Title: Developing undergraduate and graduate production engineering programmes in Brazil: stimuli for a proactive investigation

Authors: Fernando Cesar Almada Santos, Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour

Addresses: Production Engineering Department, Engineering School of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador Sao Carlense, 400, CEP 13566-590, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil. ' Production Engineering Department, Engineering School of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Avenida Trabalhador Sao Carlense, 400, CEP 13566-590, Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil

Abstract: This paper presents the recent development of undergraduate and graduate production engineering programmes in Brazil. Initially, a knowledge-based approach to design programmes, which was based on legislation made production engineering programmes rigid. More recently, a competence-based approach which considers not only knowledge, but also skills and attitudes to design programmes is presented. Changes which have already been made like flexibility and innovation in curricula of undergraduate and graduate production engineering programmes in their research areas and laboratories are analysed. The current greatest challenge is to deal with the complexity of the various elements of undergraduate and graduate programmes – objectives, curriculum, courses, bibliographic collection, laboratories, people, etc. – as well as searching for a systemic integration of these aspects. This paper is also aimed to stimulate readers to proactively investigate these programmes.

Keywords: Brazil; competences; continuing education; educational management; facilities; graduate programmes; industrial engineering; production engineering; undergraduate programmes; engineering education; knowledge-based approach; design education.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCEELL.2009.023057

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning, 2009 Vol.19 No.1, pp.34 - 58

Published online: 08 Feb 2009 *

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