Developing Internships in Germany for International Engineering Students

Abstract

The globalization of the world's economy is forcing American educational institutions to reexamine standards and priorities and rethink the traditional curriculum.' Competition with Europe and the Far East demands higher standards in mathematics and science instruction, more rigorous recruitment of young people for high-level training in science and technology, and a stronger commitment to research and development. Along with this reaffirmation of the disciplines associated with technological innovation and competitive manufacturing, there is also a clear demand for well-rounded persons with strong intercultural communication skills, i.e., for professionals who speak and write convincingly and possess the skills and flexibility to deal with partners from the entire world. To provide these skills is not a simple matter, however; as a nation we are accustomed to regarding foreign language training as a frill and intercultural expertise as the responsibility of our foreign partners. In order to respond effectively to this aspect of the global challenge, educators who have traditionally been on opposite sides of the campus will have to reexamine their potential for collaboration. Engineers and scientists will have to look to their colleagues in foreign language departments for assistance: language faculty will have to recognize and accept the training of a new generation of international leaders as a major part of their professional mission. Although these new demands might seem overwhelming, the University of Rhode Island has found them to be an opportunity. which has led to a very rewarding cooperation between the German language program and the College of Engineering. With funding from the U.S. Department of Education (FIPSE),2 a five-year International Engineering Program (IEP) has been established which leads simultaneously to the BS degree in one of the engineering disciplines and the BA in German. The high points of this program are a specialized three-year sequence of German language classes for engineering students, a six-month internship with an engineering firm in Germany during the fourth year, and a fif h-year engineering course taught in German by bilingual engineering faculty. Currently there are over seventy-five students exercising this option, which seeks to prepare American-trained engineers for the international marketplace in which they are very likely to practice their profession.3