portland State University relies on financial support from the State of Oregon and from students
and their families in order to provide its engineering education program; a program that leads to
professional, knowledge-based jobs and a stronger economy in Oregon. Over the past 15 years
changes in the support structure for higher education in the public sector have resulted in higher
student tuition costs. (This national trend has been particularly steep in Oregon.) Today roughly
one third of the direct cost of higher education is born by the State of Oregon and the rest by
students and families. This state has recently increased its investment in financial aid through the
Oregon grants program.
As an institution within the Oregon University System, Portland State must maintain its public
trust and fiduciary responsibility to direct all state funds to the education of students in Oregon.
Thus a major premise of the proposal to provide engineering education program in Vietnam is
that it must be fully funded through whatever combination of tuition/fees, Vietnam government
support, private support through Intel (and other consortium companies), and other grants that
can be secured.
Portland State can provide planning support and some incidental support; but the program must
otherwise be self supporting. If Intel selects PSU as its collaborating institution of higher
education, the management team and executive leadership at PSU will engage in detailed
negotiations. PSU regards all services provided by the University in support of this proposed
collaboration to be congruent with its mission and goals for internationalization.
What financial support is required from Intel or industry consortium to make this project viable
for the long term? What will be the student tuition cost, book fees, and other incidental costs?
Portland State University proposes to create an engineering program that will produce the fully
qualified engineers which Intel and other companies need to fill critical professional roles in
Vietnam. Furthermore, PSU wishes to expose its faculty and students to the international market
25. 24
and to the challenges and opportunities which that market presents. In its financial analysis PSU
chose to assume that the current quality program which is delivered in Portland should also be
delivered in Vietnam. The costs associated with this program reflect this assumption. To achieve
this level of quality not only requires that Portland State commit to recruiting and fostering
the careers of excellent engineering faculty and students, but it assumes that Intel (and
consortium companies) would invest in this quality program as required.
Portland State has created a sophisticated financial model to allow for analysis of various
assumptions. This model, developed over the past two months, contains all of the budget
expenses, including facility operations, which Portland State would expect to manage. This tool
also allows the University to study the revenue shortfalls which will require support from
collaborating partners. As the University’s intellectual property, it is not being provided with this
proposal. The table on the following page presents an overview of the budget model.
Based on experience, extensive research, and analysis of other local programs, PSU has
identified the following per student costs of the new Center in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009:
approximately $21,400 per student at the undergraduate level for tuition, fees, books, and other
incidentals, and $19,700 per student at the graduate level. This is based on a full-time, 16-credit
load per term at the undergraduate level and 12 credits at the graduate level. The per student cost
of tuition/fees for three terms (12 credits) of the IELP English language program would total
$10,190. The financial model includes annual adjustments for inflation. Table 3 in Appendix C is
an excerpt from our model that shows a detailed estimate of student costs, 2009 – 2019.
The following four key areas will require a substantial financial commitment from Intel, business
consortium members, and other sources (e.g., government and foundation grants):
Student scholarship support during Phase 1 (when students are traveling to Portland) and on
an ongoing basis, to ensure the quality and accessibility of the new Center. The market
analysis done for PSU by Intel (see Appendix E) and the University’s experience in Vietnam
show that families there cannot afford tuition costs this high: students will require financial
assistance to attend this high-quality engineering education program.
Initial Pre-Phase 1 start-up costs in 2008-09, including program development, student
recruiting, travel, opening an office in Ho Chi Minh City, start-up for new faculty, in-country
services such as translators, purchasing laboratory equipment, etc. These start-up costs will
exceed $2 million.
Ongoing annual operating costs ranging from $1 million to $8 million annually.
Facilities, construction, laboratory, and related costs of providing a quality engineering
program.
27. 26
8: External / Government Relations
Please describe the experiences you have in working with the Vietnam Government. What
relationships/partnerships do you currently have with the Vietnam Government? (e.g., Ministry
of Education or other government bodies).
At the core of PSU’s innovative approach to internationalization is the concept of “networked
convening teams” comprising ambitious and adaptive professionals who share a common global
leadership vision for academic institutions and are committed to accountable and sustainable
results. This approach has been used successfully and often with a broad range of partners,
including the Vietnamese government. The government partnerships described below have
been designed and implemented collaboratively, resulting in greater local ownership and
relevance.
Two grants awarded in 2003 and 2004 by the U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership (USAEP)
through the Council of State Governments (CSG) allowed PSU to initiate a pilot
Community-Based Environmental Management (CBEM) project jointly administered by
PSU’s Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) and the National Policy Consensus Center
(NPCC), Hatfield School of Government, College of Urban and Public Affairs. In
implementing the project PSU collaborated with the Ho Chi Minh City Environmental
Protection Agency (HEPA), Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, Ho Chi Minh City
Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE), the faculty of Natural
Sciences at the Vietnam National University, and the Vietnam National Institute for Science
and Technology Policy and Strategy Studies (NISTPASS), the U.S.-Asia Environmental
Partnership, the Asia Foundation, and PADCO, a U.S. contractor. PSU has had a series of
meetings this fall with the DONRE vice director, HEPA vice director, and other government
representations about implementing the CBEM model.
The National Political & Administrative Academy (NPAA) is Vietnam’s premier educational
institution for preparing policy leaders and administrative officers to respond to the
challenges of global integration in the wake of Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade
Organization (WTO). As part of an ongoing collaboration, in October 2007 NPAA sent a
seven-member delegation of top-level officials to PSU’s Hatfield School of Government for
a five-day workshop on leadership and administrative reform curriculum and pedagogy. PSU
and NPAA have signed a letter of agreement to continue this work. A PSU delegation
conducted a follow-up meeting with NPAA leaders in Hanoi, discussing financial and
institutional arrangements.
The Appendix includes a list of some of the key individual relationships that will advance
Portland State’s collaborative proposal to Intel. These include highly placed leaders and
representatives in Vietnam from MOET, the Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST), the
Treasury and Budget Management Information System (TABMIS), the Institute for International
Education (IIE), the U.S. Embassy and Consulate, U.S.-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce,
American Chamber of Commerce, USAID, Vietnam Competitiveness Institute, the Ford
Foundation, and the Vietnam Education Foundation. PSU has productive relationships with
important contacts at corporations and businesses with important operations in Vietnam, such as
Nike, Inc., CorSource Technology Group, and Runckel and Associates. Scholars and
administrators from institutions of higher education within Vietnam or connected to it are also
among the University’s friends and active supporters.
28. 27
Describe your experience or ability to develop Industry Consortiums and how they relate to the
Vietnam project.
Portland State is developing a constellation of local business/industry partners that are
interested in working with the University and Intel to ensure the educational quality and long-
term success of the proposed International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology.
Four Portland-based partners are briefly described below.
Runckel & Associates
• An international business consulting firm, offering a full-range of services for clients
doing business throughout Asia.
• President Christopher Runckel is a long-time friend of PSU who was the first diplomat
assigned to open the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi in 1994, was awarded the Distinguished
Honor Award in 1997 for his contributions to U.S.-Vietnam relations, and is honorary
chairman of the U.S.-Vietnam Business Council.
• The company’s Senior Vietnamese Associate based in Ho Chi Minh City is also a close
friend of PSU.
Schnitzer Steel
• A global leader in the metals recycling industry.
• Collects, processes, trades, recycles, and brokers metal to mills around the world.
• Actively seeking to expand its business to Vietnam.
• Provides expertise in global infrastructure development logistics.
Dao Architecture
• A globally active green architecture firm that is working with the Vietnam diaspora in the
Pacific Northwest.
• Collaborating with PSU on development of a guiding vision for the proposed
International Center for Engineering, Science, and Technology, including social and
environmental sustainability issues.
