Education and Research for the Future: Engineering as an Illustrative Case

This book takes a fresh look at the fundamental character of education, its history, interaction with society, purpose, changing focus over time and interactions with technology. It surveys the role of research in increasing the body of knowledge leading to new technologies that have helped serve the needs of humankind. In our lifetime there have been profound changes to the world we live in; the technologies used, the problems we struggle with, and the education systems intended to prepare this and following generations for the future. Many of the problems we face now are more complex than in earlier times, requiring broadly based approaches our traditional silo specialisations are ill-prepared to deal with. They involve technologies whose range of positive and negative effects are not well understood. Many of these problems are global in nature and can no longer be treated just as local issues. Our current approach to education does not adequately prepare us to tackle these problems. New approaches to education are needed to prepare us for the changes that are to come. The future of our planet, our civilisation, our community and our economy depend on it. This book proposes changes that will better prepare us for this future.