Continental 'Global Engineering Excellence' Initiative:

Continental 'Global Engineering Excellence' Initiative:

November 13, 2006

    -- Engineering Education Not Keeping Pace With
Challenges 
       of Globalization 
    -- Top Universities in Favor of 'Open Borders' and
Internationalized 
       Study Programs
    -- Unprecedented Study Shows Action Required to
Internationalize 
       Engineering Sciences
    -- Continental AG Expands International Network of
Universities


    HANOVER, Germany, and FRANKFURT, Germany, Nov. 13
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Engineering education that instills
global competence is not keeping pace with the complex and
highly dynamic development process of globalization. Study
programs are not sufficiently international and cross
disciplinary, the mutual recognition of degrees or
curriculum modules is still in its infancy, and a worldwide
accreditation system is nowhere in sight. In addition, there
are many government-imposed barriers that hinder an
international and, at the same time, research-oriented
study program. Furthermore there are still hardly any
cooperative projects between companies and universities
that go beyond a national framework. These are the key
findings of the "Global Engineering Excellence"
study, which was initiated by Continental AG.

    Scientists from the renowned universities Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland; Georgia
Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, U.S.A.; Shanghai Jiao Tong University and
Tsinghua University, China; Escola Politecnica Universidade
da Sao Paulo, Brazil; and the University of Tokyo, Japan,
conducted the study under the leadership of the Technical
University of Darmstadt, Germany. They formulated four key
statements and recommendations for the future education of
engineers, based upon the findings of this unprecedented
study, which was presented on Friday at the Eberbach
Cloister near Frankfurt:

    -- Global competence needs to become a key
qualification of engineering 
       graduates.

    -- Transnational mobility for engineering students,
researchers, and 
       professionals needs to become a priority.

    -- Global engineering excellence depends critically on
a mutual 
       commitment to partnerships, especially those that
link engineering
       education to professional practice.

    -- Research on engineering in a global context is
urgently needed.

    As one of the leading international automotive
suppliers, Continental has for many years promoted
excellence in the education of engineers: "Technology
is our passion. That is why we called the 'Global
Engineering Excellence' initiative to life last year to
examine the prospects for engineers in the era of
globalization, their social position and education, as well
as their impact on the productivity of national economies,
and to then draw conclusions from these findings,"
said Continental Executive Board Chairman Manfred
Wennemer.

    "We encourage our eight partner universities to
develop and set up their own and joint study courses for
the degree of 'Master of Global Engineering' within the
framework of this project. In the future, this could be an
elite title for top engineers with an excellent and, above
all, internationally-oriented education," explained
Continental Human Resources Director Thomas Sattelberger.
"For the practical part of the education, we are not
only opening up Continental's worldwide network, we also
want to win the collaboration of other partners from
industry." He pointed out that Continental is
currently expanding its existing network with
universities.

    For the "Global Engineering Excellence"
universities, Prof. Dr. Ing. Reiner Anderl of the TU
Darmstadt, which heads the study, called it, "an
outstanding milestone on the way to the further development
of engineering education at university level in preparation
for working successfully in international and intercultural
teams." He pointed out that the universities drafted
essential and forward-looking recommendations based upon
the findings of the study: "Credits from suitable
partner universities must be recognized, and the learning
of foreign languages made obligatory. New technologies such
as e-learning and video conference systems must also be used
more extensively, and part-time study courses should be
promoted for students from other countries. Cooperative
ventures with industry could be expanded considerably, for
instance through research collaboration, training projects
and technical internships."

    The universities are also in favor of governments
promoting global engineering education and research, with
funding for university programs and scholarships for
international studies or internships. "Transnational
mobility should be improved by, for instance, removing
barriers, such as restrictive visa policies and work
permits for foreign students while they are studying and
after they receive their degree," said Prof. Anderl.
One possibility, for instance, would be to introduce a
special category of student visa for technical internships
and part-time jobs. "We feel it is essential that
triads develop consisting of universities and industry
together with politics or government, to make active
headway in this topic."

    As European Commissioner responsible for Education, and
himself a trained engineer, Jan Figel, who was guest of
honor at the "Global Engineering Excellence"
event, said on Thursday night that the study was, "an
analysis of the highest quality." He added: "In
my view, it should be required reading for deans of
engineering faculties everywhere," and that,
"engineers are the key to Europe's future in a
globalized world. But, as the study shows, in a globalized
world engineers need skills that go far beyond what is
traditionally considered necessary."

    "Most engineers in this century will work in
integrated global enterprises," explained the
long-serving MIT President Emeritus Prof. Charles Vest, who
recently was nominated as new President of the National
Academy of Engineering in the U.S.A. "The "Global
Engineering Excellence" study provides an ambitious but
practical roadmap for educating 21st century engineers to
work effectively in this context."

    Continental Executive Board Chairman Wennemer pointed
out that within the framework of the "Global
Engineering Excellence" initiative, students at the
eight participating universities would be asked their
opinions regarding the findings and recommendations of the
first study as well as the view they take of their own
education, career opportunities and future prospects on job
markets and social environment. This representative study
will be linked with the Continental Student Survey, which
has already been conducted for some years, and its findings
will be presented in 2007.

    The Continental Corporation is a leading automotive
supplier of brake systems, chassis components, vehicle
electronics, tires and technical elastomers. In 2005 the
corporation realized sales of EUR13.8 billion. At present
it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 85,000.

    For information about the initiative, visit the
websites:

     http://www.global-engineering-excellence.org
     http://www.conti-online.com

    For more information, please contact:

     Hannes Boekhoff
     Head of Press
     Continental AG
     Vahrenwalder Strasse 9, 30165 Hanover/Germany
     Phone: [phone] 
     Fax:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Continental AG