• Past projects include university campuses at Stanford and Merced, California; corporate
structures and master plans in China, Kazakhstan, Angola, Russia, and Vietnam.
Gerding Edlen Development (GED)
• Coordinates and directs design, procurement, and installation of rooftop or site-mounted
solar arrays. Provides all engineering and support services required for installation.
• Ten-year history of GED-PSU collaborative work involving a number of construction
projects in Portland, including the new Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer
Science which opened in 2006.
• GED and PSU are exploring opportunities to work with Intel to determine the feasibility
of installing solar technology on both the Intel campus site as well as the PSU extension
campus.
Describe your other international collaboration activities outside of Vietnam. How can these
experiences enable you to succeed in this program?
Over 7,800 PSU students, faculty, and staff annually engage in community-university
partnerships across the globe through academic courses, research, and other service efforts.
29. 28
Portland State has hundreds of partnerships with universities, non-governmental organizations,
governments, foundations, and other public and private entities around the world and is receiving
an increasing number of requests from these international partners to create new programs in
disciplines as varied as public administration, business, urban planning, social work, engineering,
education, technology, and the sciences. The Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer
Science has several international partnership agreements outside of Vietnam. MCECS has been
involved since 2003 in providing undergraduate distance learning education to students studying
on the campus of the International Institute for Information Science and Technology in Shanghai,
China. MCECS is developing an agreement to teach engineering and technology management in
the United Arab Emirates that would begin in 2008. An interactive map and list of international
partners are summarized on the PSU website (http://partner.pdx.edu/world). Annual faculty
mini-grants awarded by the PSU Internationalization Council support outreach to international
partners, overseas Capstone experiences, research projects, community-based learning programs,
publications, and other activities.
What demonstrated programs do you currently have with Vietnam universities that demonstrate
your ability to collaborate with local schools?
PSU’s collaborative partnerships with Vietnamese universities include the University of
Natural Sciences in Ho Chi Minh City, the National Economics University in Hanoi, and the
Hanoi University of Civil Engineering.
PSU’s Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science recently signed an agreement
with the University of Natural Sciences(UNS) to develop an Advanced Program in Computer
Science, funded through a grant from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). This
PSU-UNS partnership is one of only 10 such international collaborations supported by
MOET in areas of national strategic interest and PSU is the sole US partner for this computer
science project. In this PSU-UNS collaboration, Vietnamese faculty spend a term at PSU
learning curriculum and teaching methods, and PSU faculty travel to Vietnam to teach and
collaborate with partners at UNS. The new undergraduate English-language computer
science program at UNS accepts 50 students annually.
PSU and the University of Natural Sciences (UNS) formed a partnership in 2005 to initiate
an innovative university-community engagement program, the first of its kind for a
university in Ho Chi Minh City. The goal is to mitigate the impact of rapid urban
development by promoting responsible community-based environmental governance. The
PSU-UNS partnership creates self-sustaining and mutually beneficial linkages between
higher education, environmental, and community-based organizations. mobilizing the
problem-solving capacities of local communities in cooperation with governmental, civil
society, and business institutions.
PSU and the National Economics University in Hanoi are collaborating on the development
of a Global Public Management academic degree program. The purpose is to meet the
growing demand for highly competent leaders and managers as Vietnam transitions to an
open-market economy.
PSU worked with Dr. Pham Ngoc Dang, director of civil engineering at Hanoi University on
an air quality pilot emissions mapping project. The goal of this successful project was to
reduce air pollutants in Hanoi by strengthening the regulatory regime for vehicle emissions
reduction. The project developed two types of emissions demonstration area policy maps (for
30. 29
emissions control and health impacts) and trained officials in Portland and Hanoi in their use.
High-ranking Hanoi officials visited PSU to learn the policy implications of the maps.
