Development of a New Curricula in Energy Engineering at Technical University of Czestochowa, Poland

BIEN, January, DROBNIAK, Stanislaw, NOWAK, Wojciech & SZOPA, Janusz

Technical University of Czestochowa, 42-200 Czestochowa, Dabrowskiego 69, Poland, tel/fax: + 48 34 3 250 933, wnowak@is.pcz.czest.pl

Abstract: An analysis of the education system offered at of the Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Faculties of the Technical University of Czestochowa revealed the urgent need of its restructuring and transformation.
The main aim of the project was to to create and develop of a new interdisciplinary Degree Programme in ENERGY ENGINEERING, which will result from the transformation of existing, uniform five-year Master Degree courses offered by Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Faculties.

Keywords: energy engineering, ECTS, degree programme, mechanical and environmental engineering

1 Background of the project

As it results from our experience the basic function of engineers is to apply scientific knowledge and techniques to solve the problems of society. The educational process in which the engineer is formed accordingly to the different levels in the engineering profession: MSc and BSc should meet actual and future needs. Staff managers from many industrial companies are having difficulty in recruiting graduates of the calibre they required. Planning, design, research, implementing, managing and maintaining projects require a new mix of professional talents and that is why the need for professional engineers with a inter- and multi-disciplinary education needs to be started.

As new, advanced energy conversion technologies and its applications are introduced, it becomes more important to integrate subject areas on a degree course in "Energy Engineering". The assessment and solution of environmental problems requires inputs from a wide range of disciplines including applied science, engineering, business, economics and law. A key challenge in the formulation of associated academic degree programme is the integration of themes of energy engineering (energy-efficient conversion and utilisation technologies) and environmental engineering, technology & management to provide coherent and applications orientated study programmes.

It must be realised however, that the rapid development of modern, advanced technology has led to increased specialisation in the engineering faculties. As a consequence, the most of the engineering students are graduating in a narrow, specific part of engineering. This development is in contrast with the changes in society, industrial and labour market current needs.

An analysis of teaching systems existing in two faculties at the Technical University of Czestochowa (TUCz) has revealed, that the current engineering education system and curricula, now being offered at TU Czestochowa, are:

very tightly constructed,
extremely overloaded, with a very few electives/options,
prescriptive - i.e. there are no elements of student choice as to the courses taken,
"monodisciplinary" - i.e. the similar topic areas/subjects are offered to students in formally separate courses/faculties/departments.

That is why the new strategy - fostering creativity and teaching innovation - in engineering education is being developed: it must (1) gain up-to-date engineering knowledge (2) disseminate this knowledge by the application of the most efficient teaching methods and particularly by international forums and student/staff mobility both within the university, the regional industrial companies and European High Educational Institutions (HEI) as well. This modern ideas on new degree programme (a multi-faceted education, flexible study plans, which are responsive to industrial needs, modular and inter-disciplinary approaches to curriculum development etc.) have recently been applied at the EU Partner Institutions and the related experiences are offered to the current TEMPUS proposal for upgrading the local educational infrastructure. Although the proposal is aimed primarily at the Mechanical Engineering & Environmental Engineering Departments at the TU Czestochowa it should be possible to adopt this programme on other university study programmes.

2 Features of programme

The restructuring of proposed education system is characterised by the following features:

Active participation of the EU partner institutions and local enterprises in consultations regarding current educational system and curricula in Energy & Environmental Engineering Faculties.
Adaptation of the current curricula for the implementation of the proposed interdisciplinary educational model compatible with the curricula and content applied in the EU partner institutions.
Introduction of an internal credit system (based on the ECTS) within new, interdepartmental Degree Programme.
European dimension in Higher Engineering Education achieved by introduction into curricula of the elements concerning EU policy, legislation and industrial standards in Energy and Environmental Engineering.

3 Description of the project

The main aim of the project may be outlined as follows:

* to create and develop of a new interdisciplinary Degree Programme in ENERGY ENGINEERING, which will result from the transformation of existing, uniform five-year Master Degree courses offered by Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Faculties.

3.1 The characteristics of a new study programme

The education system proposed (the structure and contents of curricula as well as grade system) will be quite different from the traditional, existing one. It is supposed to be a flexible, modular but integrated system leading either to the BSc degree (after 3.5 or 4 years of study) or to the MSc 5 year course.

