ECCE Education Task Force
Report on EUCEET II
Prof. Iacint MANOLIU (UAICR)
ECCE Task Force Education Chairman
42nd ECCE meeting, November 11th – 12th, 2005,
Istanbul, Turkey
Content
EUCEET – the origins
EUCEET – partnership
EUCEET – geography
EUCEET and the Bologna Process
EUCEET and ECCE
EUCEET II – main events
EUCEET – the future
EUCEET - the origins
42nd ECCE meeting, November 11th – 12th, 2005,
Istanbul, Turkey
1996
SOCRATES Programme of the European Commission is launched.
ERASMUS – the higher education component of
SOCRATES
promoted a new action: Thematic Networks, aimed to define and develop
a European dimension within a given discipline or others issues of
common interest , through cooperation between university faculties or
departments, academic or professional associations and other partners.
By that time, two TEMPUS Projects coordinated by Technical
University of Civil Engineering Bucharest represented a sound base
for the initiation of a Thematic Networks in civil engineering
education:
Tempus Joint European Project CESNET
(Civil Engineering Schools NETwork )
Tempus Complementary Project CESCOOP
(Civil Engineering Schools COOPeration)
Steps in the foundation of EUCEET
 18 February 1997, Athens: joint CESCOOP-CESNET
meeting - the proposal to create a Thematic Network is
made by Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
 14 July 1997, Barcelona : CESCOOP meeting; the
Thematic Network EUCEET is founded
Founding members of EUCEET :
ENPC Paris
Imperial College London
City University London
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Politecnico di Torino
Instituto Superior Tecnico Lisbon
National Technical University Athens
Technical University Berlin
Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
Coordinator: Marie Ange Cammarota - ENPC
Secretary General of the Steering Committee: Iacint Manoliu - TUCEB
 29-30 September 1997, Cluj-Napoca: joint CESCOOP-CESNET
meeting
First draft of the pre-proposal
Preliminary list of partners from eligible countries
 1st January 1998 Expression of interest sent to Brussels
 March 1998 Brussels invites ENPC to present the Final
Application
 1st April 1998 Final Application is sent to Brussels
 19 October 1998 TN Project EUCEET is approved by the EC
EUCEET I - 1st October 1998-30th September 2001
EUCEET I - dissemination year 1st October 2001-30th
September 2002
EUCEET II - 1st October 2002-31st December 2005
EUCEET – partnership
Partnership
Number of partners
EUCEET I
SOCRATES
CODE
DISS
EUCEET II
1998/
1999
1999/
2000
2000/
2001
2001/
2002
2002/
2003
2003/
2004
2005
EDU.4
43
50
59
66
97
100
101
ASS.1
7
8
13
13
14
14
14
ASS.2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
ASS.3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
RES
5
5
5
5
6
6
6
7
9
9
SER
58
66
80
87
126
131
132
(20)
(24)
(25)
(25)
(29)
(29)
(29)
Total
E
U
C
E
E
T
g
e
o
g
r
a
p
h
y
EUCEET and the Bologna
Process
Bologna process
Events
Signatory Countries
Sorbonne, May 25th 1998
4
Bologna, June 19th 1999
29
Prague, May 19th 2001
33
Berlin, September 19th 2003
40
Bergen, May 29th 2005
45
EUCEET development along the
Bologna Process
PHASE
COINCIDED TO:
EUCEET I
1998-2002
Sorbonne, Bologna, Prague
EUCEET II
2002-2005
Berlin, Bergen
Action lines of the Bologna Process
Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Adoption of a system of easily
readable and comparable degrees
Adoption of a system essentially
based on two cycles
Establishment of a system of credits
Promotion of mobility
Promotion of European co-operation
in quality assurance
Promotion of the European
dimension in higher education
Defined at:
Bologna
7.
8.
9.