PSU offers an annual two-week, three-credit study abroad program in Vietnam that
emphasizes issues of environmental and economic sustainability, civic engagement, and local
socio-political contexts. The course is led by Dr. Marcus Ingle and hosted by Dr. Phung Thuy
Phuong of the Vietnam National University, who is a former PSU Fulbright Scholar.
Portland State’s portfolio of existing contacts and partnerships with institutions, organizations,
and individuals in Vietnam will add enormous value to its proposed collaboration with Intel and
MOET in designing a high-quality engineering education program based in Ho Chi Minh City.
Since 2003, PSU has worked with varied partners in Vietnam to:
Implement successful community-based projects with high visibility in the Vietnam
government and U.S. Embassy;
Provide opportunities for a wide range of PSU faculty, students, administrators, and
Portland-area professionals to travel to Vietnam for work-related experiences;
Host Vietnamese political leaders and technical staff in Portland on study exchanges, faculty
appointments, and academic programs;
Obtain financial support for academic engagements from sources in Vietnam, the United
States, and the international donor community.
These projects and activities are congruent with the goals and principles guiding PSU’s
commitment to internationalization, leadership in engagement, and core competencies in
providing cutting-edge academic programs. PSU has learned through its work in Vietnam the
importance of building in sustainability measures that will also be imperative in establishing a
world-class engineering education program in Vietnam. PSU has learned that when results are
visible, mutually beneficial, and place-based, that a critical mass of synergistic relationships
begin to form and build upon one another. As this happens, the demand for more engagement
builds at the community level, changes decision-making behaviors, and encourages partners to
continue their efforts over the long-run.
Furthermore, PSU’s plan for sustainability proceeds carefully, based on the combined strengths
of its partners, and expands incrementally as capacity allows and as demand expands. Finally,
PSU’s plan for creating sustainable initiatives builds creative capacity among the partners via
multidisciplinary teams that can achieve innovative thinking and embrace reflective practice
using an “action-research” approach. PSU’s experience is that successful projects need to be
carefully structured with clear objectives and measurable indicators, and they also need to be
adaptable to changes that typically occur over the life of a project. Monitoring and evaluation
plans provide the basis for both the required “structure” and the required “adaptability.” Such
plans set out how a project’s success will be monitored as activities unfold and how it will be
evaluated during and at the end of the project period. This approach to establishing a solid
partnership structure is consistent with the principles of quality engineering education.
31. 30
Conclusion
Overall evaluation criteria: Meets Intel RFP requirements; RFP response has realistic goals,
timeline, budget to ensure long-term viability (Phasing approach, etc.); Demonstrates long-term
interest by University administration.
“To think that, in the 21st
century, students can somehow ignore the [global] connections
that exist in almost every dimension – social, political, and economic – is absurd. You
can’t do that and be an effective citizen.” (PSU Provost and Vice President of Academic
Affairs Roy Koch, “Flat World Lessons for Real-World Students,” Chronicle of Higher
Education, November 2, 2007)
The evolving landscape resulting from new global connections requires higher education to adapt
in ways that are flexible, bold, and nimble. In an era of rapid change and many daunting new
challenges, the University as a public institution has a responsibility and an obligation to identify
opportunities and pursue relationships that will prepare students for successful citizenship,
careers, and life-long learning after graduation.
By respect of its proven record of educational innovation and leadership in engagement, and its
nationally recognized reputation in internationalization, PSU is ideally positioned to establish a
program partnership with Intel and the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training that will
have synergistic benefits by:
Improving Vietnam’s educational infrastructure;
Meeting Intel’s workforce development needs; and
Expanding educational opportunities for PSU students and scholarship opportunities for
faculty and staff, consistent with the University’s mission and vision;
While there are challenges associated with an enterprise this ambitious, Portland State welcomes
the opportunity to create a new collaborative relationship with Intel. As indicated below,
Portland State has unique strengths and capabilities that align with Intel’s stated needs.
