| Title of event | Implications for Engineering Design Education of Industry 4.0 |
| Organising (SIGs) | Design Education SIG and Design Creativity SIG |
| Workshop chairs | Bryan Howell & Dorothy Evans |
The Fourth Industrial Revolution urges us to think creatively about the manufacturing process, value chain, distribution and customer service processes. In the meanwhile, the future of education emphasises the immense need to look beyond these areas and strategically utilise the “Internet of Things” to prepare the coming workforce for the challenges ahead. Universities emphasise their role in shaping future technology by being the testbeds for innovation and educating future generations. Traditional education has contributed greatly to the current levels of industrial evolution and technological advancement. However, in order for higher education to deliver future generations with the right set of skills and knowledge; an imperative question has to be asked regarding how higher education institutes would be affected by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and how the delivery of education will be transformed.
Altering higher education is more necessary than ever before. However, the challenges ahead have to be considered in order to ensure effective and immediate transformation. With the reduced public financial support for higher education; universities need to think strategically regarding methods to utilise their experience in credentials, trust and identity to offer new services. Furthermore, higher education leadership needs to be less risk averse especially in this world of disruptive change. It is no longer an option to keep doing things the old way; innovation and accepting change are now prerequisite for survival.
This is the time to ask whether the global higher education community will only react to how the business world is shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution or if it will be among the key players of shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution!
The workshop aim is to identify the key enhancements to engineering design UG and PG educational programmes to ensure that graduates are ready to work in an Industry 4.0 enabled environment
The workshop output will be information for a DESIG position paper on ‘Industry 4.0 enabled design education’. The paper will identify the key enhancement and changes in emphasis required to meet future industry design needs. The workshop will also inspire future work and information gathering around the topic – all of which will feed into the position paper. It is also anticipated that the workshop will result in papers for EPDE and Design Science, both intended to enhance dissemination of the outcomes.
If you plan to attend the workshop and are able to let the workshop chair (dorothy.evans@strath.ac.uk) know by email that would help the planning for the event. But even if you are not able to email, please come along!