Design-Build Experience-based Program in Biomedical Engineering as a practical example of Science for Professions.

Paper in proceeding, 2010

The University of Borås, Sweden, has endeavoured to build a repuration as a university that trains professionals who will contribute to the broader society, hence its motto “Science for Professions”. In keeping with thisambition the school of engineering has carried out a series of Design-Building Experiences (DBE) aimed to promote the development of specific engineering skills and attributes. In addition to subject specific attributes DBE aims at developing personal and interpersonal competences such as effective team work and communication. These generic competences have been selected from the CDIO syllabus. A total of three DBE activities have been implemented in a one-year master program in Biomedical Engineering. The learning outcomes that resulted from the implementation of the teaching-learning activity has been evaluated from the point of view of the students, through a questionnaire. The answers from the students suggest that the activity has reached the intended goal, especially facilitating the development the students’ own personal and professional engineering skills and attributes. The results of this survey also indicate that students were concerned about peer assessment of the activity and its contribution to the final grade of the course. In general the implementation of the DBE was a success and provides us with new knowledge about implementing student centered learning methods in international master programs.