Continuing Education for Engineers: University's Role

Abstract

Continuing‐education programs provide a vital service to the engineering profession and are an important university function. They serve to keep engineers current on technology and to educate them in skills needed for managing enterprises. They are an excellent example of university‐industry cooperation, and universities can obtain considerable benefit from making possible such transfers of knowledge. Nevertheless, the role of continuing education for professional engineers is not in the mainstream of many universities. This role is frequently performed by in‐house company programs or consultants. A notable exception is the Texas A&M University Construction Executive Program, which has become nationally recognized for its contribution to the construction industry. Using this program as an example, the role of the university in continuing education is assessed.