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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]

The information and communication technologies of today and tomorrow are characterized by: the Internet and its related technological networks; mobile telecommunication systems; video-based multimedia application for communication and information; and speech recognition/automated speech output. They are developing into embedded systems with invisible PC-free interfaces and into new breeds of robots and Multi-Agent Systems. These systems have started to change the technical and organizational structure of all human-machine-systems and their control tasks. In this paper, some aspects of these changes are described in view of the future roles of engineers within society. The paper is based on the memorandum which was drafted by an international expert group to be presented at the Congress on Information and Communication during the First World Engineers' Convention, 19-21 June 2000, Hannover, Germany. Subsequently this memorandum was discussed and agreed on by the participants of the Congress workshops. These participants were several hundred engineers from all over the world. Their ideas and concepts have been integrated into this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the experiences gained by the engineering undergraduates at the University of Technology in Aachen, Germany through the interdisciplinary, `real-life' study projects or `Studienarbeiten'. Background on the interdisciplinary study projects at Aachen; Some examples of interdisciplinary undergraduate projects; Effectiveness of the project.