EVOLUTION TREND OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN THE WORLD AND IN IRAN

The history of engineering education has seen spectacular achievements which indicate evolution of engineering education. Awareness of the historical evolution of engineering education helps to understand its present situation as well as to improve and change engineering education in relevance to new conditions. In this article، major trends in engineering education have been summarized in three approaches. The approach based on engineering practice، the approach based on engineering science، and the approach based on integration of engineering science and practice. History of engineering education in Iran indicates that the first two approaches of engineering education have been regarded in programs of Iranian engineering education، respectively، but a major change is not seen toward approach based on integration of education science and practice. In this article an outlook to the future of engineering education is traced with regard to challenges of the 21st century. Finally، it was concluded that three subject including science (what)، societal and human issues (why)، and engineering (who) should be taken into consideration and they should be integrated in programs of engineering education so that engineering graduates can identify problems and design effective solutions for meeting society needs.