Global engineering education: Australia and the Bologna process

This paper presents a critical comparison of major changes in engineering education in both Australia and Europe. European engineering programs are currently being reshaped by the Bologna process, representing a move towards quality assurance in higher education and the mutual recognition of degrees among universities across Europe. Engineering education in Australia underwent a transformation after the 1996 review of engineering education1. The paper discusses the recent European developments in order to give up-to-date information on this fast changing and sometimes obscure process. The comparison draws on the implications of the Bologna Process on the German engineering education system as an example. It concludes with issues of particular interest, which can help to inform the international discussion on how to meet today’s challenges for engineering education. These issues include ways of achieving diversityamong engineering programs, means of enabling student and staff mobility, and the preparation of engineering students for professional practic e through engineering education. As a result, the benefits of outcomes based approaches in education are discussed. This leads to an outlook for further research into the broader attributes required by future professional engineers. © 2005, Australasian Association for Engineering Education

Becoming media literate? Media Education in Slovenia after Ten Years

The system of education in Slovenia includes pre-school education; primary education; secondary education (vocational education, technical education, general education [grammar schools]); higher education (university [undergraduate and postgraduate education] and professional type). In this course students develop the ability to analyze and evaluate media messages and to identify for themselves issues of concern, as well as... to discuss, understand, explain and with production through cooperation with student's media their own communication (ZaIa, age 34, media education professor at University of Maribor).

Fetal endoscopic telesurgery using an Internet protocol connection: clinical and technical challenges

Until recently, fetoscopic laser surgery to seal the placental anastomoses that cause severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome has been available in only a few centres worldwide. The technique typically takes a long time to learn. We have used a dedicated Internet Protocol (IP) connection for tele-education to assist the introduction of fetoscopic laser surgery to Australia. During the implementation of the international telemedicine link, there were multiple clinical and technical problems, which were eventually overcome. The quality of images and of video-sequences was comparable to that supported by an ISDN connection. Pictures of live surgery performed by an expert in Florida, USA, were transmitted and viewed by a novice team in Brisbane, Australia. The Australian team has performed 19 fetoscopic laser operations to date. Preliminary results are comparable to those from centres that have performed over 100 procedures.

Governing international education in Australia

This paper uses the international education sector in Australia as a case study to argue against understanding globalization as an exogenous force. It introduces the notion of globalization as a governmentality and discusses alternative interpretations which take into account notions of subjectivity, positionality and space/time. The paper examines the types of global imaginaries used to govern international education. A discourse of cultural hybridity is mobilized to construct Australia as a safe multicultural study destination. The expressions of hybridity which are sanctioned within the international university are scripted by a neoliberal text, limiting the possibilities for more sophisticated intellectual engagements with the global.

Multilingualism and local-global identities: Japanese language education in rural Australia

The purpose of this article is to examine the value accruing to a regional area in Australia from the location of an undergraduate Japanese language education program in a university in that area. The focus is on the manner in which the inclusion of such a program enhances the sustainability of the area. Sustainability is here defined as the resilience demonstrated by social subjects in the absence of the full range of services available in more densely populated and resource advantaged areas. Such resilience implies an ongoing capacity on the part of subjects to contribute productively to social and economic networks in the area. The discussion includes two cases of graduates of the program under review. On the basis of these cases, the argument is advanced that local regional and rural area access to a tertiary sector second language program offers a unique and valuable strategic dimension to the personal and professional development of social agents in regional areas and to the sustainability of these areas generally.