KING SAUD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

RESEARCH CENTER

Final Research Report No. 50/427

SWOT ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

METHODOLOGY - AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR

IMPROVING ENGINEERING EDUCATION AT

KING SAUD UNIVERSITY

By

Prof. Mohamed M. ElMadany

Jamad II 1428 H May 2007 G

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. 1

LIST OF FIGURES.......................................................................................................... 3

LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... 4

ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 5

ARABIC ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 8

I.1 BACKGROUND................................................................................................... 8

I.2 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TRADITION.................... 10

I.3 THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS ................................................................................... 11

I.4 THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TIMELINE ..................................................... 13

CHAPTER II MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

........................................................................................................................................ 15

II.1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................. 15

II.2 SCENARIOS AND CHALLENGES GUIDING DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLANNING...................................................................................................... 17

II.3 VISION, MISSION, AND CORE VALUES..................................................... 19

II.3.1 Vision............................................................................................................ 19 II.3.2 Mission.......................................................................................................... 20 II.3.3 Core Values................................................................................................... 21 II.3.4 Mission (For Undergraduate Program)......................................................... 21

II.4 DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN .............................................................. 23

II.4.1 Program Goals, Strategies, and Actions ....................................................... 23 II.4.2 Outreach Goals, Strategies, and Actions ...................................................... 34 II.4.3 Capacity Building and Administrative Support............................................ 44 II.4.4 Infrastructure................................................................................................. 47 II.4.5 Research........................................................................................................ 49

II.5 IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT.................................................... 51

II.5.1 Implementation ............................................................................................. 51

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II.5.2 Assessment Philosophy for Undergraduate Program ................................... 52 II.5.3 Implementation Committees......................................................................... 55 II.5.4 Evaluation Tools ........................................................................................... 57

CHAPTER III CONCLUDING REMARKS ................................................................. 59

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 60

APPENDIX A SWOT ANALYSIS ............................................................................... 62

APPENDIX B MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STRATEGIC PLAN FOR

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM................................................................................ 71

3

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig. 1. Components of the strategic plan ............................................................ 16

Fig. A.1 Department Strategic Plan.................................................................... 64

4

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 List of group activities........................................................................ 56

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ABSTRACT

In the 21st century, engineering institutions across the world are facing numerous

challenges both within and outside the academic setting. Many disciplines of

engineering are undergoing rapid and pervasive changes, and many aspects of modern

life are becoming increasingly dependent on emerging technologies and the scientific

framework in which they evolve. The explosion of the computing and communications

industry, access to tremendous amounts of information and computing resources in

research, rapid advances in the fields of nano-technology and bio-technology, expanded

economic competition, urgent public health needs, and a growing global awareness of

environmental deterioration bring new opportunities for varied careers in engineering.

In this report, a “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)”

analysis and the subsequent development of a strategic plan for the Mechanical

Engineering Department at King Saud University are presented. The SWOT analysis is

based on internal self-studies and a number of surveys carried out to determine views of

various constituencies. Strategic goals are developed into strategies and actions to

address weaknesses and threats by effectively leveraging the strengths and

opportunities. An operational plan is developed, which includes specific actions and

success metrics to determine the level of achievement.

6

ARABIC ABSTRACT

آأداة فعالة– والتخطيط االستراتيجي SWOTمنهجية تحليل

لتطوير التعليم الهندسي بجامعة الملك سعود

ملخص

تواجه المؤسسات التعليمية على المستوى العالمي في القرن الحادي والعشرين تحديات عديدة من داخل

دسية تتعرض إلي تغيرات مستمرة وعلي سبيل المثال فإن آثير من التخصصات الهن. وخارج المحيط األآاديمي

التقنيات الناشئة واألطر العلمية على متزايدةظاهر الحياة المعاصرة يعتمد بصورة ، آما أن آثيرا من مومتالحقة

والحصول على آميات ضخمة ، ت الثورة الهائلة في عالم الكمبيوتر وتقنيات االتصاالآان لكل منوقد .المسببة لها

المتالحقة في مجاالت التقنيات المتناهية والتطورات ، ر الحسابية في مجال البحث العلميمن المعلومات والمصاد

والتقنيات الحيوية، والتنافس االقتصادي المتنامي، ومتطلبات الصحة العامة، وآذلك االهتمام ) النانو(في الصغر

. عديدة في مجال الهندسةلمهنالعالمي المتزايد بالحفاظ على البيئة أبلغ األثر في إيجاد فرص جديدة

وما يتتبعه من تطوير SWOTوفي هذا التقرير يتم تقديم تحليل نقاط القوة والضعف والفرص والمخاطر

علي الدراسات الذاتية SWOT ويعتمد تحليل .للخطة االستراتيجية لقسم الهندسة الميكانيكية بجامعة الملك سعود

ر األهداف يتطوقد تم و. لتي تم إجراؤها لتحديد آراء أصحاب العالقة التي تم اتالداخلية وعدد من االستبيانا

االستراتيجية إلى استراتيجيات وأعمال لمعالجة نقاط الضعف والمخاطر من خالل االستفادة من مواطن القوة

م آما تم تطوير خطة عمل تنفيذية تشتمل على أعمال محددة ومقاييس للنجاح للوقوف على مستوى التقد.والفرص

.اإلنجازو

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author would like to thank the Research Center of College of Engineering, King

Saud University for the financial support of this work through the grant number 50/427.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

I.1 BACKGROUND

During the past decade, several important changes have taken place that are

having, and will continue to have dramatic effects on the fundamental demand for

engineers and on their roles in society. Sophisticated and complex technologies have

pervaded our lives at a breathtaking pace, and will play an even larger role in the future.

There are many factors (economical, societal, and technological) in the world today that

will shape the future of engineering education. The knowledge-based industries call for

engineers with the attributes of adaptability, flexibility, and a profound ability to learn. In order

to meet the challenges of the expanding spheres of knowledge, today's engineers need

capabilities that help them to work across geographic and professional boundaries, to

handle ambiguity, to integrate, to innovate, to communicate and cooperate. The levels of

knowledge and skills needed for engineers to prosper are rapidly increasing, making the

engagement in lifelong learning an imperative. Engineering institutions need to

restructure to meet today’s competitive pressure and future challenges. The future role

of engineering demands that social, ethical, and cultural dimensions should be added to

the technical dimension of engineering education, [1-5].

