Training Elite Specialists in Engineering and Technologies

In 2004 Elite Engineering Education Program (EEEP) was implemented at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), on an urgent demand of industry and society. In 2012 the Program was modernized based on CDIO approach. The EEEP is a multi-level competitive environment which motivates students to acquire deep fundamental and professional knowledge and strive for Engineering Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation.

About 10% of the best first-year students are enrolled in EEEP in parallel with major learning pathway according to the results of entry test. At the end of the 2nd semester 30% of EEEP students are expelled from the program in accordance with their academic rating.

EEEP graduates attain the following learning outcomes: profound fundamental knowledge (Physics, Mathematics, and Economics); professional and foreign language communicative competencies; creative and systems thinking; leadership and team-building qualities; participation in project-oriented activities. The EEEP curriculum has undergone sustainable changes to be in line with innovative and competitive strategies of the industry and society, which are presented in the paper.

The experience of elite engineer training in Russia and abroad is analyzed.

Proceedings of the 9th International CDIO Conference, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 9 – 13, 2013.