The course will consist of a large number of modules (60 for the MSc and 48 for the BSc). Students are supposed to take a maximum of 12 modules in any one year. In order to ensure that students receive necessary energy engineering knowledge and experience, as well as being able to direct their course of study towards modern contents of the energy engineering field, three categories of modules have been designed, as described below:

compulsory modules, must be taken by all students on the course and ensure that students acquire fundamental "energy-engineering" and environmental management expertise knowledge,
optional modules, chosen by the students from a list, and which are grouped by disciplines, allowing students the opportunity to specialise in a particular field or to follow a broader path (new topic areas may be added as the course develops),
elective modules, chosen by the students from the two faculties of the University, no restriction on choice other than those imposed by time-tabling are placed upon the student; these modules allow students the freedom to develop and broaden their educational base as they wish.

In the first and second years of study 85% of student time will be devoted to compulsory modules - effort being concentrated in these years on the acquisition of applied science and fundamental engineering (mechanical, environmental) knowledge. Thereafter in years three, four and five (MSc only) the proportion of time devoted to compulsory modules reduces to 50% as students specialise in areas of their own choosing. The multi-disciplinary nature of "energy engineering" will be reflected in the course content which combines elements from University's Faulties of Energy/Mechanical and Environmental Engineering - consequential, a number of staff and departments will be involved.

Modules will be grouped by disciplines, allowing students the opportunity to specialise/concentrate in a particular field or to follow a broader path/track. Topic areas to be offered to students within the group of Optional Modules are:

General Energy Studies (Energy Production and Conversion, Vibration and Noise, Fluidies,
Combustion, Heat and Mass Transfer and others)
Energy Research and Development (End-Use Technologies)
Conversion of Various Resources to Energy (Clean Combustion Technologies)
Utilisation and Conversion of Energy with High Efficiency (computer aided methods)
Monitoring and Diagnostics of Energy Technologies (computer aided methods)
Environmental Protection (environmental aspects of combustion, combustion control and monitoring)
Heating Systems, Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Economics and Energy Analysis (energy conservation, energy auditing, energy management systems)

The course will be structured to take students progressively through a series of course components with our control of their course of study relaxing as the course proceeds.

The core curriculum and options or electives reflect a unifying and interdisciplinary view.

The culmination of the process is the major energy engineering study (final individual project) at the fourth (BSc) the fifth (Msc) year of study which is intended to integrate the knowledge and skills gained throughout the course.

Our degree, taking a total energy engineering approach, that builds from a compulsory engineering foundation core and allows students to specialise in particular fields (engineering based or otherwise), will be characterised by the following features:

The study system proposed should be flexible, based on European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), in this concept for all the subjects the coherent system of credit points should be developed. Needless to say the above system should be compatible with the ones used by EU partners and their experiences should be incorporated into this proposal.
A substantial portion of the subjects will be delivered in English to enable an effective exchange of students and staff.
Within the frames of the programme a retraining programme for the staff as well as intensive language courses for students and staff are foreseen.
The exchange programme for students and staff as well as transfer of new management knowledge is also to be expected.

3.2 The main aims of the project and the responsibility of partners

The general characteristics of the project determine the particular aims which are supposed to be achieved by the partner institutions.

All the partners will be responsible for:

development of the detailed contents of the new study systems within the "compulsory", "elective" and "optional" modules which will secure their modern value and professional quality(detailed tasks of particular partners given below),
determination of the subject areas where the transfer of knowledge from EU partners is necessary as well as the development of students and staff exchange that will secure the above mentioned transfer of expertise,
development of new management system based on ECTS points which will comprise full academic recognition and student mobility,
introduction of relevant institutional arrangements for the implementation of the proposed educational model,
supervision of student and staff mobility programmes.

The Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Faculties TUCz will be responsible for

the assessment of the structure and contents of curricula offered within the existing study system,
the choice of the new curricula that will replace the existing ones,
the assessment of the quality of the teaching staff and laboratory equipment that will be incorporated into the new programme,
creation of a list of specialities that will create a contents of the "optional" module of the new study programme , which will reflect the local needs of labour market determined by the representatives of local enterprises,
preparation of a restructured curricula and teaching aids for compulsory modules ( first year of the project ),
preparation during the second year of project of new curricula and teaching aids for the following Optional Modules:
- General Energy Studies,
- Conversion of Various Resources to Energy,
- Monitoring and Diagnostics of Energy Technologies,
- Economics and Energy Analysis,
- Heating Systems, Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality (jointly with KTH and TUHH),
review and updating of the contents of above courses (which will reflect the feedback from students) during the third year of project,
supervision of student and staff mobility programs.

4 Activities

Activities designed to achieve the main aim of our project are concentrated in the following fields:

Management, Monitoring and Review of the Project Programme
Development of New MSc and BSc Degree Courses in Energy Engineering
Development of Credit Transfer System (based on ECTS) and Creation of a New Course Management Structure
Teaching Staff Updating and Exchange
Student Mobility and Exchange Programme/Scheme
Upgrading of Innovative Teaching Methods and Preparation of New Teaching Materials

The defined activities have been closely related to the needs of the TU Cz.

