On 13 and 14 March 4TU.CEE visited EPFL and ETH Zürich to exchange ideas on innovations in engineering education. It was a visit well worthwhile. At EPFL we first got introduced to the Swiss education system. Quality education is key at the universities of technology in Switzerland. This is also reflected in the education system. The system is strict. Students at the universities are allowed to re-sit their exams once. If they fail twice for the same subject, they have to leave. Something that is unheard of in the Dutch system. Besides obvious differences, we discovered that we face similar challenges too.
Blog
Topics that were discussed are the discovery learning programme for students that promote interdisciplinary education. Also MOOCs, special apps for students to improve interaction in class and digital testing were on the agenda. Jan van der Veen, Project leader of University Twente has written a 4TU.CEE blog about the visit. Since all experiences did not fit in a single blog, a second blog with additional topics of interest was written by Emiel van Puffelen of Wageningen University.
More information
Would you like to receive more information about how innovation projects at EPFL and ETH Zürich might be beneficial to your educational innovations? Contact your 4TU.CEE representative to find out.
Chantal Brans c.brans@tue.nl
Lisa Gommer: e.m.gommer@utwente.nl
Renate Klaassen: r.g.klaassen@tudelft.nl
Emiel van Puffelen: emiel.vanpuffelen@wur.nl