Intel Vietnam Requires: Portland State University Offers:
– A U.S. academic institution that knows Intel
and has a proven record for producing qualified
graduates
– A successful record as a major provider of
Intel employees and national recognition for
leadership in “engagement pedagogy”
– A U.S. institutional partner with a unique
“brand” that is valued in Vietnam
– National recognition for co-developing
Portland as a “sustainable urban community”
– A detailed program plan for quickly ramping
up and continuing an educational program that
meets the needs of Intel, the Vietnam Ministry
of Education and Training & other stakeholders
– A multi-faceted and carefully phased
academic approach for preparing “U.S.-type
engineers” while building local capacity for
engagement and sustainability
– A financial model for accurately estimating
and covering infrastructure and related
operational costs
– A detailed interactive financial model has
been developed for estimating infrastructure
costs and operational revenues/costs
32. 31
For Portland State, this unique new collaborative initiative represents both a challenge and an
opportunity to strengthen the University’s leadership position in engagement,
internationalization, and sustainability. The International Center will provide exciting new
opportunities to advance scholarship and generate new knowledge about important questions
related to global education and the global economy, intercultural exchange, and innovation in
engineering curriculum and instruction.
Portland State knows Intel; it is the third-largest supplier of Intel’s American workforce and
benefits from numerous collaborative partnerships with Intel’s Hillsboro campus. PSU is
nationally recognized for leadership in “engagement pedagogy,” a proven method of creating
quality graduates ready to face the global workplace. The Vietnam context involves students who
have scarcely been exposed to the dynamic educational settings that foster the types of graduates
demanded by Intel; creating quality graduates is thus more than delivering quality curriculum.
The proposed innovative Center community will create a brand-new educational setting in
Vietnam – an extension of the sustainable urban community that PSU is nationally known for co-
developing. Portland State is also known by MOET and other stakeholders in Vietnam as a result
of successful partnership initiatives.
Portland State’s leadership in engagement, internationalization, sustainability, and undergraduate
curriculum have been validated by prestigious organizations and third-party evaluators such as
the LEAP Report, the Carnegie Corporation, and U.S. News and World Report. Portland State
has committed considerable effort and resources to study this potential collaboration, including a
week of intensive meetings in Vietnam, approximately $50,000 in travel expenses, consultation
with architects, meetings among steering committee members, and formulation of a sophisticated
interactive financial model.
In response to Intel’s desire for a detailed program plan for quickly ramping-up and continuing
an educational program that satisfies its and other stakeholder needs, PSU’s proposal of a multi-
component and phased academic approach will co-produce engineers with English proficiency,
hands-on, team-based lab experience, and tested abilities in analytic thinking, and problem-
solving.
Portland State looks forward to further discussion and negotiations with Intel to clarify
programmatic and financial commitments, consistent with the interactive financial model that the
University has developed, toward the goal of a viable, dynamic, and successful long-term
collaboration.
