Engineering Education Leadership Institute (EELI)

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The National Academy of Sciences is supported for the planning and piloting of the Engineering Education Leadership Institute (EELI) as a mechanism for catalyzing the leadership of the engineering academic community with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to create environments that will successfully prepare engineering students for the technical and social challenges of practice in the 21st Century. EELI will operate under the auspices of the National Academy of Engineering. Working collaboratively with a) Intel Corporation and other industry leaders, b) Project Kaleidoscope and other proven providers of high quality faculty development and leadership training, and c) forward looking engineering deans, a series of workshops to the current and future engineering leadership of academic institutions. These courses will be offered respond to the highest priority needs in gaining the leadership knowledge and skills required to engage in systemic and comprehensive re-alignment of their academic and administrative activities to produce the engineering graduates who are extremely well prepared to grapple with the challenges of the year 2020 and beyond. Beyond knowledge and skill development continuing infrastructure that will be provided to sustain the leaders and their institutions during their re-alignment processes. A full-scale workshop will be piloted in summer 2005 with a representative sample of key institutions on a limited range of topics. Our outcome goals are deep learning within the attendees, stimulation of greater awareness of our vision within the engineering community, catalysis of intellectual engagement, and demonstration of a proof-of-concept that will aid in on-going delivery of the full curriculum of an Engineering Education Leadership Institute commencing in summer 2006. Intellectual Merit: The effort brings together the NAE with leaders in industry, engineering education, and professional development to impart needed skills to current and future engineering academic leadership. The skills to be imparted offer the potential to improve the management of operations of engineering colleges Broader Impacts: Achieving improvements in the knowledge and skills of engineering leadership in the areas indicated holds the potential to not only improve the quality of current engineering programs, but, through the improvement of educational and management practices, to increase student recruitment and retention as well as increase faculty satisfaction and productivity.