Educating Engineers and Technologists for Innovation

The best way to equip students with the skills to lead and thrive in a global economy is to teach leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Students can develop the skills to identify new business opportunities and develop the tools to capitalize on these observations through an active learning process. Universities can provide students with knowledge, and serve as the fuel for innovation and entrepreneurship [1]. Problem solving develops complex thinking ability in students [2]. In many industries technological innovation is now the most important driver for competitive success. Firms in a wide range of industries rely on products developed within the past five years for more than one-third of their sales and profits. Foreign competition has also put pressure on firms to continuously innovate [3]