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In engineering education, creativity and communication processes have become necessary in complex structures such as technological networks and virtual reality. A new sociotechnical approach describes the engineering profession in aspects other than technology such as tasks, views, organization structures, and cooperation. Describes a sociotechnical, self-similar, creative system that shows such learning processes in undergraduate education, research, and organizational structures. (Author/PVD)

In this paper the relationship between new technologies and structural changes in society and the economy are discussed. The roles of engineers are described within this revolution of information technology. Through comparing the international patterns of engineering studies, the German model of engineering education is being questioned. It becomes evident that only a consecutive model of higher education studies can be the goal of further university development in Germany. Subsequently, system analysis will be used to draft a new campus structure of the university: the virtual campus consisting of a system of largely independent entities that are linked by different technological and organizational means. Further education needs to be integrated into this virtual campus university. In this way, Germany may serve as an example of how countries around the world are challenged to change fundamentally their educational systems in order to respond to the ongoing revolution in information technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]