In the 21st century, engineering institutions across the world are facing numerous

challenges both within and outside the academic setting. Many disciplines of

engineering are undergoing rapid and pervasive changes, and many aspects of modern

life are becoming increasingly dependent on emerging technologies and the scientific

9

framework in which they evolve. The explosion of the computing and communications

industry, access to tremendous amounts of information and computing resources in

research, rapid advances in the fields of nano-technology and bio-technology, expanded

economic competition, urgent public health needs, and a growing global awareness of

environmental deterioration bring new opportunities for varied careers in engineering.

The engineering students are expected to continue the expansion of fundamental

knowledge and apply their knowledge to the world. The world of work has become

more interdisciplinary, collaborative, and global. Hence engineering schools of the 21st

century need to produce young engineers who are adaptable and flexible, as well as

technically proficient, [6-12].

Global competitiveness requires that engineering colleges contribute

substantially to the diverse high technology of the different nations. This is to be done

through participation in broad economic development projects, through the intellectual

property development and collaboration and through strong partnerships with industry

which provide both research support and student support.

While the amount of engineering work will steadily increase over the next

decade, there may not be a corresponding increase in jobs in some areas, for example,

manufacturing. This is due to the impact of automation and the competitive

marketplace. Automation continues to improve the productivity of existing engineers,

offsets attrition, and satisfies in some ways the demand for new engineers. Other areas

however, will experience unprecedented growth. In this rapidly changing environment,

a successful engineering program must produce graduates that are adaptable and highly

competitive to succeed in meeting the expectations of modern industry. The programs

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must be particularly responsive to those areas in which the demand for engineers

exceeds the supply. The areas of advanced manufacturing processes, de-regulated

energy systems, advanced transportation systems, manufacturing processes involving

genetically altered organisms, and several others have produced a large, steadily

increasing demand for engineers. The sudden blossoming of information transport has

no historical precedent, so it is difficult to predict its impact on engineering and

engineering education. It is possible that dramatic and far reaching changes may take

place in the entire educational system and engineering profession because of rapid

advances in both computer automation and information transport.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at King Saud University is one of

the oldest mechanical engineering departments in the Kingdom and the Arab Gulf

states; in fact it has been established at the time of founding of the College of

Engineering in 1382 H (1962 G). The mechanical engineering (ME) program has been

designed in accordance with the international standards and criteria of engineering

education to serve the goals of the development plans of the Kingdom in preparing the

graduates to fit in different job sectors within the field of specialization.

I.2 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TRADITION

The challenge for the Mechanical Engineering Department over the next five

years is to provide our various constituencies with high-quality engineering programs

and services. The department strives to build these programs and services on a strong

foundation of academic rigor, internationally recognized applied and basic research, and

effective outreach efforts. The Department insures that the focus of the programs is on

those areas most likely to provide meaningful, productive careers. Accomplishing this

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will require increased effort on the part of the faculty and staff together with an increase

in the Department’s financial and physical resources. Members of the faculty and staff

are up to this challenge and many have already started to implement the needed

changes. As for additional resources, research funds are increasingly easier to obtain.

Better use must be made of our existing resources. New resources must be developed

particularly through relationships with alumni and industry and in new research areas.

The department is experiencing the pressure of a new dynamic era resulting from major

changes in the global marketplace. The faculty members of the Department find

themselves as mechanical engineers, and as educators of future engineers, at a very

exciting period in history as well as an exciting era for the College of Engineering. Both

change and opportunity await the Department. The remainder of this report is a detailed

strategic plan discussing opportunities for capitalizing on Department’s strengths.

Ultimately the goal is to continue and expand the Mechanical Engineering Department

tradition of excellence!

I.3 THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC

PLANNING PROCESS

In September 2006, strategic planning was undertaken in order for the ME

Department to survive and prosper in a dynamic and uncertain world. We seek answers

to: Where are we? Where do we want to be? How do we get there from here? To get

"there" from "here" in a rapidly changing environment, the Mechanical Engineering

Department must have a purpose and clear sense of direction - "a mission." The

Department must have a specific set of mission oriented and mission supported goals, a

set of long-range and short-range quantitatively measurable strategies/objectives, a set

of actions or "tactics" for reaching each strategy/objective, a set of metrics for

12

measuring the progress toward meeting each strategy/objective, and a process for

continuously reviewing, revising and refining the Department’s objectives so that the

department moves steadily towards its goals. These together comprise the Strategic

Plan.

In order for the strategic planning process to be successful, it must have the

support of our constituents. Ordered by level of involvement in the process, these are: 1)

faculty, staff, and administrators; 2) students and employers of our students; and 3)

alumni. The development of the strategic plan allows the participation of all constituent

groups and as many members of each group as possible. The procedure used in

developing this plan is SWOT analysis, given in detail in Appendix A, as well as top-

down, bottom up with iterative refinement. Planning is initiated by the chairman. A

small core composed of representatives from the most affected set of stakeholders, the

faculty, was charged with assembling a draft plan. This core group is the Mechanical

Engineering Department Strategic Planning Committee. Throughout 2006-2007 the core

group sought information for a draft set of undergraduate education goals from a small

number of advisors from the other highly affected constituencies. These constituencies

are: staff, students, employers, and alumni. Each faculty member in the core group was

encouraged to seek advice from members of the other affected groups. The upper

administration provided information and direction for the draft plan. The motivation for

the Mechanical Engineering Department to pursue this type of strategic planning is for

quality improvements of its educational program as well as for seeking accreditation.

The Department defines a set of goals, strategies and actions to accomplish department

level outcome benchmarks. The Department works toward a set of focused priorities by

creating and undertaking the strategies to achieve those priorities. In setting up the

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Department strategic plan, the Department defines its own destiny within the overriding

strategic directions and philosophy of the university and the college.

