Global Engineering Internship Program
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Continental implemens Recommendations of the "Global Engineering Excellence" Study Continental AG has started implementing the recommendations of the “Global Engineering Excellence” Study (GEE) – the internationally-oriented education of engineers. In the international automotive supplier's “Global Engineering Internship Program” (GEIP), students are working on internationally geared projects. The prospective engineers are supported by high-ranking Continental employees as well as representatives of the GEIP universities. GEIP consists of three parts. Besides an intercultural Workshop lasting several days at one of the Continental locations a several month international internship and an academic program are components of the GEIP. "With this program, we have taken the first step in implementing the theoretical insights we gained together with eight renowned universities in the practical operations of a global corporation. And we are convinced that this program is a highly attractive and impressive addition to Continental's existing training components," said Continental Executive Board Member Heinz-Gerhard Wente. For the ambitious “Global Engineering Excellence” project, in 2005 Continental was able to win over eight renowned universities to study the perspectives and social position of engineers as well as their education and impact on the performance capabilities of economies, and to draw conclusions from these findings. As part of this initiative, the “Global Engineering Excellence” study was called to life. This unprecedented study showed action required in science, industry, and politics to internationalize engineering sciences. According to the findings, the education of engineers with worldwide competency has failed to keep pace with globalization's complex and highly dynamic development processes. Study programs are not sufficiently international and cross disciplinary, the mutual recognition of degrees or curriculum modules is still in its infancy, and a worldwide accreditation system is nowhere in sight. In addition, there are many government-imposed barriers that hinder an international and, at the same time, research-oriented study program. There are still hardly any cooperative projects between companies and universities that go beyond a national framework. According to the recommendations made in the study, industry needs to enter into committed and lasting partnerships with universities as a basis for international programs, offer more positions for high-quality international technical internships or project work and provide funding for international programs. "We are addressing these findings with the “Global Engineering Internship Program,” as global engineering excellence depends critically on a mutual commitment to partnerships, especially those that link engineering education to professional practice," said Wente. Georgia Tech Massachusetts Institute of Technology Escola Politecnica da Universidade de Sao Paulo ETH Zürich Shanghai Jiao Tong University Tsinghua University RWTH Aachen Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey |