Engineering Education in Americas

Abstract

The systems of engineering education in Latin America and the United States developed quite differently and have different strengths and weaknesses. The universities of Latin America tend to emphasize professional training, while those of the United States have emphasized research and a somewhat more investigative approach. Curricula, goals, and the duration of studies are substantially different, as are the composition and interests of the faculty. At present, educators and practicing engineers in both regions are critically evaluating their own programs and, in many cases, recommending changes directed toward correcting perceived deficiencies. Before either society adopts sweeping changes in its present system, it could profit by examining the experience of the other. In particular, the emphasis upon professionalism, which is common in Latin America and is often urged in the United States, may be seen to have served less well than the more theoretical approach of most U.S. programs.