I.4 THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TIMELINE

Early September 2007, the first draft plan will be disseminated to the entire

constituency. The Department Strategic Planning Committee (DSPC) will continuously

receive, review and incorporate, as deemed appropriate, comments and suggestions via

the Department Strategic Planning web site, and through collecting data using some

other sources. Every year reports of "progress towards goals" will be submitted to the

Chairman. Information from this report will be used to update the department and

program web sites. While this processing is taking place, the Department is refining its

own strategic plan. The College level strategic planning process also continues. The

flow is initially a top down process as described above. The bottom-up, iterative

refinement process occurs implicitly at all levels. The Department Plan is synergistic

with the College Plan. By June 2007, the ME draft plan would be disseminated to the

entire faculty through the department chair for comments, suggestions and discussion.

At that point, distribution to constituents outside the faculty would be still limited to a

small number of advisors. The core group will revise the plan using the information

received from the general faculty. In the fall of 2007, the revised draft will be posted as

a web page and portions will be published in the Mechanical Engineering Newsletter.

An extensive effort will be made to contact all constituent groups for comments and

suggestions. Initial values of the metrics recommended in the draft plan will be refined.

Many of the suggested tactics in the plan will be initiated over the next year. The plan is

still considered tentative. A permanent Strategic Planning and Implementation

14

Committee with constituent membership, terms of service, duties, and responsibilities is

suggested to be established to continue the planning work into the future.

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II.

CHAPTER II

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

STRATEGIC PLAN

Designed for Today with a Foundation for Tomorrow

The Mechanical Engineering Department has a fundamental mission to serve the

nation by providing highly educated graduates, expanding the economy, and being a

source of advanced technology and unbiased advice. In a time of increasing

globalization, the Department will fulfill this mission by becoming a nationally, and

internationally recognized source of scholarship, integrity, and leadership, and by

becoming a preferred destination for students and scholars from throughout the Gulf

region. Our faculty, students, and staff will foster a collaborative and collegial

environment, and partner within the college and across the campus and the nation, with

industry, government and universities. The Department will be a leader in satisfying the

critical needs of society. Its graduates will be known and sought by other’s elite

institutions for their leadership skills, ethical behavior, technical and scientific expertise,

and consideration to society's needs.

II.1 INTRODUCTION

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at King Saud University is the first

Mechanical Engineering departments in the nation. Educators and researchers in the

department over the years have made numerous contributions in all major areas of

mechanical engineering. Graduates of the department have been successful and valued

at national industries, as well as government organizations and institutes of higher

16

learning. The department has a technically strong, motivated faculty, good students, and

active surrounding industries.

This strategic plan is conceived in response to major developments over the last

twenty years and continuing changes in all aspects of mechanical engineering, in an

effort to anticipate future developments and seize new opportunities. Its intent is to

develop long term vision and goals for the Department of Mechanical Engineering, in

order to make it one of the leading engineering departments in the nation. Envisioned is

a department providing excellent education for its students, contributing to science and

technology through a vibrant research program, and enjoying enhanced interactions

with other departments at this and other universities, as well as with local and national

industry.

COMPONENTS OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN STRATEGIC PLAN ……

Vision

Mission

strengths & weaknessesOpportunities & Challenges

Strategic Goals

Strategies and Actions

Implementation and Evaluation

Fig. 1. Components of the strategic plan

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II.2 SCENARIOS AND CHALLENGES GUIDING DEPARTMENT

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Major developments over the last two decades and continuing changes into the

dawn of the 21st century affect scientific, technological, and economical aspects of

mechanical engineering. Among the most notable developments are: the changes of the

industry from technology driven to more economics driven, the growing importance of

scientific, high technology, the changing priorities and attitudes of government

agencies and industry regarding research and development, and the emergence of new

educational technologies.

There is a growing disparity between financial rewards for engineers in areas

such as computers, information systems and communications, and mechanical

engineering. In addition, there has been employment uncertainty, fluctuations in

economic activity related to industry, together with the absence of commitment to

inspiring, ambitious industrial developments. These steer many employees, students,

and future students away from Mechanical Engineering and into the "hot" areas of what

is currently called "high tech."

In terms of both research areas and education, the mechanical engineering

profession has been instrumental in the birth and development of industries such as

nuclear and aerospace, and has been the foundation of broad-based disciplines such as

industrial engineering. The Department has played, and continues to play, a

commanding role in trends that drive change in engineering. While some of these

changes are generic to engineering, such as integration of technologies from different

18

engineering disciplines or the increase in sophistication and knowledge required of

engineers, others carry with them significant impact on society at large.

Today, the synergy of science and technology is producing an era of profound

change. Mechanical Engineering is intrinsic to this change through its impact on

enabling technologies. These technologies include:

Micro- and Nano-technologies. The Microelectromechanical (MEMS) area has

developed over the past 15 years to where it is now a multi-million dollar per year

industry. This growth is expected to accelerate in the coming years. MEMS requires the

solution of many mechanical engineering problems on the micro scale (e.g., micro-

fluidics, micro-scale heat transfer). In addition, effects (e.g., electrostatics) that are not

significant in traditional mechanical engineering systems become very significant in

MEMS. Thus, the basic concepts and formulations of mechanics need to be expanded

for use on the micro-scale. Further, the methods of design and manufacturing used in

traditional ME products may not apply for MEMS (e.g., devices are built up in layers

using semiconductor fabrication methods). These issues are even more amplified at the

nano-scale, where quantum effects may become important.

Cellular and molecular biomechanics. Biomechanics has long been a major

area of activity in ME (e.g., rehabilitation engineering, medical devices, human gait).

However, in recent years cellular and molecular biomechanics have also gained in

importance, and problems of biomechanics at that scale have begun to emerge. These

problems, again, necessitate expansion and further development in the basic continuum

mechanics theories and models that have long been the mainstay of mechanical

engineering.

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Information technology. IT has influenced mechanical engineering in many

significant ways. First computational, rather than analytical, methods in mechanics are

becoming increasingly important (e.g., finite element methods, virtual prototyping).

Second, the availability of distributed information through networks reinforces the

emphasis on collaborative systems design and analysis rather than a more isolated focus

on the various components. Finally, IT provides new opportunities for conveying and

teaching mechanical engineering concepts.

