MANOLIU, Iacint
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, Romania
Abstract: A Thematic Network called EUCEET (EUropean Civil Engineering Education and Training) was founded in July 1997 by the partners of two Tempus projects coordinated by the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest. The Thematic Network submitted an Application for a Project beginning in the academic year 1998-1999 in the framework of the ERASMUS chapter of the E.U. SOCRATES programme, application which was approved by the European Commission in October 1998. The main objective of the project is to enhance the cooperation between universities, faculties and departments of civil engineering in Europe, with the involvement of academic and professional associations, in order to contribute to the development of civil engineering education and to the increase of its quality and effectiveness. The paper presents the topics and issues relevant for the development of a European dimension within the field of civil engineering education which will be covered by the project, during its 3-year planned duration such as: university curricula in civil engineering education at all levels ; identification of subject areas best suited for developing European Modules, Intensive Courses and other curricular activities to be included in the Institutional Contracts of consortium partners ; quality assessment, mutual recognition and credits accumulation and transfer in civil engineering education; role of the universities in the implementation of structural EUROCODES ; cooperation between universities and research centres in the construction sector of Europe ; demands of the economic and professional environments in Europe in respect to civil engineering education. Activities undertaken in the first year of the project are also briefly described.
Enhancing international cooperation should represent a major objective in the strategic plan of any higher education institution. Bilateral agreements are, of course, the backbone of such cooperation, but more and more the cooperation in network is taking over. In the past two decades, European programmes such as ERASMUS and Tempus encouraged this trend. The ERASMUS chapter on higher education of the SOCRATES programme, launched by the European Commission in 1995 included a new and distinct action : Thematic Network Projects (or ”university co-operation projects on subjects of common interest”), Thematic Network Projects were aimed to the creation of forums to analyse and study the status of development in the different fields of education in Europe, with the objective of promoting the European dimension and of improving the quality of training. Also, they were meant to involve faculties and departments of institutions of higher education, as well as scientific and professional associations, in order to ensure a wide impact, both at institutional and at intra - and inter - disciplinary levels.
27 first - generation Networks, approved in September 1996, started to function in 1996/97. Seven second - generation Networks were approved in 1997 and 8 in 1998, among which the Thematic Network Project EUCEET (EUropean Civil Engineering Education and Training).
A Tempus Complementary Measures Project called CESCOOP (Civil Engineering Schools COOPeration) was proposed and approved in 1996. The idea behind the proposal was to put together two groups of universities, one previously involved in a Tempus Mobility Joint European Project called CESNET (Civil Engineering Schools NETwork) and the second previously involved in an ERASMUS ICP. CESCOOP partners were 15 universities, among which 11 from EU (ENPC Paris, INSA Lyon, Imperial College London, City University London, Leeds University, T.U. Berlin, T.U. Dresden, Politecnico di Torino, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya Barcelona, Instituto Superior Tecnico Lisbon, National Technical University Athens) and 4 from Romania (Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest, Technical University Iaºi, University Politehnica Timiºoara, Technical University Cluj-Napoca).
At a joint CESCOOP - CESNET workshop which took place in February 1997 in Athens, various aspects concerning the joint involvement of partners in the new SOCRATES programme were discussed.
A proposal for the creation of the Thematic Network EUCEET was formulated by the author, coordinator of CESCOOP and CESNET Tempus projects, and circulated among CESCOOP and CESNET partners in April 1997, receiving a strong support.
On the occasion of the 2nd General Assembly of the Association of European Civil Engineering Faculties AECEF (Odense, 5 May 1997) the author made a presentation on the EUCEET. Both AECEF leaders and representatives of Faculties attending the Assembly expressed their great interest in the project.
At the 25th meeting of the European Council of Civil Engineers - ECCE, held on 6-7 June 1997 in Paris, the author informed the participants about the EUCEET initiative and invited representatives of various national professional associations attending the meeting to join the network.
