Leaders of tomorrow: APACs most innovative Engineering Schools

30 Jan 2017

If you have a passion for physics and mathematics, a career in engineering could very well be your calling. In the digital age, engineers are the innovators and critical thinkers who solve complex problems and create brand-new products to improve the lives of the general public. While it can be both challenging and exciting, a career in this field harbours a lifetime of learning, as graduates go on to forge successful careers in multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural and multi-site teams.

But in a competitive employment market, students are concerned that their dream job may not be available by the time they graduate. For prospective engineering students however, the market is predicted to grow in the course of the next five years, with more demand for qualified engineering graduates than has ever been seen before.

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Due to increasingly high demand, employers are offering more money to attract the industry’s best and brightest. According to Forbes, the college degrees with the highest starting salaries in 2016 includes various engineering majors, closely followed by computer science and IT. With such positive job prospects, now is the ideal time to pursue a degree within the engineering discipline.

Often perceived as a predominantly male occupation, many potential females feel intimidated by the male-dominated industry, despite heightened demand for women in engineering. So, if you’re an eager young woman with an interest in problem-solving, design and creating new, high-tech products, just know that there are many doors waiting to open as you venture into this field.

To help you get started, here are six of the most innovative engineering schools in the Asia-Pacific region…

DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING, MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY – AUSTRALIA

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Committed to providing students with an outstanding education, the Department of Engineering at Macquarie University provides an integrated, cross-disciplinary programme focusing on software, computer, electronics, telecommunications, mechatronics and mechanical engineering. Students can choose from a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that prepares them for work within their chosen specialisation. Understanding that it takes time to find a specific area of interest, students choose their major specialisation after completing a common first year.

With an emphasis on supported learning, the School has small classes with a high ratio of tutors-to-students, giving everyone a chance to learn, ask questions and demonstrate understanding through practical projects. The Department also has a strong focus on research, concentrating on areas like Telecommunications and Networking, Biomedical Imaging and Sensing, Mechanical Engineering, Optical and Photonics Engineering and Sustainable Power Systems. Dedicated to working with industry in developing technological solutions to address problems relating to society’s health and environment, Macquarie students have the opportunity to work with leaders in their field to create new, powerful technologies for tomorrow’s challenges.

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA (UniSA) – AUSTRALIA

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The University of South Australia (UniSA) provides students with the skills needed to meet the challenges of modern enterprise. The School of Engineering at UniSA incorporates strong theoretical teaching and experiential learning, focussing on real-world experience. A member of the prestigious Australian Technology Network, the School offers a range of professional programmes in mechanical, mechatronic, civil and electrical engineering. Each degree is designed with input from business professionals and industry partners to ensure students are equipped with adequate expertise.

In addition to classroom lectures, students develop skills through placements, industry projects, and fieldwork opportunities, giving them a competitive edge over other potential candidates. Many of our graduates have found employment in international organisations such as BAE Systems as a result of the experience and networking opportunities they gain through this exposure. The multi-million-dollar Future Industries Institute focuses on building knowledge and capacity in core future industries and developing the University’s internationally competitive research edge. With partners such as University College London, the Institute undertakes globally-significant research to solve real-world issues.

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, MONASH UNIVERSITY – AUSTRALIA

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Promising to consistently deliver world-class engineers, the Faculty of Engineering at Monash aims to produce highly-skilled engineers who are also well-rounded people who are ready for professional life, leadership and success. Through its flexible engineering courses, students get to shape their degrees according to what they love the most with the option of combining their studies with other disciplines. On top of this, the Faculty provides internationally-recognised undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that are accredited by a range of professional engineering bodies.

Monash seeks to produce engineers who are leaders , communicators and team players through programmes like the Monash Engineering Leadership Programme, the Work Ready Programme, and the Monash Industry Team Initiative. You’ll also have the chance to pursue hands-on learning and develop your skills with some of the best facilities available, such as the Cave2 Immersive Visualisation Platform, the Monash Wind Tunnel, the leading low speed automotive aerodynamic test facility in Australia, and try one of the world’s most powerful electron microscopes.

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY (HK POLYU) – HONG KONG

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Since 1937, HK POLYU has offered a range of engineering courses, making it one of the institution’s most popular disciplines and focus areas. Establishing the Faculty of Engineering in 1992, the University now has five academic departments that concentrate on areas like Computing, Electrical Engineering, Electronic & Information Engineering, Industrial & Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering.

Within each Department, the Faculty offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that cover several areas including enterprise information systems, information or software technology, internet and multimedia technologies, and many more. The School also boasts an impressive research record, winning several external grants worth more than HK$333 million and publishing over 5,000 journal papers and international conference paper presentations.

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FACULTY, QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (QUT) – AUSTRALIA

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Engineering students at QUT study at one of the largest university faculties in Australia – one with a really strong focus on teaching, research and strategic partnerships within the Engineering industry. Through a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees across six diverse schools, students are guaranteed to find a course to meet the needs of their specific interests. The university believes in developing practical solutions that will impact the real world and that’s exactly what students will be trained in. You’ll also get the chance to specialise and tailor your course specifically to suit your career aspirations.

And with cutting-edge research facilities, students get to work with high-tech equipment and software in laboratories and workshops, instilling them with great hands-on learning experience. The Faculty also boasts longstanding relationships with leading industry partners such as Brisbane Airport Corporation and Boeing Shell, that offer students mentoring experience, internships and site visits.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (SNU) – SOUTH KOREA

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As the role of the engineer becomes more crucial in modern life, the SNU College of Engineering aims to foster a new generation of leaders in global industry and society through its academic programmes. Students choose from a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, including areas such as Architectural, Civil, Urban, and Geosystem, Materials Science and Engineering, and Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering.

Taught by academics who specialise in their own fields and with access to excellent support facilities such as the Engineering House, Sinyang Library, Haedong Japan Technology and Information Centre, students have the chance to apply what they’ve learnt in a practical setting. Aside from its academic curriculum, the College also offers open programmes such as the Advanced Construction Project Management Programme that focuses on training high-ranking managers in areas like industrial technology and global leadership skills.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study international