Energy and Environmental issues. The focus in environmental engineering

has shifted from remediation (e.g., wastewater treatment) to design of environmentally

“friendly” products (as defined by societal needs and desires) manufactured in an

environmentally conscious manner. Key principles with which mechanical engineers

must deal are design for the environment, lifecycle design, and sustainable

development.

It is believed that mechanical engineering needs to not only actively participate

in but, more importantly, anticipate the developments in these and other enabling

technologies in order to rapidly internalize them in our research and educational

experiences that we offer to our future engineers.

II.3 VISION, MISSION, AND CORE VALUES

II.3.1 Vision

The vision of the Mechanical Engineering Department is to become the best

choice in the region for all motivated students who wish to pursue mechanical

engineering education.

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II.3.2 Mission

It is the mission of the Mechanical Engineering Department to provide quality

mechanical engineering education and research programs that produce well-educated

professionals for today's global workplace; advance the creation, development, and use

of applied mechanical engineering sciences and technology; stimulate sustainable

economic development; and to enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of the

mechanical engineering profession.

Education- The primary mission of the Department is to provide quality

education for baccalaureate and master degrees. The Department shall provide broad-

based educational programs that address the needs of the student body preparing for

rewarding lifetime of learning and professional service.

Research- The mission of research in the Department is "bringing knowledge to

bear" for the benefit of mankind. The linkage of creativity, design, research and

development, and academic excellence is recognized and fostered by the Department’s

research programs.

Outreach- The Mechanical Engineering Department has an obligation to serve

the Kingdom through technology transfer by making available the results of its research

and extending opportunities for learning to all parts of the nation and the region.

Enhance the honor, integrity, and dignity of the mechanical engineering profession.

Public Service- The Department is dedicated to the support of the profession of

mechanical engineering and the educational and economic development needs of the

community.

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II.3.3 Core Values

The Department is comprised of its students, alumni, staff, faculty, and

employers. We believe that the successes we have are based upon the values at the core

of our behavior. These core values guide our actions:

a) Integrity in all activities.

b) Dedication to quality, a striving for excellence.

c) Innovation in our educational processes.

d) Teamwork to compound individual effort.

e) Respect for each other as individuals, our community, our diversity and our

environment.

f) A concern for safety, particularly in our laboratory based curriculum.

II.3.4 Mission (For Undergraduate Program)

The mission of the Mechanical Engineering Program is to professionally prepare

mechanical engineering graduates who are capable of fulfilling the technological needs

of society and excel in the design and realization of mechanical and thermal systems.

The Mechanical Engineering department believes that this is achieved through

the following Program Goals:

1. Provide the students with world-class education through an academic program that

best reflects the current global needs and requirements of the profession.

22

2. Develop basic abilities in science and mathematics, as well as analytical,

computational, and experimental skills and apply them to formulate and solve

engineering design problems.

3. Produce graduates who have the necessary teamwork and leadership skills to excel

in multidisciplinary team environment.

4. Instill in students an appreciation of the impact of engineering solutions in a global

and societal context, including the broad implications of professional ethics.

Purpose- The Mechanical Engineering Department is composed of people

coordinating financial and physical resources for the purpose of transferring knowledge,

expanding knowledge and preserving knowledge, particularly mechanical engineering

knowledge. The Mechanical Engineering Department at King Saud University is guided

by the principles of openness, integrity, and responsibility.

Creativity- In scientific and engineering activity, and humanistic endeavor.

Guiding Principles- The success of our students will always be the most

important measure of our success, and we will continually work to engage all of our

students in the integration and creation of knowledge through teamwork, instruction,

and research in an active, discovery-based learning environment.

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II.4 DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

II.4.1 Program Goals, Strategies, and Actions

--- What We Teach and Study - Our Instructional Program

Goal 1: Develop a multidisciplinary, systems-oriented mechanical engineering

program grounded in engineering fundamentals.

Strategy 1-A: Provide curricula that accomplish eleven key outcomes in our students.

The Program Outcomes state that students who complete the

Mechanical Engineering program at King Saud University will have:

a. An ability to:

1. Apply knowledge of basic and advanced mathematics including

multivariate calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, and probability

and statistics.

2. Apply knowledge of basic sciences including general chemistry and

calculus-based physics.

3. Apply knowledge of engineering sciences including basic engineering

sciences; mechanics, manufacturing and design; thermo-fluids; dynamics,

vibration and control; and electric circuits and machines and electronics.

4. Work professionally in both thermal and mechanical systems areas,

including the design and realization of such systems

b. An ability to:

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1. Design and perform experiments in mechanical and thermal systems.

2. Conduct experiments in mechanical and thermal systems.

3. Analyze and interpret experimental data.

c. An ability to:

1. Design a system, component or process to meet desired needs.

2. Identify design problem and constraints that include most of the following:

economic, environmental, sustainability, manufacturability, ethical, health

and safety, and social.

3. Generate and explore several alternative concepts.

4. Use analytic tools to help in the design process.

d. An ability to:

1. Function on a team.

2. Function on a multi-disciplinary team.

e. An ability to:

1. Identify an engineering problem from a word statement or observation of a

situation.

2. Formulate or idealize the identified problem as a mathematical model.

25

3. Solve the formulated problem by applying the technical skills gained in

various classes.

f. An understanding of:

1. The importance of professional responsibility regarding product liability.

2. Codes of ethics and their importance.

g. An ability to communicate effectively:

1. Orally

2. Visually

3. In writing

h. A broad education necessary for:

1. Understanding that engineering solutions impact the environment.

2. Understanding that engineering solutions alter the structure of society.

3. Understanding that engineering solutions are affected by limited global

resources and that these resources must be used responsibly.

i. A recognition that:

1. Life-long learning is a necessity as well as a responsibility of every

engineer

2. Familiarity with modern engineering tools is a must for today engineers.

26

j. A knowledge of contemporary issues, including:

1. Economic issues.

2. Technological issues.

k. An ability to:

1. Select appropriate analytic and design tools for engineering problems.

2. Use engineering application software as analysis and engineering design

tools.

3. Utilize a computer as an office tool.

Actions:

• Obtain ABET accreditation.

Strategy 1-B: Assess integrated engineering first and second-year experience and revise

accordingly

Actions:

• Establish working relationships with faculty from Math, Chemistry and

Physics to integrate appropriate materials in the first and second year courses.

• Assess the integrated engineering first and second-year experience and revise

accordingly to ensure that it is responsive to the needs of the Department as

well as to the educational needs of our students.

27

Strategy 1-C: Build a solid mastery of fundamentals in the cornerstone mechanical

engineering disciplines, including solid mechanics, materials

engineering, thermo-fluid systems, mechanical systems, and design.

Actions:

• Strengthen core areas emphasizing basic engineering science, including

experimentation and mathematical modeling of physical processes, as well as

test / theory correlation and design.

• Utilize hands-on labs in courses.

• Build sound applied math foundation and computational skills required for

engineering analysis.

Strategy 1-D: Create a program with a strong systems perspective, emphasizing the

interactions among traditional and emerging relevant disciplines, and

their integration into complex mechanical systems.

Actions:

• Create multidisciplinary research programs in thermo-fluid systems, energy

systems, and mechanical systems.

• Strengthen the energy systems area in order to meet student demand and

anticipated growth in renewable energy utilization and technology.

28

• Add more elements of electrical and computer engineering to the Mechanical

Engineering curriculum in order to address complexities of current and future

mechatronics systems.

Strategy 1-E: Modify the undergraduate curriculum to provide an overview of key

thermal/mechanical systems in order to motivate students and provide a

context for understanding the fundamentals.

Actions:

• Integrate and highlight recent mechanical engineering research advances at all

levels of the curriculum.

• Utilize senior level capstone design courses to develop engineering design

knowledge.

• Combine elements of organization, business, economics, ethics, and regulation

with students' multidisciplinary design experience.

• Develop oral and written communication skills throughout the curriculum.

• Support regional and national contests. This will offer a wide array of student

experiences and opportunities for professional growth, and result in a breadth

of Department experience.

• Introduce current events content into all senior level courses.

29

Strategy 1-F: Encourage the continuous evolution of curricula objectives.

Actions:

• Adapting curricula to meet evolving needs in the Kingdom and the world:

Mechatronics; Bioengineering; MEMS; etc.

• Embed computer usage in the curricula: Modeling, analysis, simulation,

drawing, and design.

• Design curricula that permit graduation of engineers in five resident-years.

• Establish an ABET accredited co-op program.

• Form a committee to study the feasibility of infusing entrepreneurship into the

undergraduate and graduate curricula: Introduce a track in entrepreneurship.

• Explore new educational paradigms: Engineering education research lab.

Strategy 1-G: Assess curricular outcomes and revise accordingly

Actions:

• Use assessment of curricular outcomes (ABET for example) to help guide

modification and continuous improvements.

• Maintain rigorous, balanced, and flexible degree programs with emphasis on

applications and technology

• Adapt some current course offerings to better develop entrepreneurial

leadership skills around a theme of innovation

30

Strategy 1-H: Offer a rich selection of graduate courses covering fundamentals, design,

and systems aspects of Mechanical Engineering. Work in collaboration

with other departments and local industry to ensure our ability to

respond to new technologies and new challenges as they arise.

Actions:

• Continue offering the non-thesis and thesis tracks of the Masters of Science in

Mechanical Engineering program for students who want to pursue research

and development in industry or government, or who want to continue to the

Ph.D. level;

• Increase the collaboration with industry to develop a Systems Engineering

track in the ME program that can be offered through on-campus and distance

learning.

• Develop a Master of Mechanical Engineering (MEng) program to meet

industry needs for practicum-based advanced technological training at the

Masters level.

• Form a committee to study the feasibility of offering six year-program that

culminates in MS degree.

• Study the feasibility of establishing off-campus graduate programs

• Develop a Ph.D. program in Mechanical Engineering.

• Provide professional development opportunities for graduate students.

31

• Increase participation at national/international conferences by providing

matching travel funds.

• Provide high quality graduate education which enhances the undergraduate

program: UG/Grad teaming; Research into UG Class; UG/Grad mix in UG

Class; Projects focused on industry; and International Exposure.

Strategy 1-I: Revitalize engineering education to include experiential hands-on

learning as an integral part of the education process.

Actions:

• Develop state of the art labs with supporting manufacturing and computational

capabilities.

• Collaborate with industry and KACST to create off-campus educational lab

experiences.

• Provide co-op and internship experiences in industry for undergraduate

students.

Strategy 1-J: Expand the educational environment by developing collaborative

relationships with academia, industry, government, and the community.

Actions:

• Encourage faculty to be actively involved in professional activities of industry

and government agencies, and to bring that experience into the curriculum.

32

• Expose students to industry through visiting lecturers, participation in co-ops

and internships, and industry participation in design projects.

• Work with industry and other universities to develop continuing education

programs that meet their needs.

• Collaborate with other universities through such experiences as common

design or research projects, as well as graduate and undergraduate student

exchanges.

• Develop and maintain a close working relationship with government and

industry to assure that the department's programs keep up with the ever-

changing needs and priorities of mechanical engineering.

• Explore interactions with other College of Engineering departments to better

integrate science and technology developments with Mechanical Engineering.

• Enhance current approaches and develop new approaches for technology

transfer to industry, business, and government.

• Understand industry needs and develop solutions for industry problems.

• Establish mechanisms to create student project opportunities with industry and

government.

• Form strategic alliances with other KSU colleges to harvest technological

opportunities in interdisciplinary areas.

33

• Form strategic alliances with other universities and with the private sector for

research partnerships and technology transfer.

Strategy 1-K: Implement state-of-the-art Engineering Education, knowledge and

technology.

Actions:

• Integrate innovative teaching styles in reinvented classrooms.

• Study the feasibility of utilizing distance learning technologies to expand

continuing education.

Strategy 1-L: Develop and adopt appropriate assessment practices to ensure and

enhance educational excellence.