At a meeting of CESCOOP partners, which took place in Barcelona on July 14, 1997, a final decision for the foundation of the Thematic Network was adopted. The Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees Paris assumed the role of coordinator/ contractor.
A Steering Group (Coordination Committee) was formed chaired by Prof. Marie-Ange Cammarota (ENPC) and made of the representatives of the following universities: ENPC Paris, Imperial College London, City University London, T.U. Berlin, Politecnico di Torino, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya Barcelona, Instituto Superior Tecnico Lisbon, National Technical University Athens, Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest. The author was designated as Secretary General of the Steering group.
In the period following the Barcelona meeting, members of the Steering Group were active in bringing new members in the network. This task was also successfully accomplished by members of the AECEF Board.
In another joint CESCOOP - CESNET meeting hosted by Cluj-Napoca on 29-30 September 1997, a state-of-the art of the Network was presented. The main objectives and activities of the Network were also examined. Participants to the meeting were extremely pleased by the fact that a great number of leading European universities in the field of civil engineering, renowned for the high quality of education and research, representing almost all eligible countries, accepted the invitation to join the Network. This created a very sound base for the accomplishment of the project goals.
The author was assigned the task to prepare on behalf of the Steering Group, the ”Expression of interest” due to be sent by 1st January 1998 to the European Commission. EUCEET successfully passed this first phase of the selection procedure.
Therefore, the full application for support was prepared and submitted to the EC by 1st April 1998. The good news of the approval was received on October 19, 1998. The code number of EUCEET is : 55779 - CP - 1 - 98 - FR - ERASMUS - ETN.
In the full application approved by the EC, based on the letters of endorsement sent in due time, 58 partners were listed, grouped as follows :
The main objective of the project is to enhance the cooperation between universities, faculties and departments of civil engineering in Europe, with the involvement of academic and professional associations, in order to contribute to the development of civil engineering education and to increase its quality and effectiveness.
In order to accomplish the main objective, six subjects of mutual interest have been selected, namely :
The six sub-themes previously defined will be assigned to Working groups. As a result of the activities carried out by these Working groups, materials will be provided in the form of monographs, reports, workshop papers and presentations. The objectives pursued by the Working groups will be known and the discussion to take place will lead to pertinent recommendations. Outcomes of the Working groups related to curricula matters, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, will be of prime interest for those having leading positions in academic institutions: deans, directors a.s.o. Outcomes of the Working groups dealing with inter-face problems: university-research, university-industry, university-professional associations, will be also of interest for individuals engaged in the construction industry, construction research and construction professional bodies. Outcomes of the Working groups devoted to innovation and learning in civil engineering education will be aimed at any member of the academic staff interested to implement new didactic methods and technologies.
The general administration of TNP - EUCEET and its financial matters are handled by Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees Paris, which is the contractor of the project.
The chief governing body of the TN - EUCEET is the Steering Committee, chaired by Prof. Marie-Ange Cammarota, from ENPC Paris, Coordinator of the project. The Steering Committee is responsible for all major policy decisions within the TNP - EUCEET.
The Steering Committee consists of 13 members, representing institutions which have been actively involved in the preliminary phase of EUCEET activities, namely : Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees Paris; Escuela Tecnico Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos - ETSICCP, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya; Escuela Tecnico Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos - ETSICCP, Universidad Politecnica Madrid; City University London; National Technical University Athens; Institut National des Sciences Appliquees - INSA Lyon; Instituto Superior Tecnico- IST, Lisbon; University of Porto; Association of European Civil Engineering Faculties - AECEF, Prague; Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest; Politecnico di Torino; Technical University Berlin; Imperial College London.
The day-to-day management of the TNP - EUCEET is insured by the Executive Board of the Steering Committee, made of :
Prof. Marie-Ange Cammarota, ENPC Paris, Coordinator
Prof. David Lloyd Smith, Imperial College London, Deputy Coordinator
Prof. Iacint Manoliu, TUCE Bucharest, Secretary General
The first meeting of the Steering Committee of the TNP EUCEET took place at the ENPC Paris, on Monday 7 December 1998. It was decided that in the first half of the 3-year planned duration of the project, activities of three working groups to be undertaken, namely :
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WG A : |
Curriculum in Civil Engineering Education at undergraduate level |
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WG B : |
Quality assessment and accreditation in Civil Engineering Education |
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WG C : |
Synergies between university, research, industry and public authorities in the construction sector of Europe |
It was also decided to call the 1st General Assembly of EUCEET partners on 22-23 February 1999 in Barcelona, hosted by ETSECCP Barcelona which celebrates in 1999 25 years of existence.
The Executive Board and the Chairmen of the WGs met again at ENPC on 29 January 1999 to discuss the terms of reference for the Working groups and to prepare the EUCEET General Assembly.
49 representatives from 19 countries attended the Barcelona General Assembly. It was an excellent opportunity for a broad exchange of views on the goals of the project and of the means of accomplishing them with special emphasis, of course, on the plans for action of the three working groups.
The Working Group A plans to obtain a picture as clear and complete as possible on the Civil Engineering programmes at undergraduate level across Europe.
A survey on the Civil Engineering Education at undergraduate level was conducted, based on a questionnaire which required information on the following topics :
The questionnaire was sent to all universities members of the EUCEET Thematic Network and, through them, to other universities in Europe offering Civil Engineering education. The questionnaire was also distributed to a number of universities from countries not yet eligible for partnership under the SOCRATES-ERASMUS programme.
The analysis of the questionnaire returns will be made by the working group A and discussed in workshops and in the May 2000 General Assembly of EUCEET.
A data base of information collected will be established.
As deliverables, two comprehensive studies will be produced by the working group A:
In Barcelona all three working groups decided to have a second meeting before 31 August 1999, the end of the first contractual year.
The reapplication Form for the second year (1999-2000) of the TNP EUCEET has been submitted to the European Commission in due time, on 30st March 1999.
The consortium enlarged with 7 new academic partners: Technical University of Denmark, Lingby; Tallin Technical University; Riga Technical University; Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice; Warsaw University of Technology; University of Maribor; University of Ljubljana. Also, the Slovak and the Czech Chambers of Civil Engineers joined the consortium. In this way, the total number of partners for activities to take place in the second year became 67, from which 50 Universities, 2 academic associations, 11 professional associations and 5 research centres.
The second General Assembly is planned to take place on 19-20 May 2000.
A very important feature of EUCEET is that 11 professional associations, representing the civil engineering profession from U.K., Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Romania, Czech Republic and Slovakia are also partners in EUCEET.
There is no need to demonstrate the relevance of the participation of professional associations to EUCEET. Representatives of 60 European universities offering civil engineering education, as well as of the two academic associations (of Faculties of Civil Engineering and of civil engineering students) have the possibility of learning about these associations, their goals and accomplishments. The professional associations and in first place the European Council of Civil Engineers - ECCE which groups them at European level, should play a leading role in the activity of the Working Group in charge of the sub-theme ”Demands of the Economic and Professional Environments in Europe in Respect to Civil Engineering Education”. Activities of this Working Group will be launched in May 2000, at the second EUCEET General Assembly. There will be, of course, the prerogative of the Coordinating Board of the Working Group to define the terms of reference, the content and the calendary of these activities. Nevertheless, an International Conference on the ”Challenges to the Civil Engineering Profession in Europe at the Beginning of the New Millenium”, to take place in Romania, July 2001, jointly organised by the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest and the Union of Associations of Civil Engineers of Romania under the auspices of EUCEET and ECCE, could be foreseen as a major objective of this Working Group. The Conference will bring together representatives of the academic world, of the professional associations, of the industry, of the public authorities etc.
The success of the activities undertaken so far in the frame of the SOCRATES Thematic Network Project EUCEET justifies the confidence in the accomplishment of the numerous and generous goals of the project, on which the network is proud to report on the occasion of the ICEE’99.