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USC Viterbi School of Engineering proudly supports ASEE's upcoming 2008 Annual Conference & Exposition taking place June 22-25, 2008 "Building Bridges to Create Change in Engineering Education"

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

Einstein’s familiar adage isn’t meant to be interpreted in the literal sense, but the willingness to imagine a solution to a problem is a first step in the development of that solution.

Dramatic advances in technology and the flattening of the world due to globalization have revolutionized the way we work and live. These forces of globalization, technological evolution and shifting demographics are changing the role of engineering in society, calling for changes in the way universities address engineering education and the profession.

To ensure their ability to comprehend and effectively respond to the unique issues of the 21st century, future engineers must take an interdisciplinary approach to education. Equally as important to an engineer’s in-depth technical background will be his or her understanding of the humanistic or social, economic and political matters that affect the profession and civilization as a whole. To succeed in this increasingly competitive, more level playing field, engineering students need to develop effective communication and leadership skills through the further study of humanities and the arts, or through the pursuit of knowledge in subjects beyond engineering-specific disciplines. Key to the development of innovative, purposeful ideas will be the student’s ability to think creatively and flexibly. Such issues are to be addressed systematically in the engineering curriculum to meet the challenges of tomorrow's engineers.

The Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California established the Division of Engineering Education in Fall 2007, to address various issues surrounding engineering education that impact all departments of the school. The division has three main goals: 1) Implement a major curriculum reform in our undergraduate programs to better educate and prepare our students for the future; 2) Address the needs of a large body of MS students at USC who use this as a terminal professional degree, and 3) Obtain funding for the implementation of school-wide initiatives in engineering education.

A number of ongoing activities related to developments in engineering education at VSoE can be found on this website.