Professor Alan Robson
Vice-Chancellor
The University of Western Australia
Dear Prof. Robson,
I entered UWA in 1987, graduated from with a BE in Electronic Engineering and finally completed my PhD - with some challenges due to my cross-disciplinary approach - in Physics and Mechanical Engineering. In addition to Engineers Australia and IEEE, I am an associate fellow of the AIM and a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.
My professional work focus has shifted from electronic and systems engineering, where I primarily worked in defence, underwater acoustics and controls, to software engineering and enterprise IT (see http://systecit.com) - much of my work is in strategy, process and change management. Recently I was invited to join the Engineering Advisory Committee (EIAC) of Murdoch University; I am leading the charge to bring the Australian Software Engineering Conference to Perth for the first time in 2008, sitting on the EA ITEE Panel and the board of ICTICC.
I do not intend to address the entire course structure review instead focussing on science, mathematics and engineering:
- The wide diversity and fragmentation of courses is a problem in understanding for prospective entrants, prospective employers of graduates and contributes directly to declining course quality.
- Recommendation: Reduce the number of engineering disciplines and reintroduce common first and first/second years for all degrees.
- Recommendation: Teach subjects in their primary department or faculty of knowledge instead of the degree course. For example, reverse the shift of mathematics, physics and business courses into engineering and instead ensure they are taught, as quality and general courses, by experts in mathematics, physics and business - not by engineering specialists.
- Secondary recommendation: Adopt a common, undergraduate degree structure like Melbourne University and other world-class universities abroad - substantially the same as the Bologna Process or Melbourne Model with variation to account for local traditions.
- Issue of combined degrees missing essential elements of either or both of the component degrees, including the cohort experience of law, medicine and engineering students; fundamental, advanced and specialise units from first and final or honours years.
- Recommendation: Reshape dual degrees to be primary degrees plus secondary major or minor to ensure the primary study is at the same or higher standard than the standard degree. (Note that I believe dual degrees are great marketting for universities and graduates alike but have little value otherwise.)
- Recommendation to either: 1) Mandate core science and mathematics units across all science and engineering curricula; or 2) Create a stream that allows core and advanced science units (eg. physics, chemistry) to be taken by science and engineering majors.
- Research, postgraduate studies orientation should be an option for all advanced students who show the right aptitude and abilities. The previous recommendation on core science and mathematics units will enable this potential to be reached. (It is embarrassing to meet graduates, even more so postgraduates, who lack foundational knowledge and problem solving abilities in their notional fields of expertise or profession.)
- The creation of professional PhDs or doctorates is fraught with problems of perception and equivalence vis-a-via research and problem solving versus advanced professional standing. "Dr" versus "Mr" for prestige or public perception - some medical specialists revert to the latter. (The administration of PhDs is of personal interest since I struggled in the political rather than technical environment for my degree; others simply drop out.)
If I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards,
Daniel
--
Daniel M. Berinson BE PhD MIEAust MIEEE AFAIM GAICD
Managing Director, Systems and Software Architect
Systec Engineering Pty Ltd and Systec IT
daniel at systec.com.au
040 888 0278 (m)