Name
Defined at:
Lifelong learning
Higher education institutions and
students
Promoting the attractiveness of the
European Higher Education Area
Prague
10. Doctoral level (third cycle) included in
the Bologna Process
11. The attractiveness of the EHEA and
cooperation with other parts of the
world
Berlin
Bergen
EUCEET I
Six themes:
A. “Curricula in European Civil Engineering Education at Undergraduate Level”
(Iacint Manoliu, TUCEB)
B. “Accreditation and Quality Assessment in Civil Engineering Education”
(J.L.Ferreira Lemos, University of Porto,
Manfred Federau, Engineering College Odense)
C. “Synergies between Universities, Research, Industry and Public Authorities
in the Construction Sector of Europe”
(Laurie Boswell, City University London)
D. “Postgraduate Programmes and Continuing Professional Development in
Civil Engineering Education” (Iacint Manoliu, TUCEB)
E. “Balance and Change in Civil Engineering Education”
(Patrick Holmes, Imperial College London)
F. “Demands of the Economic and Professional Environments in Europe with
Respect to Civil Engineering Education”
(François-Gerard Baron, ECCE, Colin Kerr,Imperial College, London)
EUCEET II
Six themes, 12 Specific Projects (SP)
Theme A: 'Curricula issues and developments in civil engineering‘
(Iacint Manoliu, TUCEB)
SP.1 Studies and recommendations on core curricula for various degree
programmes (Stanislav Majewski,Silezian University of Technology Gliwice)
SP.2 Practical placements as part of the civil engineering curricula
( Antal Lovas,Budapest University of Technology and Economics)
SP.3 Environmental and sustainable development matters in civil engineering
education (Peter Ruge, TU Dresden)
SP.4 Non-technical subjects in civil engineering education
(Xavier Sanchez Vila, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunia Barcelona)
Theme B: 'Development of the teaching environment in civil engineering
education‘
(Eivind Brateland, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim)
SP.5 Problem-oriented, projects-based education in civil engineering
(Manfred Federau, Engineering College Odense)
SP.6 Use of ICT in civil engineering education
(Ralf Reinecke, Munich)
Theme C: 'Promoting the European dimension in civil engineering education’
(Richard Kastner, INSA Lyon)
SP.7 Harmonization of European construction codes and regulations
(Josef Machacek, CTU Prague)
SP.8 Synergies between TN EUCEET and other activities under the Socrates
Erasmus programme. (Richard Kastner, INSA Lyon)
Theme D: 'Enhancing the attractiveness of civil engineering profession‘ (SP. 9)
(Francois Gerard Baron,CNISF and Colin Kerr, Imperial College London)
Theme E: 'Recognition of academic and professional civil engineering
qualifications’(Laurie Boswell, City University London)
SP.10 Specialised knowledge and abilities of graduates of civil engineering
programmes (Laurie Boswell, City University London)
SP.11 Academic and professional recognition and mobility of European civil
engineers (Carsten Ahrens, University of Applied Sciences, Oldemburg)
Theme F: 'Lifelong learning in civil engineering' (SP.12)
(Pericles Latinopoulos, Aristotle University Thessaloniki)
"Action Line 2" of the Bologna Declaration
'Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees, also through
the implementation of the Diploma Supplement, in order to promote European
citizens employability and the international competitiveness of the European higher
education system. Adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles,
undergraduate and graduate. Access to the second cycle shall require successful
completion of first cycle studies, lasting a maximum of three years. The degree
awarded after the first cycle shall be relevant to the European labour market as an
appropriate level of qualification. The second cycle should lead to the master and/
or doctorate degrees as in many European countries.'
EUCEET Position on the Implementation of
the Bologna Declaration in Civil Engineering
Education
At the EUCEET meeting of the Management Committee of
EUCEET II, which took place on 19th September 2003 in Ciudad
Real, was raised for the first time the opportunity of adopting a
position statement on the implementation of the Bologna
Declaration in civil engineering education. The general lines of such
a position statement were defined. A draft was circulated among
the MC members in the months following the Ciudad Real meeting.
At the next Management Committee meeting, held in Paris on
16th February 2004, the following position statement was
adopted with clear majority:
'EUCEET is supporting and encouraging the application of
the idea of two-tier education system in Civil Engineering as
suggested in Bologna Declaration.
The adoption of a system based on two main cycles,
whenever takes place, must take into consideration the
specificity
of
the
civil
engineering
education
and
profession. Civil engineers perform and provide services to
the community with significant implications for public
safety and health.
As a consequence, the first cycle in civil engineering education
shall be relevant to the labor market and shall ensure graduates
with a level of competences tuned to the substantial
responsibilities of the profession. A duration of 4 years (or the
equivalent of 240 ECTS credits) seems to fit that purpose.
A 4-year duration of the first cycle in civil engineering
education is aimed also at facilitating transnational recognition
of degrees and professional mobility of European civil
engineers. In this respect, due consideration has to be given to
the fact that various alliances between engineering
organizations, such as Washington Accord and the Engineers
Mobility Forum, have established that the required academic
component of the qualification of a professional engineer
should be 4 or 5 years full time study in University.
The existing integrated 5-year curricula in civil engineering,
leading straight to a Master's degree, is also compatible with
the letter and spirit of the Bologna Declaration and with the
vision of a European Higher Education Area.'
An additional activity
undertaken by the
Project, which was in
some way a follow-up of
the work carried out
within the Themes A and
D of the first phase, was
to collect and to publish
under a separate
volume [4] a number of
26 reports on civil
engineering education in
26 European countries,
from which 25 countries
partners in EUCEET,
plus Russia.
Shift from the Integrated Programmes to the Two-Tier Programmes
One of the major results of the implementation of the Bologna process in civil engineering education in
Europe is the shift from the integrated programmes to the two-tier programmes.
