An international network for collaboration in engineering and science education

A consortium of US and European universities has been established with the help of two projects funded jointly by the US Fund for the Improvement of Post- Secondary Education (FIPSE) and the European Commission (EC-US projects). The academic focus of the projects was in computer science and engineering with an emphasis on computer modeling and simulation. The main aim of the first project was to establish student mobility between the US and Europe. The second project focused on the development of course materials that would enhance international experience particularly by providing international team projects based on simulated systems accessible on the Internet. These projects are to be integrated into a complete e-learning environment. The EC-US projects also featured faculty exchange and the development of shared course materials and projects. A demonstration on-line simulation project, based on a multi-modal transportation system has been successfully completed. To ensure a lasting collaboration beyond the funding period, several of the universities involved plan to establish a permanent consortium with the ultimate goal of establishing joint degrees