33. 32
Appendices
A. Portland State University Undergraduate Degree Program Courses
B. Biographical Sketches of Management Team Members
C. Student Costs of Attending the PSU-Vietnam International Center
for Engineering, Science, and Technology
D. Partners and Collaborative Relationships
E. PSU Intensive English Language Program and MA: TESOL
F. November 2007 High School Survey for Ho Chi Minh City
34. 33
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Freshman year Credits
EAS 101 Engineering Problem Solving ...................4
EAS 115 Engineering Graphics.................................3
Ch 221, 222 General Chemistry................................8
Ch 227, 228 General Chemistry Laboratory ...........2
Mth 251, 252 Calculus I, II ........................................8
Mth 261 Linear Algebra ...........................................4
Freshman Inquiry ...................................................15
Total 44
Sophomore year Credits
EAS 211 Statics .........................................................4
EAS 212 Strength of Materials ................................4
EAS 213 Properties of Materials .............................4
EAS 215 Dynamics.....................................................4
ME 241 Manufacturing Processes ...........................4
ECE 201 Electrical Engineering Laboratory ............1
ECE 299 Introduction to Electrical Engineering......4
Mth 254 Calculus IV ..................................................4
Mth 256 Applied Differential Equations I ..............4
Ph 221, 222, 223 General Physics
(with Calculus) ..........................................................9
Ph 214, 215, 216 Physics Laboratory........................3
Sophomore Inquiry .................................................12
Total 57
Junior year Credit
EAS 361 Fluid Mechanics ..........................................4
ME 313 Analysis of Mechanical Components .........4
ME 314 Analysis and Design of Machine Elements4
ME 321 Engineering Thermodynamics....................4
ME 322 Applied Fluid Mechanics and
Thermodynamics.......................................................4
ME 323 Heat Transfer ...............................................4
ME 351 Vibrations and System Dynamics................4
ME 352 Numerical Methods in Engineering ...........4
ME 372 Engineering Metallurgy..............................4
Stat 451 Applied Statistics for Engineers and
Scientists I ..................................................................4
Wr 327 Technical Report Writing ............................4
Upper-division cluster ..............................................8
Total 51
Senior year Credits
ME 411 Engineering Measurement and
Instrumentation Systems .........................................4
ME 420 or ME 437 Systems Design..........................4
ME 488 Design of Experiments................................2
ME 491 Design Process .............................................2
ME 492 Conceptual Design Project..........................4
ME 493 Detailed Design Project ..............................4
Approved mechanical engineering electives ........16
Upper-division cluster ..............................................4
Total 40
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering
Freshman year Credits
ECE 171 Digital Circuits ...........................................4
EAS 101 Engineering Problem Solving ...................4
CS 161 Introduction to Computer Science I or
EAS 102 Engineering Computation Structures .......4
Mth 251, 252, 253 Calculus I, II, III ........................12
Ph 221, 222, 223 General Physics
(with Calculus) ..........................................................9
Ph 214, 215, 216 Physics Laboratory .......................3
Freshman Inquiry ...................................................15
Total 51
Sophomore year Credits
ECE 201, 202, 203 Electrical Engineering
Laboratory I, II, III .....................................................3
ECE 221 Electric Circuits ...........................................4
ECE 222 Signals and Systems I..................................4
ECE 223 Signals and Systems II ................................4
ECE 271 Digital Systems ...........................................5
CS 162 Introduction to Computer Science II ..........4
CS 163 Data Structures ............................................4
Ch 221 General Chemistry........................................4
Ch 227 General Chemistry Laboratory ...................1
Mth 256 Applied Differential Equations I ..............4
Mth 261 Introduction to Linear Algebra ...............4
Sophomore Inquiry .................................................12
Total 53
Junior year Credits
ECE 301, 302, 303 Electrical Engineering
Laboratory IV, V, VI ..................................................3
ECE 321, 322, 323 Electronics I, II, III .....................12
ECE 351 Hardware Design Languages and
Prototyping ...............................................................4
ECE 371 Microprocessors .........................................4
ECE 372 Microprocessor Interfacing
and Embedded Systems............................................5
CS 202 Programming Systems .................................4
Stat 451 Applied Statistics for Engineers and
Scientists I ..................................................................4
Ph 319 Solid State Physics
for Engineering Students ........................................4
Wr 227 Technical Writing .........................................4
Total 44
Senior year Credits
ECE 411, 412, 413......................................................8
ECE 485 Microprocessor System Design .................4
CS 333 Operating Systems and Concurrent
Programming ...........................................................4
Approved electrical engineering electives .............8
CS 340 Discrete Structures for Engineers ................4
Approved upper-division
computer science elective ........................................4
Upper-division cluster .............................................12
Ec 314 Private and Public Investment....................4
Total 44
PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING DEGREE PROGRAMS
INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR ENGINEERING, SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY
