The document discusses the CDIO approach to engineering education, emphasizing the need for reforms by aligning programs with industry and governmental expectations. It outlines the skills and knowledge required for modern engineers, the evolution of engineering education methodologies, and the development of a comprehensive syllabus aimed at enhancing student learning outcomes through hands-on and experiential learning. The CDIO approach serves as a reference model for universities to adapt their curricula in a way that fosters creativity, teamwork, and innovation among engineering graduates.

1. Overview of CDIO:
Past, present and future
Professor Johan Malmqvist
Chalmers University of Technology
Gothenburg, Sweden

2. OUTLINE
• What is an engineer? What is the professional context of
engineering?
• The need for a new approach
– The CDIO goals and vision
– What do engineering graduates need to be able to do?
– How can we do better at educating them?
• Future developments to the CDIO approach
• Concluding remarks & discussion

3. WHAT DO ENGINEERS DO?
”Scientists investigate that which already is.
Engineers create that which has never been.
- Theodore von Karmann
”What you need to invent, is an
imagination and a pile of junk”
- Thomas Edison

4. INUSTRY EXPECTATIONS - DESIRED ATTRIBUTES OF
AN ENGINEER (BOEING, CA 1995)
• A good understanding of engineering science fundamentals
– Mathematics, Physical and life sciences, Information technology
• A good understanding of design and manufacturing processes
• A multi-disciplinary, systems perspective
• A basic understanding of the context in which engineering is practiced
– Economics, History, The environment, Customer and societal needs
• Good communication skills - written, oral, graphic, and listening
• A profound understanding of the importance of teamwork.
• Personal skills
– High ethical standards
– Ability to think both critically and creatively—independently and
cooperatively
– Flexibility
• Curiosity and a desire to learn for life

5. GOVERNMENTAL EXPECTATIONS
”The engineering profession aims to solve problems of
technical nature, concrete and often complex, and
associated with the creation, realization and operation of
products, systems and services. This ability is the result of
a combination of technical knowledge and and knowledge
of economics and social science, both firmly based in
science”
- Commission des titres d’ingénieur, France)
(my translation)

6. TO SUMMARIZE: THE MAIN GOALS OF
ENGINEERING EDUCATION
• Master a deeper working knowledge of the technical
fundamentals
• Lead in the creation and operation of new products,
processes, and systems
• Understand the importance and strategic impact of
research and technological development on society
To educate students who are able to:

7. EVOLUTION OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION
Innovation,
Implementation,
Collaboration
skills
Practice
Analytical skills
Disciplinary
knowledge
Theory
Pre-1950s:
Practice
1960s:
Science &
practice
1980s:
Science
2000:
CDIO
We are not where we want to be –
engineering education needs reform!

8. CENTRAL QUESTIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL
EDUCATION DESIGNERS
• What is the professional role
and practical context of the
profession(al)? (need)
• What knowledge, skills and
attitudes should students
possess as they graduate from
our programs? (program
learning outcomes)
• How can we do better at
ensuring that students learn
these skills? (curriculum,
teaching, learning, workspaces,
assessment)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

9. THE PROFESSIONAL ROLE(S)
OF ENGINEERS
”Engineers Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate
complex products and systems in a modern team-based
engineering environment”

10. CONTEXT FOR ENGINEERING:
THE C-D-I-O PROCESS
Lifecycle of a product, process, project, system, software, material
Conceive: customer needs, technology,
enterprise strategy, regulations; and
conceptual, technical, and business
plans
Design: plans, drawings, and algorithms
that describe what will be implemented
Implement: transformation of the design
into the product, process, or system,
including manufacturing, coding, testing
and validation
Operate: the implemented product or
process delivering the intended value,
including maintaining, evolving and
retiring the system
Duke University

11. What is the full set of knowledge, skills and
attitudes that a student should possess as they
graduate from university?
– At what level of proficiency?
– In addition to the traditional engineering
disciplinary knowledge

12. FROM UNDERLYING NEED TO
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
Educate students who:
•Understand how to conceive-
design-implement-operate
•Complex products and
systems
•In a modern team-based
engineering environment
•And are mature and thoughtful
individuals
The CDIO Syllabus - a comprehensive statement of detailed goals
for an engineering education
1. Disciplinary
knowledge
3. Inter-
personal
2. Personal
4. CDIO
Process
Team
Product
Self

13. THE CDIO SYLLABUS
• A generalized list of
competences that an
engineer should possess
• Program specific (1) and
general (2-4)
• Created and validated by
alumni, faculty and students
• A ”complete” reference
model
•
1 Disciplinary Knowledge & Reasoning:
1.1 Knowledge of underlying sciences
1.2 Core engineering fundamental knowledge
1.3 Advanced engineering fundamental knowledge
•
2 Personal and Professional Skills
2.1 Analytical reasoning and problem solving
2.2 Experimentation and knowledge discovery
2.3 System thinking
2.4 Personal skills and attributes
2.5 Professional skills and attributes
•
3 Interpersonal Skills
3.1 Multi-disciplinary teamwork
3.2 Communications
3.3 Communication in a foreign language
•
4 CDIO of Complex Systems
4.1 External and societal context
4.2 Enterprise and business context
4.3 Conceiving and engineering systems
4.4 Designing
4.5 Implementing
4.6 Operating
CDIO Syllabus contains 2-3 more layers of detail

14. THE CDIO SYLLABUS V2.0 - 3RD LEVEL OF
DETAIL (EXCERPT)

15. VALIDATION OF THE CDIO SYLLABUS:
STAKEHOLDER SURVEY AT MIT
Sample: 6 groups surveyed: 1st- and 4th-year students, alumni 25 years
old, alumni 35 years old, faculty, leaders of industry
Question: For each attribute, please indicate which of the five levels of
proficiency you desire in a graduating engineering student:
Scale:
1 To have experienced or been exposed to
2 To be able to participate in and contribute to
3 To be able to understand and explain
4 To be skilled in the practice or implementation of
5 To be able to lead or innovate in

16. REMARKABLE AGREEMENT!
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Faculty
Industry
Y. Alum
O. Alum
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
1. Exposure
2. Participate
3. Understand
4. Skilled
Practice
5. Innovate
PRIORITING LEARNING OUTCOMES – SURVEY OF FACULTY,
ALUMNI, INDUSTRY LEADERS

17. VALIDATION AGAINST NATIONAL
ACCREDITATION FRAMEWORKS
• The CDIO syllabus has been
compared national accreditations
in many countries
• Same pattern:
– The CDIO Syllabus states
outcomes for engineering
education that reflect a broader
view of the engineering
profession
– Its greater levels of detail
facilitate program and course
development.
– A program whose design is
based on the CDIO Syllabus
will also satisfy its national
requirements for specified
program outcomes.
ABET EC 2010 (USA)
CEAB (CANADA)
EUR-ACE (Europe)

18. THE CDIO SYLLABUS V 2.0 AS PROGRAM
OUTCOMES
1.0 Disciplinary
Knowledge and
Reasoning
1.1
1.2
1.3
Demonstrate a capacity to use the principles of the underlying
sciences
…
1.1.5 Use the Finite element method to solve partial differential
equations
…
Apply the principles of fundamental engineering science
Demonstrate a capacity to apply advanced engineering
knowledge in the professional areas of engineering
2.0 Personal and
Professional Skills
and Attributes
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
Analyze and solve engineering problems
Conduct investigations and experiments about engineering
problems
Think systemically
Demonstrate personal and professional habits that contribute
to successful engineering practice
Demonstrate ethics, equity, and other responsibilities in
engineering practice

19. THE CDIO SYLLABUS V 2.0 AS PROGRAM
OUTCOMES (CONT.)
3.0
Interpersonal
Skills
3.1
3.2
3.3
Lead and work in groups
Communicate effectively
Communicate effectively in one or more foreign languages.
4.0
CDIO
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
Recognize the importance of the social context in the practice of
engineering
Appreciate different enterprise cultures and work successfully in
organizations
Conceive and develop engineering systems
Design complex engineering systems
…
4.4.7 Compare and evaluate different product suggestions based
on function, environmental impact, production and cost
..
Implement processes of hardware and software and manage the
implementation process
Operate complex systems and processes and manage operations
Lead engineering endeavors
Demonstrate the skills of entrepreneurship

20. How can we do better at assuring that students
learn these skills?
– Within the available student and faculty time,
funding and other resources

21. VISION FOR A CDIO-BASED EDUCATION
• A curriculum organised around mutually supporting
courses, but with CDIO activities highly interwoven
• Rich with student design-build projects
• Integrating learning of professional skills such as
teamwork and communication
• Featuring active and experiential learning
• Constantly improved through quality assurance process
with higher aims than accreditation
An education that stresses the fundamentals, set in the
context of Conceiving – Designing – Implementing –
Operating systems and products:

22. MORE AND MORE AUTHENTIC DESIGN
EXPERIENCES IN THE EDUCATION
Provide the natural context
in which to teach design,
innovation, implementation
skills
Provide a platform for
training other CDIO syllabus
skills (teamwork,
communications etc)
Design-build experiences are instructional events in which
learning occurs through the creation of a product, process, or
system
Solar-
driven
aircraft,
KTH
Formula
Student,
Chalmers

23. THERE SHOULD BE MULTIPLE DESIGN–
BUILD PROJECTS IN THE CURRICULUM
Intro to
Mech Eng
Joint project in
Machine elements
&
Manuf technology
courses
Machine
design
Mechatronics
project course
Product
development
project
Automotive
eng project
Creative,
”conceptual” design
Design for manufacturing Redesign
Multiple objectives
Creative design incl
business aspects
Cross-dept teams
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Simple prototype
Qualitative
More advanced prototype
Some simulation
Company is customer
Prototype as needed
More simulation
Prototype
Simulation as needed
Company is customer

24. Operate
EXAMPLE:
MIT AERO-ASTRO DEPARTMENT
Conceive Design
Implement

25. DEVELOP GENERIC SKILLS THROUGH
INTEGRATED LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Generic skills are context-dependent and
should be learned and assessed in the
professional context (Bowden, Barrie,
Edström… )
Integrated training of generic skills reinforces
understanding of disciplinary content – they
will acquire a deeper working knowledge of
engineering fundamentals
...communication
as a generic skill...
...communication
as a contextualized
skill...
Integrated learning experiences develop both technical
knowledge and “generic” skills (communication, teamwork,
ethics, sustainability, etc)

26. GENERIC SKILLS IN ENGINEERING
EDUCATION - EXAMPLE
Communication in engineering means being able to
 Use the technical concepts comfortably
 Discuss a problem of different levels
 Determine what factors are relevant to the
situation
 Argue for, or against, conceptual ideas and
solutions
 Develop ideas through discussion and
collaborative sketching
 Explain technical matters to different audiences
 Show confidence in expressing oneself within
the field
The same interpretation should be made for
teamwork, problem solving, professional ethics,
and other engineering skills.

27. INTEGRATE THE CURRICULUM
An integrated curriculum has a systematic assignment of
program outcomes to learning activities and features a explicit plan
for progressive integration of generic skills
Introductory
course
Physics Product
developm
Numerical
Methods
Planned learning sequence -- Vehicle Engineering -- KTH
CDIO Syllabus
Mech I
Thermo-
dynamics
Mech II
Solid
Mechanics
Sound and
Vibrations
Math II
Fluid
Mechanics
Math I Math III
Control
Theory
Signal
Analysis
Statistics
Electrical
Eng.
Year 1 Year 3
Year 2
FEM in
Engineering
Bachelor
Thesis
Opti-
mization
3.2.3 Written
communication
3.3 Communi-
cation in English

28. DEVELOP ACTIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Year 1 lab example
Active and experiential learning engages students by setting
teaching and learning in contexts that simulate engineering roles
and practice
Reformed mathematics
emphasizing simulation of
realistic engineering problems
Working method based on
modeling, simulation &
analysis, MATLAB programming
Motivated importance of
mathematics and applied
mechanics courses

29. THE 12 CDIO STANDARDS – GUIDELINES FOR
EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT
• CDIO as Context
• CDIO Syllabus
Outcomes
• Integrated Curriculum
Progra
m
focus
1,2,3
• Introduction to
Engineering
• Design-Build
Experiences
• CDIO Workspaces
CDI
O
4,5,6
• Integrated Learning
Experiences
• Active & Experiential
Learning
Teaching
& Learning
7,8
• Enhancement of Faculty
CDIO Skills
• Enhancement of Faculty
Teaching Skills
Faculty
development
9,10
• CDIO Skills Assessment
• CDIO Program Evaluation
Evaluatio
n
11,12

30. EFFECTIVE PRACTICE:
THE CDIO STANDARDS
1. The Context
Adoption of the principle that product. Process, and system
lifecycle development and deployment are the context for
engineering education
2. Learning Outcomes
Specific, detailed learning outcomes for personal,
interpersonal, and product,.process and system building
skills, consistent with program goals and validated by
program stakeholders
3. Integrated Curriculum
A curriculum designed with mutually supporting disciplinary
subjects, with an explicit plan to integrate personal,
interpersonal, and product, process, and system building
skills
4. Introduction to Engineering
An introductory course that provides the framework for
engineering practice in product. Process, and system
building, and introduces essential personal and interpersonal
skills
5. Design-Implement Experiences
A curriculum that includes two or more design-implement
experiences, including one at a basic level and one at an
advanced level
6. Engineering Workspaces
Workspaces and laboratories that support and encourage
hands-on learning of product, process, and system building,
disciplinary knowledge, and social learning
7. Integrated Learning Experiences
Integrated learning experiences that lead to the acquisition
of disciplinary knowledge, as well as personal, interpersonal,
and produc, process,t and system building skills
8. Active Learning
Teaching and learning based on active experiential learning
methods
9. Enhancement of Faculty Skills Competence
Actions that enhance faculty competence in personal,
interpersonal, and product and system building skills
10. Enhancement of Faculty Teaching Competence
Actions that enhance faculty competence in providing
integrated learning experiences, in using active experiential
learning methods, and in assessing student learning
11. Learning Assessment
Assessment of student learning in personal, interpersonal,
and product, process, and system building skills, as well as
in disciplinary knowledge
12. Program Evaluation
A system that evaluates programs against these 12
standards, and provides feedback to students, faculty, and
other stakeholders for the purposes of continuous
improvement

31. CDIO IS A REFERENCE MODEL,
NOT A PRESCRIPTION
Everything has to be translated-
transformed to fit the context
and conditions of each
university / program
You are probably doing some CDIO
elements already
Take what you want to use,
transform it as you wish, give it
a new name, assume ownership
CDIO provides a toolbox for
working through the process

32. CURRENT AND EMERGING CHALLENGES
FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION
• Need to educate engineers to be more effective leaders
and entrepreneurs
• Need to educate engineers to work in interdisciplinary
teams
• Need for more experiential and project-based learning
• Adaptation of engineering education to prepare for
increasing globalization
• Increasing awareness and response to environmental
changes

33. CDIO SYLLABUS, ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP
AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS
CDIO syllabus skills
Engineering
leadership
Entrepreneurship

34. CDIO+EL SYLLABUS COMPONENTS
Engineering Leadership
4.7 Leading engineering endeavors
Creating a Purposeful Vision
4.7.1 Identifying the issue, Problem or Paradox
4.7.2 Thinking Creatively and Communicating
Possibilities
4.7.3 Defining the Solution
4.7.4 Creating New Solution Concepts
Delivering on the Vision
4.7.5 Building and Leading Organizations and
Extended Organizations
4.7.6 Planning and Managing a Project to
Completion
4.7.7 Exercising Project/Solution Judgment
and Critical Reasoning
4.7.8 Innovation – the Conception, Design and
Introduction of New Goods and Services
4.7.9 Invention – the Development of New
Devices, Materials or Processes that
Enable New Goods and Services
4.7.10 Implementation and Operation – the
Creation and Operation of the Goods
and Service that will Deliver Value
Entrepreneurship
4.8 Engineering Entrepreneurship
4.8.1 Company Founding, Leadership and
Organization
4.8.2 Business Plan Development
4.8.3 Company Capitalization and Finances
4.8.4 Innovative Product Marketing
4.8.5 Conceiving Products and Services
around New Technologies
4.8.6 The Innovation System, Networks,
Infrastructure and Services
4.8.7 Building the Team and Initiating
Engineering Processes
4.8.8 Managing Intellectual Property
CDIO Syllabus 4.7-4.8 contain one more layer of detail

35. EXAMPLE: GORDON ENGINEERING
LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (MIT)
Mission:
To educate and develop the character of outstanding MIT
students as potential future leaders in the world of engineering
practice and development, and to endeavor to transform
engineering leadership* in the nation, thereby significantly
increasing its product development capability.
* Engineering leadership is defined as the technical leadership
of the innovative conception, design and implementation of new
products/processes/projects/materials/molecules/
software/systems

36. CURRICULUM

37. A STRATEGY FOR LEARNING FOR
SUSTAINABILITY IN A CDIO PROGRAM
Sustainable development of products and systems is a vital part of Chalmers’ ME programme.
We educate engineers that are well-prepared to create and develop products and systems that
improve safety and quality of life for a growing population. (abbrev)
Fundamental
sustainability
knowledge
2nd year course in
Sustainable Product
Development
Integrated &
applied
sustainability
knowledge
Integrated learning
experiences in
- Intro to ME
- Solid mechanics
- Materials
- Manufacturing
- …
Integrated in all master
programs, eg CO2-
minimizing manufacturing
design in Production
engineering
Advanced
sustainability
knowledge
Specialised
sustainability
knowledge
Master programs in:
Sustainable energy
systems
Industrial ecology
Chalmers University of Technology, 5-year MScEng programme
in Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor Master

38. INTEGRATED SUSTAINABILITY LEARNING
EXPERIENCES IN BACHELOR PART
Year
1
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
Intro course in
mathematics
Calculus in a single
variable
Linear algebra
Calculus in several
variables
Programming in
MATLAB
CAD
Mechanics and
statics
Strength of materials
Introduction to mechanical
engineering
Year
2
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
Mechanics:
Dynamics
Machine elements Thermodynamics
and energy
technology
Industrial
production and
organisation
Integrated design and manufacturing
project
Material science
Material &
manufacturing
technology
Sustainable
product
development
Industrial Economics
Year
3
Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4
Mechatronics
Automatic control
7.5 ECTS
Bachelor diploma project
Fluid mechanics Elective 1 Elective 2
Mathematical
statistics
Fundamental
sustainability
knowledge
Integrated
sustainability
learning
experiences
(> 1 ECTS)
Planned
sustainability
learning sequences
(examples)

39. CDIO-BASED EDUCATION FOR
SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION
• 4th
year Product
development project
course, interdisciplinary
student teams
• Design-build and
business development
for sustainable
innovations
• Collaboration with start
ups and established
firms
Ultralight electric vehicle (CleanMotion)
Wave energy (Vigor Wave)
Solar
tracker
actuator
(SKF)

40. CONCLUDING REMARKS
• The CDIO approach provides a reference model for
engineering education where professional practice and
innovation is focused
• The CDIO approach is codified in the CDIO syllabus and
standards. CDIO elements can be used as an integrated set
or piecewise, are subject to adaptation to local context etc
• CDIO is an open endeavor – you are all welcome to
participate and contribute - 97 universities worldwide are
now members of the CDIO Initiative
• To learn more, visit the link www.cdio.org or read
Rethinking Engineering Education: The CDIO Approach by
Crawley, Malmqvist, Östlund, & Brodeur, 2007

41. Thank you for listening!
Any questions or comments?