In engineering design, a poorly-designed physical system will never be able to give outstanding performance by adding a sophisticated controller. Similarly, traditional course content, even if delivered by the best teachers in the world, is still just information, a commodity. The problem is not the delivery method; the problem is the content of the delivery.
Engineering content must be broken apart, updated, rebundled with a balance between fundamentals and industry best practice, continuously reevaluated and, most importantly, integrated: mathematics, physics, engineering, and social science/humanities courses should be combined from the beginning so students experience a four-year journey to become an engineer ready to solve problems and make a difference. That content then becomes knowledge that is not a commodity. It is this knowledge that stimulates students and transforms them into critical-thinking problem solvers, resulting in a real competitive advantage in the global economy.
Students go to an engineering college not to study engineering but to become engineers! That requires engineering faculty to mentor their students from day one to experience engineering and how an engineer thinks, works in a team, and communicates, as well as to emulate the attributes of an engineer, i.e., integrity, selflessness, passion, respect for all, professionalism, and an unrelenting desire to solve problems to help people in need. If the student develops a passion for engineering, he/she must take ownership of the challenge to become an engineer. Without ownership, they will remain high school students unprepared for the future.
Add to all this top-heavy administrations at nearly all schools that think the university exists for them, and administrators who never leave their offices to experience the details of education, the bloated salaries of deans and administrators, the under-appreciated and under-compensated staff, and the ever-growing tuition cost. The students and faculty/staff are the university, and the administration exists to serve them and not the university trustees. Now you see why these engineering schools are headed for the cemetery. Diplomas, even from the most elite schools, are becoming less important, as what matters in the real world is who you are now, who others are because of you, and how you will work now with others unselfishly, professionally, and with integrity to solve problems to benefit mankind.
After this indictment of present-day engineering education, do I have any final recommendations? Well, yes, I do, but this advice addresses a wider range of challenges. Take ownership of the problem you face and always act with integrity, courageously, and there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome.
Related:
Colorado’s science and engineering university wants to enroll more Pell students. Here’s how
Kevin Craig is Professor of Engineering at Hofstra University. He was a Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1989-2007) and the Greenheck Endowed Chair in Engineering Design at Marquette University (2008-2014). He is a graduate of Xavier HS in NYC, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and Columbia University.
- Learner agency comes first in AI-driven digital literacy - October 7, 2026
- Authority, responsibility, and accountability for AI in higher ed - October 5, 2026
- Why AI doesn’t replace education—it demands it - October 2, 2026