Actions:

• Ensure that assessment involves all stakeholders.

• Carry out assessment at Course, Curriculum and Programmatic level

• Meet or exceed all ABET accreditation requirements.

34

II.4.2 Outreach Goals, Strategies, and Actions

--- Who We Reach

--- How We Promote the Department

--- How We Acquire Grants and Funds

Goal 2: Enhance Outreach

Strategy 2-A: Recruit and Retain high quality and diverse students, faculty, and staff.

Actions:

a. Student Recruitment and Retention

• Recruit high caliber undergraduate and graduate students by utilizing

publications, career fairs, the web, materials packets, media, and other

outreach methods; (50% increase in recruitment).

• Increase the number of research options for students at all levels.

• Attract top Master students who are creative, independent, self motivated and

bright by providing more incentives; (60 students).

• Reduce the Department’s student/faculty ratio to 12/1 by the end of the five

years. This ratio will be required to meet the needs of a balanced

undergraduate teaching program and a strong research program.

• Continue to strengthen the efforts to improve the quality of the student body.

This will be reflected by higher entrance requirements by the Departments.

35

• Improve the advising program, and design and implement programs to

increase, over five years, the retention and graduation rates of students; (30%

increase).

• Enhance the ability of each student to maximize career potentials.

• Assure that graduates demonstrate that Program Goals have been met using

Assessment Rubric.

• Promote professional registration and graduate education; (50% increase).

• Facilitate temporary and permanent employment opportunities: Career

workshops; Co-op

• Encourage and support campus community activity by students: Professional

clubs; Engineering Student Council

• Continue to attract new companies while retaining those who already

interview on campus; (100% increase in number of companies).

b. Faculty Recruitment and Retention.

• Recruit faculty with diverse backgrounds, professional and educational

expertise, and solid competence in Departmental core interest areas, who

can contribute to the Department's systems orientation; (10 faculty

numbers).

36

• Build the Department's strength by ensuring that the faculty is composed of

both accomplished faculty with proven track records and junior faculty with

bright futures; (Expected percentage is 70:30).

• Recruit highly capable junior faculty with proven leadership and research track

records; (5 faculty members).

• Work with College and University Administration in order to advocate faculty

salaries and benefits equivalent to peer institutions in the region.

• Recruit world-class faculty in selected areas to replace retirements; (5 faculty

members).

• Work with College Administration to set up a plan to reward faculty based

partially on department performance.

• Maintain a critical mass of high-quality faculty in key areas.

• Collaborate with the College Administration to find creative ways to fund the

recruitment of senior, established, internationally-renowned faculty.

• Ensure that all faculty are able to work well in a system environment that

relies on collaboration with other individuals, departments, industry,

government, and the community.

• Enhance the professional development and teaching competence of the faculty.

• Provide an atmosphere that attracts and retains high caliber faculty who are

dedicated to teaching as their first priority.

37

• Encourage and support expansion of faculty research which augments

strengths in undergraduate education and forms the basis of the graduate

experience.

• Coordinate with College Administration to secure and allocate funds to faculty

professional development. Encourage more publications, conference

attendance, and participation in professional societies.

• Improve teaching effectiveness by encouraging the use of innovative methods.

• Develop training programs, mentorship, and incentives for the faculty.

c. Staff Recruitment and Retention.

• Recruit high caliber staff by networking and promoting the Department's

accomplishments and culture; (8 staff members).

• Aggressively pursue funding opportunities to provide competitive staff

salaries.

• Recruit staff with diverse backgrounds and professional and educational

experience.

• Provide training and development opportunities to ensure staff growth.

38

Strategic 2-B: Contribute to creating a knowledgeable nation citizenry that understands

the mechanical engineering technology challenges

Actions:

• Form a committee to work with K-12 (high-school) teachers to develop

modules to be used in K-12 education and train K-12 teachers to teach

mechanical systems modules.

• Create distance learning packages for different entities (industry, K-12

schools, government agencies, and other institutions of higher education

foreign and domestic).

• Reach the non-technical public by making public presentations and developing

Web and television modules.

Strategic 2-C: Raise the Department's profile in the professional community.

Actions:

• Inform professional organizations, other departments, government, and

industry of the Department's research and educational accomplishments.

• Establish ties with industry and government agencies by regular visits and

communications.

• Establish a Department Advisory Council, consisting of leaders from a variety

of industries, to provide guidance for the future. Expand the board to include

corporate representation in addition to alumni.

39

Strategic 2-D: Cultivate an active network of involved, supportive alumni.

Actions:

• Maintain a current database with information regarding alumni, their places of

residence, careers, and achievements.

• Continuously inform department alumni of developments in the department:

research and teaching accomplishments and initiatives, faculty and student

achievements.

• Identifying key alumni who may be in a position to help in the department's

development.

• Assess the need to form a "College of Engineering Alumni Society"

Strategic 2-E: Setup a public relations component within the Department that includes

the development of web-based and written publications, marketing

opportunities, and targeted outreach.

Actions:

• Develop and implement a thorough public relations and marketing plan to

promote the Department, enhance recruitment efforts, and facilitate

collaboration with industry.

▪ Produce high quality publications (written, visual, audio, web-based)

that describe strength, accomplishments and development of the

Department.

40

▪ Develop a distinguished invited guests program, and a faculty-

industry exchange program.

• Utilize the Internet and World Wide Web for promotion of the Department,

outreach, linking, and fundraising.

▪ Hire a webmaster who will keep the Department's web page up-to-

date and achieve the goals of the marketing plan.

▪ Utilize the web and identify ways to route Internet users to our web

site.

▪ Establish web links with other academic and industry sites (e.g.,

KACST, KAU, KFUPM, other universities, technical colleges,

ARAMCO, SABIC, etc.)

• Redesign and upgrade the Department newsletter as the sounding board for

activities on and off campus that impact our Department, expand its

publication and coverage. Expand the publication to three mailings a year.

Develop strategies to increase quality of the publication while reducing

production costs.

• Involve faculty, staff, students, and alumni in outreach and marketing of the

Department.

▪ Encourage faculty to be actively involved in professional activities of

industry and government agencies.