The solution preferred in most cases is to split the existing 5-year programme by introducing a Bachelor
degree after the first 3 years.
1 Only
at the University of
Architecture, Civil Engineering and
Geodesy, Sofia
2 At certain Technical Universities
3 Only at the Norwegian University of
Science and Technology, Trondhein
4 At certain Technical Universities
5 At certain Universities
1999 – 2000
2003 - 2004
2005 and beyond
EUCEET and ECCE
• Paris, 6-7 June 1997, 25th meeting of the European
Council of Civil Engineers (ECCE)
ECCE and ECCE members are invited to join the network
• Prague, 30 October 1997, 26th ECCE meeting
ECCE decides to participate in EUCEET, along with 6 of its
members:





The Institution of Civil Engineers, UK
The Institution of Engineers of Ireland
Technical Chamber of Greece
Ordem dos Engenheiros, Portugal
Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Cannales y Puertos,
Spain
 The Union of Associations of Civil Engineers of Romania
In the following years, 8 other ECCE members joined the
network:
 Consiglio Nationali degli Ingegneri, Italy
 Cyprus Council of Civil Engineers
 The Czech Chamber of Certified Civil Engineers
and Technicians
 Zentralverband Deutsche Ingenieure
 Association of Finnish Civil Engineers
 Conseil National des Ingenieurs et des
Scientifiques de France
 Slovak Chamber of Civil Engineers
 Polish Union of Civil Engineers
ECCE Task Force Education
EUCEET II reports were included in the agenda of all
ECCE meetings:
37th ECCE meeting, Madrid, 4 – 5 April 2003
38th ECCE meeting, Munich, 19 – 20 September 2003
39th ECCE meeting, Moscow, 21 – 22 May 2004
40th ECCE meeting, Zagreb, 1 – 2 October 2004
41st ECCE meeting, Tallinn, 10 – 11 June 2005
EUCEET II – main
events
EUCEET II 1st General Assembly,
Athens, 20 – 21 February 2003
 77 participants from 24 countries
 Foundation of the Working Groups for
SP.1, SP.2, SP.5, SP.7, SP.9, SP.10
EUCEET II 2nd General Assembly,
Malta, 6 – 7 May 2004
 90 participants from 25 countries
 Foundation of the Working Groups for SP.3,
SP.4, SP.6, SP.8, SP.12
 Foundation of the EUCEET – Tuning Task
Force
EUCEET II 3rd General Assembly,
Paris, 29 – 30 September 2005
 115 participants from 29 countries
EUCEET – the future
Should EUCEET continue as a
Thematic Network within Erasmus 3 ?
Should we build a EUCEET III ?
A favourable response to these questions
was unanimously received at the GA in Paris
Rationale and background of the Thematic
Network
The European Civil Engineering Education and Training (EUCEET) Network was
established in July 1997 in Barcelona, at a meeting of partners involved in Tempus
projects coordinated by the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest,
Romania, and was granted a 3-year contract (1 September 1998-31 August 2001)
within the third round of applications for Thematic Networks under the SOCRATES
programme, followed by a one-year dissemination project (1 October 2001 - 30
September 2002). Another 3 year contract (1 October 2002 - 30 September 2005)
was granted for the Thematic Network Project EUCEET II.
The newly proposed EUCEET III project builds upon the existing network,
and is aimed at consolidating and implementing the results obtained so far and at
getting new and significant results in other areas of interest.
The reasons for developing a new project EUCEET III, within Erasmus 3
Action of the SOCRATES programme, are very strong. Constructions represent the
largest industrial sector in Europe. Civil engineering activities bear the greatest
responsibility for the built environment and for the protection of the natural
environment. On the other hand, civil engineering represents the domain with the
oldest tradition in engineering education across Europe. Ecole Nationale des Ponts
et Chaussees, the coordinating institution for EUCEET I and EUCEET II and the
applicant organization for EUCEET III, was in the year of its foundation - 1747 - the
first civil engineering school in Europe.
There are a number of important things to underline in relation with the
Thematic Network EUCEET. The first and most important feature is, without any
doubt, the representativeness of the network. Many of the most prestigious civil
engineering schools of Europe are active partners in the Network, conferring by
thus weight and credibility to the reports, papers and other outcomes. Then
comes the broadness of the network. Besides the academic world, there is a
marked presence of the professional world. Professional associations, at both
European and national level, research centers, design and construction
companies are members of the network, providing by their presence the
possibility to better validate the results. One can speak of the richness of the
network, reflected in the activities undertaken by a large number of working
groups and in the outputs of great relevance for all stakeholders in the civil
engineering community. It should be also emphasized the uniqueness of the
network, resulting from the fact that there is no major engineering field to be
represented in its entirety in the family of thematic networks, other than the civil
engineering field.
