Since that time, most of those involved in the ERCs have come to recognize that education may actually be the principal means of improving the nation's industrial competitiveness. Many of the centers have Education Committees as part of their management structure. The centers have developed a diversity of innovative programs to leverage the strong aspects of ERC research and education-not only into the engineering schools, but also out into the wider educational environment. This report describes many of these programs and provides an overview of the impact the ERCs are having on engineering education in the United States. Since the mid-1980s, when concerns about U.S. industrial competitiveness became prevalent, it has been widely believed that baccalaureate programs in the nation's engineering schools tend not to produce engineers who can meet the basic needs of industry today.
Most engineering students obtain little practical experience during their education.
ERCs are aimed at producing graduates who excel in these areas where other current graduates fall short. Guidelines for Engineering Research Centers. First, they should link engineering practice to education by exposing students to industrial views and needs. Second, they should involve both undergraduate and graduate students in research. Accordingly, the ERCs encourage students to work in teams by focusing them on engineering systems that require input from different disciplines, such as manufacturing, materials processing, optoelectronics, telecommunications, biomedical systems, etc.-with an awareness of competitiveness and technology development issues.