▪ Publicize achievements and contributions of faculty.

41

▪ Encourage faculty to make site visits to other universities in order to

make presentations, raise the profile of the Department, establish

connections, recruit students and faculty, and expand perspectives.

▪ Involve teams of faculty, staff, students, and alumni in developing and

delivering promotional and informational presentations to a variety of

audiences.

▪ Promote the active involvement of alumni at all levels.

▪ Encourage faculty, students and staff to interact with professional

societies and organizations.

▪ Increase department participation in national and international

networks of engineering colleges.

▪ Increase community awareness of engineering and technology.

▪ Develop good media relations, archival publications in top

professional journals, and an informative web site.

▪ Encourage student and faculty participation in national and

international conferences

▪ Participate in regional K-12 educational outreach events such as the

College of Engineering Open House.

42

• Expand perception of mechanical engineering education to show how our

systems approach prepares students for numerous future careers within and

outside of Mechanical Engineering areas.

▪ Present to the public, staff, and students an accurate picture of

educational and research activities in the Department and the

contributions of the faculty.

▪ Inform potential and current students and use a network of alumni to

illustrate the wide ranging education Mechanical Engineering

provides, and the rich variety of careers made possible by such

education.

• Develop presentations and materials for student recruitment that illustrate the

uniqueness of mechanical engineering: the complexity, power, beauty and

importance of mechanical/thermal systems, and the multi-disciplinary systems

integration required to design, build and operate them.

• Encourage faculty participation in professional accreditation board activities.

• Reach out to form collaborative relationships with industry locally, nationally,

and internationally, to ensure congruence between academic development and

real-world demands.

▪ Collaborate with industry to increase visibility, support, and

integration of real-world problems into the Department's curriculum.

43

▪ Explore industry opportunities for student recruitment and placement

of Bachelor's, and Master's graduates.

▪ Explore ways to meet industry's need for the ongoing education of its

workforce.

▪ Collaborate with local industry to maximize the benefits made

possible by their proximity to KSU.

Strategic 2-F: Develop a plan and strategies to ensure diversified, secure funding for

the Department's activities and initiatives over the long term.

Actions:

• Seek corporate and government support for educational and research programs

and for the construction of unique research and educational facilities.

• Establish one or more prestigious endowed chairs.

• Explore and work towards the establishment of one or more "Centers of

Excellence" in the Department.

• Motivate existing faculty to increase their funding by writing proposals and

responding to research challenges.

• Encourage and support the expansion of faculty applied research.

• Seek resources to allow the implementation of this strategic plan. Funds will

be required for:

44

▪ Faculty research development grants

▪ Faculty and TA instructional training and development

▪ Publications and materials for student recruitment and Department

promotion

▪ Scholarships and Fellowships to bring top undergraduate and graduate

students to the Department

▪ Student exchanges

▪ Staff training and development

▪ Innovative, state-of-the-art research projects for bright students

▪ Hands-on labs in courses

▪ New test facilities and upgraded labs and equipment

II.4.3 Capacity Building and Administrative Support

Goal 3: Provide Excellent Capacity Building

Strategies/Actions

5. Student Development.

• Encourage student teamwork in a collaborative and supportive atmosphere.

• Involve students in department planning.

45

• Create an instructional and educational development program for teaching

assistants to improve TA contribution to departmental courses.

• As part of training engineering instructors of the future, provide opportunities

for Master students to gain educational experience and develop instructional

skill (through teaching workshops, mentoring, and instructional participation).

• Involve senior students, alumni, and other volunteers in mentoring and

training students.

6. Faculty Development.

• Develop an exemplary, world-renowned faculty capable of innovative

teaching and state-of-the-art research.

• Ensure that faculty have broad interdisciplinary interests and strength in

departmental core areas.

• Diversify faculty to incorporate individuals with different backgrounds,

research interests, teaching interests, experience, expertise, and styles.

• Invest in faculty development through mentoring of junior faculty,

encouragement of instructional development, interdisciplinary collaboration,

regulation of teaching loads, and support for short courses, travel, and ventures

into promising areas of research or development of innovative courses.

• Train faculty in best practices for teaching, grant writing, and grant monitoring

46

• Provide resources for faculty instructional development through training,

constructive peer review processes, and incorporation of new educational

technologies.

• Recognize faculty editorial and organizational contributions to professional

journals, national conferences, and professional committees and panels.

• Emphasize excellence in research, scholarship, and teaching in the reward

system for faculty.

7. Staff Development.

• Create a supportive environment that continues the Department's tradition of

long-term staff retention.

• Reclassify and increase staff salaries.

• Devote resources to staff training and development.

• Involve staff in department planning.

47

II.4.4 Infrastructure

Goal 4: Renovate and modernize the department's facilities to support the

department's mission and goals.

Strategy 4-A: Effectively manage the available and the extra Department’s space,

available from the move of College of Architecture and Planning, and

College of Computer Science and Information (A&P+CS&I Colleges),

for learning, living, and work.

Actions:

• Allocate an additional space for the new Center of Excellence for Engineering

Materials (CEREM), including space for administration and new laboratories.

• Allocate additional spaces for the expected centers of excellence and Research

Chairs.

• Provide enough space for departmental library.

• Establish one major PC computing cluster of 60 PC in the Department.

• Establish a hobbyist workshop to encourage students to perform

hardware and practical engineering implementations.

• Create flexible, high quality accessible spaces for learning, living, and

working that address the changing needs of the Department.

• Build on the opportunities offered through Department-related corporations,

strategic collaborations, and partnerships in the growth of state-of-the-art

48

research facilities that are a “bridge” between industry and the academic

environment.

• Establish student spaces to provide students with facilities that are conducive

to quality learning and social interaction.

▪ Develop leading research laboratories to support pioneering research

and state-of-the-art education.

▪ Utilize existing test facilities in the department and invest in the

development of new test facilities as needed.

▪ Develop electro-mechanical systems design and development facilities

and the manufacturing capabilities to support them.

Strategy 4-B: Provide the necessary space and facilities for innovative research and

instruction in the Department.

Actions:

• Develop a comprehensive space inventory and plan.