A strong network of proven experience in a field of utmost importance
for the higher education and for the economy of Europe, this represents the
background for the proposed EUCEET III project .
The objectives of the Thematic Network Project
8 themes of major importance are proposed to be tackled during the 3-year
contractual period
a. Implementation of the two-tier study programmes in civil
engineering education across Europe, following the Bologna process
b. Enhancement of the cooperation between civil engineering faculties
in Europe by the development of joint degrees
c. Doctoral programmes – 3rd cycle – and research in civil engineering
faculties
d. Best practice in establishing and running multi-disciplinary
programmes of education, involving civil engineering and other
fields (economy, informatics, architecture, building services,
geosciences, materials science etc)
e. Implementation of the framework for qualifications in civil
engineering based on learning outcomes and competences
f. Approaches to teaching and learning, assessment and performance
in civil engineering education
g. Making the European civil engineering education better known and
more attractive outside Europe
h. Developing a synergy between academic and professional worlds
aimed at recognition of professional qualifications
Partnership composition
Partnership composition of the proposed Thematic Network
Project is characterised by a good representation of both academic and
professional worlds.
As for the size of the partnership, a reduction occurred, as
compared to EUCEET II. From 132 partners from eligible countries in the
3rd and last year of EUCEET II (2004-2005) the number of partners
dropped to 105. This was due to the fact that invitations to join the new
project were sent only to partners of EUCEET II which took an active
part in the works undertaken for the accomplishment of the 12 Specific
Projects and of the reports on lines 1 and 2 of Tuning. Emphasis was,
therefore, put on the quality and not on the quantity.
75 academic institutions expressed their interest in actively
participating in the new Project under Erasmus 3, distributed by
countries as follows: France 5, Greece 5, Spain 5, Poland 5, Romania 5,
United Kingdom 5, Czech Republic 4, Germany 4, Italy 5, Portugal 4,
Belgium 3, Ireland 2, Hungary 2, Slovenia 2, Slovakia 2, Turkey 3,
Denmark 2, Estonia 1, Cyprus 1, Latvia 1, Lithuania 1, Austria 1, Finland
1, Malta 1, Netherlands 1, Iceland 1, Norway 1, Bulgaria 1, Sweden 1.
There are academics partners from 29 eligible countries, out of 31
(25 EU, 3 EEA, 2 accession, 1candidate). Only academic partners from
Luxembourg and Liechtenstein are missing, for the very obvious reason that
there are no universities with civil engineering programmes in the two
countries. A new partner, which could not join so far the network because the
Department of Civil Engineering was just founded, is the University of Cyprus.
From the 75 academic partners, 72 are Universities, 1 is an University of
Applied Sciences (in Germany) and 2 are Technological Educational Institutes
(in
Greece).
In the partnership is also present an academic association: the Association
of European Civil Engineering Faculties (AECEF).
As for the professional world, one has to underline the strong
representation of professional associations, with 20 National Associations
(Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Kingdom) and one trans-european
association : European Council of Civil Engineers. In addition, 4 research
centres (France, Poland, Portugal, Romania) and 4 companies (Germany,
Hungary and Romania) are in the partnership.
Topics for EUCEET III
 Implementation of two-cycles in CEE in Europe following
the Bologna Process
Doctoral studies in CEE
Enhancement of joint degrees in CEE
Best practice in developing multidisciplinary programmes of
education, at first and second cycle degree, involving civil
engineering plus other study fields (economy, informatics,
building services, architecture etc)
The use of ICT in CEE
Professional profiles in CE based on comparable and
compatible learning outcomes
Compatibility among diverse routes to the status of
Professional Civil Engineer
Development of cooperation with other parts of the world in
CEE
“ECEE Forum 2006”
Pan – European Conference on Civil Engineering Education
European Civil Engineering Education Forum is conceived as a Pan-European
Conference, aimed at bringing together for the first time academics and
professionals, for a most serious debate on the present and the future of the civil
engineering education in Europe.
The organization of the Conference represents the main objective of the project.
ECEE Forum 2006 is planned to take place in September 2006 in Bucharest,
Romania. It will be preceeded by two seminars in London and Madrid.
The proposal is submitted by higher education institutions with a leading role in
civil engineering education, among which Ecole Nationale des Ponts et
Chaussées (coordinating institution), Imperial College and City University London,
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya
Barcelona, T.U. Dresden, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Czech T.U. Prague,
Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Technical University of Civil
Engineering Bucharest, together with professional associations such as:
European Council of Civil Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers U.K., Colegio
de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos Madrid.
The target groups of the project are higher education teachers, students,
professional associations, political-decision makers in higher education.
“EUCEET will never end”
Peter Ruge
TU Dresden
23 September 2005