Higher Technological Education: The Other Half

Abstract

Early in its life the Council of Engineering Institutions (C.E.I.) set the standard for the academic qualifications of future Chartered Engineers at the level of United Kingdom university degrees in engineering. At that time the Council for National Academic Awards (C.N.A.A.) had not long obtained its charter. In recent years the rapid growth of the numbers of undergraduates on C.N.A.A. courses, i.e. undergraduates outside the university system, has justified the allegation that many members of C.E.I, who believe university degrees provide the only route to a Chartered Engineer status are sadly unaware of the very large advanced further education system. Polytechnics and colleges of technology wishing to establish C.N.A.A. degree courses have a number of hurdles to surmount: the Department of Education and Science, regional advisory councils and local education authorities are all concerned with the approval of courses. The seeking of support from industry for the industrial training part of a sandwich course, the approval of C.E.I. constituent institutions in respect of exemptions and so on are just a few of the additional obstacles to approval. Last, but not least, the C.N.A.A. itself will vigorously examine the proposed degree scheme, following this up by a visit in which the college staff, resources, equipment, teaching, philosophies and general environment come under the microscope.