| Abstract: | A consortium of seven universities and two polytechnics is developing an international postgraduate degree programme consisting of course modules and directed research to train effective leaders in aerospace engineering. The programme's initial funding is a jointly awarded grant from government funding agencies in both the USA and the EU (DGXX II, European Commission, Agreement No. 98-00-USA-0010-00, US Department of Education, DUNS No. 00-743-1505). The purpose of the Masters programme is to train effective leaders for aerospace engineering development, by developing both their professional capabilities and their understanding of the operation of global markets. Course content and management structure is currently under development. This programme comprises the formation of an International Master of Science (IMS) Degree Programme in Aerospace Engineering. Under the IMS programme, qualifying students at each participating university will assemble a personalized degree programme, choosing course and project modules from among the partner universities. Approximately one-third of each student's chosen modules will be taken in overseas institutions. The IMS Degree Programme will include both coursework and research project work in aerospace engineering. Students begin the exchange programme in the year 2000, and the first degrees will be conferred in the year 2001. The project was successfully introduced to the European Forum for continuing Engineering Education in 1999 (Smrcek and Horner 1999, The 4th European Forum for Continuing Engineering Education, Trondheim, Norway). |
