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UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education (UCEE) 

A Brief History

Over the past few decades and with the introduction of new educational methods, processes, and tools, engineering education has been subject to significant change and expansion. As such, knowing about the latest achievements in the field of engineering education and localizing them, according to the needs and regulations of each nation, is of particular importance. In this regard, the College of Engineering of the University of Tehran, which is known as the cradle of engineering education in the country, has proposed the establishment of an engineering education chair for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Following the meetings held in the UNESCO National Commission, on May 2010, a proposal was sent to UNESCO to establish an engineering education chair at the University of Tehran. The letter of approval for the establishment of the UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education (UCEE) was received on December 2011 (here). On April 2012, the chancellor of Tehran University appointed Dr. Hossein Memarian, professor of the College of Engineering, as the chair-holder. The UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education was officially opened on May 6, 2013, during a ceremony, in the presence of Mrs. Irina Bukova, Director General of UNESCO and the chancellor of the University of  Tehran.

In October 2018, UNESCO has confirmed the activities declared by UCEE for the past 4 years and also renewed the agreement with the University of Tehran for another 4 years (until 2022) (here). Once again, in December 2022, UNESCO reaffirmed the actions and activities of the UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education, and extended the agreement of this chair for another four years, until 2026 (here).

 

Objectives

The chair seeks to develop an integrated plan for research, learning and training, organizing information, and documentation in the engineering education of Iran. It serves as a means of facilitating the collaboration between high-level, internationally recognized researchers and teaching staff in universities and other institutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran and elsewhere in the Arab states, Asia and Pacific, and other regions of the world. The specific objectives of the chair are to:

  • Do research jointly with partners on the quality, relevance, and inclusiveness of engineering education in the country, identifying concerns and proposing remedial actions.
  • Develop research and higher education in engineering education.
  • Collect and nationally disseminate data and information on new international development in engineering education.
  • Help strengthen links and cooperation between higher education institutions and industry.
  • Contribute to designing a national accreditation system for engineering education in cooperation with partners.
  • Cooperate closely with UNESCO on relevant programs and activities.

Scope of Activities

To achieve the above objectives, UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education has focused its activities mainly on three areas of futures study, accreditation, and national and international cooperation.

1. Futures Study   

  • Following up on the global changes in engineering education,
  • Identifying the challenges of engineering education in the country,
  • Presenting an approach for re-evaluation of engineering education programs,
  • Proposing new educational programs and courses,
  • Introducing methods to promote engineering education,
  • Expanding research on engineering education,
  • Disseminating the findings at national and international levels,
  • Raising the world rank of Colleges of Engineering and engineering education in Iran

2. Accreditation

  • Promoting the culture of accreditation and quality assurance,
  • Compiling the criteria, indicators, and standards of accreditation,
  • Proposing methods for the analysis of assessment results,
  • Presenting an approach to monitor the continuous improvement of the quality of education,
  • Suggesting ideas to improve teaching-learning processes,
  • Proposing strategies to improve the assessment of learning outcomes.

3. Cooperation

  • Having active cooperation with the related centers at the national level,
  • Creating effective links with related regional and international centers,
  • Establishing the regional center for engineering education,
  • Joining related world conventions,
  • Promoting the role of industry in engineering education,
  • Presenting educational and consulting services in line with the chair’s objectives,
  • Collaborating in holding workshops, conferences, and seminars.

UCEE Organization

The Organization of the UNESCO Chair on Engineering Education includes:

UCEE Activities

Herein, the activities and research of a four year period (April 2014- April 2018) done by UCEE are summarized:

 

  • Research: Conducting over 50 diverse research projects on different areas of engineering education for the Academy of Science of Iran and various other universities, organizations, and ministries. 
  • Publications: Compiled five volumes of textbooks and more than 60 research papers on “challenges of engineering education” and “educational innovations” nationwide.
  • Accreditation: Design the structure and develop standards and guidelines for accreditation (internal and external assessment) of engineering education programs of Iran and successfully execute them in some universities.
  •  Educational design: Design courses, educational programs, and workshops for engineering education (all for the first time in Iran).

- Design and implement a graduate course on engineering education.

- Design and implement a “Master of Engineering Education” program.

- Design over 20 workshops on different aspects of engineering education.

  • Training: Holding diverse educational workshops and courses on engineering education:

- Hold diverse educational workshops in different educational centers for the professional development of faculty members and teaching-learning skills of teaching assistants (TA).

- Hold 4 days of training courses, to promote faculty members’ professional skills.

- Participate in meetings and execute several lectures and discussion sessions in IR Academy of Science, universities, and related organizations, on different aspects of engineering education.

  • Contribution: Contribute to establishing new societies and centers and actively collaborate with them to promote engineering education in Iran.  

- Iran Society of Engineering Education (ISEE),

- Iran Institute of Accreditation for Engineering Education (IIAEE)

- Center for the Quality Assessment at College of Engineering, University of Tehran.

  • Cooperation: Sign MOUs for cooperation with universities, engineering councils, societies, and related organizations and associations.

- Participate in the international activities of UNESCO in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Switzerland.

-  Participate in activities of the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO.

 

H. Memarian, 2022