Overview of Activities

In order to achive the main goal of the project, all the partner institutions involved must realize the following actions:

to develop a new BSc and MSc Degree Programme in the ENERGY ENGINEERING based on EU partner institutions educational standards and models;
to adapt the current curricula with a view to making them compatible with the curricula in the EU partner institutions and suitable for local context;
to introduce the relevant institutional arrangements for the implementation of the proposed educational model;
to identify the courses which could be offered to foreign students, including proposals for the training of academic staff in foreign language skills which may be necessary;
to evaluate the practical and academic aspects of introducing the ECTS credit transfer with a view to adapting it to suit the requirements of the local context, and in the future, of international co-operation;
to introduce, in the first step, of an internal credit system (based on the ECTS) within Energy Engineering course provided for the students from Mechanical Engineering and Environmental Engineering Faculties;
to introduce, in the next steps, the student mobility programme between Polish and EU higher education institutions/universities, which will comprise full academic recognition.

5 Impact and perspectives

5.1 Level of impact

The impact in the short term

The staff of the Mechanical and Environmental Engineering faculties recognises the urgency of accelerating progress in energy engineering by organising a new degree programme which is still largely at the "idea" level at Polish universities. Thus, the TEMPUS project has a direct impact on the development of the university, faculty and institute. Although the proposal is aimed primarily at two Faculties at TUCz, Czestochowa, it should be possible to adopt this programme on other university study programmes.

The impact in the long term

Poland has 54 electric generating and heat generating plants. The total capacity is about 28900 MW. In addition to these utility power plants, there are about 230 small electric and industrial generating plants with a total capacity of 3150 MW. In spite of the use of electrofilters, the total particulate emissions from the power industry is estimated at 1-1.2 million tons per year. The emission of SO₂ was 2.8-3 million tons in 1989 i.e. approx. 70% of the country's total emission. The figures for NO_x are 0.6-0.68 million tons (40% to 45% of nation-wide NO_x emission).

In view of the Polish perspective to join the EU, coal power plants will have to adapt themselves to the strict, European limits of pollution. In order to achieve this, the modernisation line of plants using energy from combustion of coal should be prepared. In addition, it should be known which technology is perspective with regard to CO₂ emissions. Germany and Sweden, which have some of the strictest air pollution laws in Europe, have considerable experience in this matter. Based on this experience and years of co-operation with foreign universities it would be possible to establish the mature educational program of an ecological modernisation of energy industry.

The environmental problems arising in Poland are well known and introduction of new courses related to energy engineering is required to develop Polish technologies, whilst improving the environment. In addition, the program can show researchers and engineers from our province and country what can be achieved when advanced clean technologies and modern engineering practice are applied to an energy engineering field.

5.2 Dissemination

The results of our activities are set out in the form of reports and presentations. A special bulletin has been also published for internal communication. The bulletin is distributed to all parties connected with the project. The reports from each activity are presented at a seminar in TUCz, Czestochowa, where organisers, teachers, scientific staff from other Polish higher education institutions as well as local authorities and relevant agencies are asked to discuss the project and suggest priorities for the coming year.

5.3 Perspectives for continuity

We hope to make a continued education course for the Polish university structure after the conclusion of the 3-year TEMPUS program. Also we will propose a course for the Polish professional staff from energy engineering field, public agencies, private enterprises and authorities. If the present project is accepted we can ask for further financial support from other sources in order to run and expand a course in the future. We hope that the newly elected local government will be close advisors, secured through the continued education courses.

6 Conclusions

The main activities proposed within the frames of the project are:

to develop a New BSc and MSc Degree Programme in the ENERGY ENGINEERING based on EU partner institution educational standards and models,
to adapt of the current curricula with a view to making them compatible with the curricula in the EU partner institutions and suitable for local context,
to introduce of relevant institutional arrangements for the implementation of the proposed educational model,
to identify the courses which could be offered to foreign students including proposals for the training of academic staff in foreign language skills which may be necessary,
to evaluate the practical and academic aspects of introducing ECTS credit transfer with a view to adapting it to suit the requirements of the local context, and in the future, of international co-operation,
to introduce, in the first step, of an internal credit system (based on the ECTS) within Energy Engineering course provided for the students from Mechanical and Environmental Engineering Faculties,
to introduce, in the next step, of a credit transfer system, also based on the ECTS, between Polish and EU higher education institutions/universities, which will comprise full academic recognition and student mobility.