Summary

Since March 2015 the Faculty of Technology, Innovation and Society (TIS) of The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) is a CDIO member with all its twelve programs: Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Building Engineering, Civil Engineering, Climate and Management, Industrial Design Engineering, Industrial Design Engineering [Open Innovator], Engineering Physics, Mathematics & Applications, and Process & Food Technology. This paper describes the implementation of CDIO at TIS and discusses methods, opportunities and challenges of such a large endeavor. The CDIO standards have been coupled to the faculty and program policy plans, based on a comparison of CDIO and the Dutch/Flemish compulsory NVAO accreditation standards. The self-evaluation process has exposed differences between the programs, which has lead to grouping them in a fast track (already working with CDIO), a drawing board track (implementing CDIO in a future new curriculum design) and a quality track (using CDIO to improve the quality of the current program). Each track has its own needs and challenges, and thus requires a different approach and will show a different speed of adaptation. Other factors also plea for a more customized implementation process. Challenges discussed are the varying level of understanding of CDIO, combining CDIO with educational blueprints such as 4C/ID or design thinking, technical bachelor of applied sciences programs versus engineering ones and the motivational drivers for change on faculty staff member level. Working in a professional CDIO learning community leads to ownership of CDIO. Despite being a top-down decision, the adoption of CDIO in the twelve programs takes place bottom-up, ensuring continuous education improvement.

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