Learning can take place in a number of ways, in design projects and laboratories, through case studies, internship or co-op projects, hallway conversations, and of course in the classroom and faculty office. New evaluation tools need to be devised to assess the effectiveness of the learning model. A complete understanding of the process, elimination of waste, and the use of continuous improvement measures to strengthen the process are but some of the challenges facing the engineering faculty of the 21st century. In fact all players at the university must become students of the learning process. The faculty needs to learn as much as the students and must develop the skills necessary to motivate, direct and encourage their teams in a manner much like that of an athletic coach.
Engineering is possibly the only profession that is taught largely by non-practitioners.
Greater emphasis must be placed on real industrial experience and practice must be incorporated into the educational program. Industry as one of the major customers should have meaningful involvement in designing the educational experience. A model similar to that of medical schools should be adopted for engineering colleges. All engineering faculty should be encouraged to practice, conduct research and develop facilitating skills within the confines of the college. In fact, engineering colleges should use their facilities and specialized laboratories to become design centers for knowledge based products, processes and systems development.