The concrete objectives of the project are to: 1. Improve the HE engineering studies while creating and developing a widely available and flexible framework of study module MAKEADEMY (O1). 2. Develop the transdisciplinary oriented study materials applicable to a wide range of engineering disciplines, in which engineers are involved in all phases of a product life cycle (O2). 3. Develop the hardware production skills of HE students, essential for the O2 activities' implementation, while creating a prototyping study materials (O3); 4. Make developed study materials (O2&O3) publicly available via Open Educational Resources (OER) & Future Engineers E-Learning Platform (O4). 5. Test & improve created project results while training the first generation of HE students through learning, teaching, training event.
According to the National Academy of Engineering, engineers today work in diverse and diffuse teams, often across time zones and national borders. However, shortly engineers will have an even more diverse environment to work in and more significant humanity's issues to solve than ever before. The project highlights and addresses three main problems: 1. Sense of innovation, critical thinking, and a holistic view are significant capabilities for engineers. 2. In Europe, there is a lack of engineering study programs based on CDIO (conceive-design-implement-operate) methodology, which adds the transdisciplinary approach to the learning practises. 3. The innovative and modern engineering education programs usually have limited availability (e.g. study programs available to a particular HEI or a specific network (e.g. to members of Design Factory Global Network or FabLabs). Therefore, the “Makers Academy: Developing Future Engineer’s Skills” (MAKEADEMY) project addresses the need to supplement the HE engineering study programs with an innovative solution-oriented and widely available program as a platform to recognise and engage with the macro-ethical, adaptive and cross-disciplinary challenges embedded in professional issues.