Growing the national innovation system: Leading change at universities for innovative graduate education

This is the fourth paper in the panel session of the National Collaborative Task Force on reshaping professional graduate education in engineering and technology that is more relevant to the needs of industry to ensure a strong U.S. engineering workforce. As the final and integrating paper of the panel session, this paper ties together the three previous papers and focuses on leading change for purposeful action at comprehensive research universities to implement this needed innovation into the mainstream of university operations across the country. The National Collaborative Task Force believes that innovation in engineering education can be accomplished best at the graduate level through a national demonstration project effected by a critical mass of innovative leaders from a strong coalition of universities and industry who are committed to taking purposeful action for reform. The paper presents strategies to overcome systemic and institutional obstacles in implementing this significant transformation at comprehensive research universities across the country. Additionally, the paper builds upon recommendations of the National Academy of Engineering, ASEE, the Kellogg Commission, the Council on Competitiveness, the Council of Graduate Schools, and other calls for reform in engineering education. The National Task Force is playing a key role as change agent for this transformation with industry.