• Provide display/presentation systems for all Department’s classes and Internet

access for all students by 2012.

• Provide access to instructional software applications, and library from

classrooms, and remote locations with broadband Internet access by 2012

• Provide adequate support for development and delivery of 10 Internet-

delivered courses by 2010

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II.4.5 Research

Goal 5: Foster innovation in mechanical engineering research and practice

Strategy 5-A: Increase interdisciplinary research

Actions:

• Leverage our disciplinary and signature area strengths to grow new thrust

areas.

• Actively cultivate collaborations between faculty colleagues from different

engineering disciplines.

• Seek out technical expertise within other academic areas at KSU.

• Leverage intellectual and infrastructural resources provided by large-scale

research facilities such as in CEREM (Center of Excellence in Research in

Engineering Materials).

Strategy 5-B: Expand the research enterprise

Actions:

• Develop strategic relationships with KACST, government, research

institutions, and key corporate and foundation partners

• Regular visits to industry to discuss new developments, accomplishments, and

new ideas

50

• Develop invited guests seminar program and establish faculty-industry

experience exchange program to flourish faculty/industry interaction

• Establish a committee to market faculty research ideas to the community and

industry and to highlight faculty research accomplishments and college

research capabilities

• Encourage and support research works that cover the long term needs of

industry and society

• Invest in strategic growth areas where there is broad disciplinary and

interdisciplinary strength

• Maintain continuous relationship with key graduates working in leading

companies.

Strategy 5-C: Support the creative discovery process

Actions:

• Provide seed funding for interesting new research concepts

• Assist faculty in assembling strong intellectual property portfolios

• Acquire entrepreneurial knowledge and ability

• Encourage funded research by increasing faculty compensation

• Develop a high performance computing center with advanced simulation,

analysis, and visualization capability

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• Reward faculty initiative and innovation.

• Increase number of graduate students scholarships by 50% annually

Strategy 5-D: Foster an environment that is renowned for encouraging leadership in

research and that rewards all discovery activities

Actions:

• Eliminate institutional barriers

• Develop responsive administrative systems and processes

• Identify opportunities to draw on our strengths and leverage resources.

• Encourage and facilitate the generation of new patents and licenses by faculty.

II.5 IMPLEMENTATION AND ASSESSMENT

II.5.1 Implementation

Implementation of this strategic plan depends on active involvement of faculty,

staff, students, and alumni, the availability of necessary resources, and support from the

college and the university. In this process, there will be continuous assessment of

evolving needs as well as development of feedback mechanisms and metrics to evaluate

progress toward achieving plan objectives.

52

The department will develop mechanisms for providing feedback information at

two levels:

a. Assessment of implementation of the current plan and progress toward stated

goals; and

b. Continuous evaluation of driving forces, developments, and changes in the

dynamically evolving mechanical engineering field. New needs and emerging

opportunities will require continual review and refinement of the goals and

priorities of this dynamic strategic plan.

Assessment updates and any significant developments in Mechanical

Engineering and related areas will be discussed by the faculty and integrated into the

Department's work on an ongoing basis.

II.5.2 Assessment Philosophy for Undergraduate Program

Mechanical Engineering Department’s assessment plan is linked with the ABET

Criteria 2000 assessment rubric. Our assessment plan addresses expected student

learning outcomes as measured in classroom activities and in subsequent performance.

We will use an outcomes based assessment process, and incorporate a formal

continuous quality improvement mechanism with the assessment efforts in the College.

We will:

• Ensure faculty commitment to assessment.

• Ensure resources to support the Department Assessment Plan (DAP).

53

• The Department is moving toward an outcomes based assessment process, and

toward incorporating a formal continuous quality improvement mechanism

into the assessment efforts in the College as a whole.

Key Program Metrics

Programs

1. Obtaining ABET accreditation;

2. Number of joint and interdisciplinary programs;

3. Educational innovation;

4. Growth in lifelong learning and technology-enhanced learning programs;

5. Graduate admission to graduate programs in other high ranking institutions;

6. Proportion of graduating MSs placed in academic positions;

7. Participation in experiential learning, professional practice, enrichment, and

service programs.

Students

1. Graduation rates;

2. Time to graduation;

3. Retention and persistence;

4. Number of students going-on to graduate programs;

5. Number of students immediately employed in their field;

6. Students awards and distinctions;

7. Average time to MS completion;

8. Ratio of graduating MSs to faculty

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Faculty and Staff

1. Professional and scientific impact;

2. Growth in endowed professorships;

3. Growth in industry chairs;

4. Faculty and staff awards, distinctions, and major accomplishments;

5. Average faculty salaries by rank as compared to peer institutions in the region;

6. Student-to-faculty and staff-to-faculty ratios;

7. Number of published papers per faculty;

Research

1. Growth in research proposal activity, awards, and expenditures;

2. Research proposal activity, awards, and expenditures per faculty;

3. Number and funding level of sponsored technical centers, centers of excellence,

and major interdisciplinary research centers;

4. Level of involvement in Science Park (KASAB) and other University-wide

research initiatives;

5. Number of patents and intellectual property licenses issued;

Outreach (Engagement)

1. Number and scope of strategic partnerships;

2. Participation in Engineering-sponsored technical, pre-college, and alumni

outreach activities;

3. Number and impact of new commercial ventures initiated by faculty, staff, and

students;

4. Number of placements of engineering news in national media;

55

5. Growth in participation of alumni and industry in establishing endowed and

industry chairs as well as sponsored labs;

6. Impact of ME website in attracting and recruiting high quality students, faculty,

and staff.

Facilities

1. Assignable square meter by discipline and function;

2. Number and type of unique equipment-based or facilities-based capabilities;

3. Elapsed time from need identification to acquisition of new or interim space;

4. Ratio of space available to projected need;

5. Number of classrooms equipped with projectors and chalk-free boards;

6. Number of new dedicated personal communication presentation skills rooms

equipped with advanced audio-visual facilities;

7. Number of additional PC labs.

II.5.3 Implementation Committees

Faculty, staff, and students will guide implementation of this strategic plan

through the following committees and steering groups, Table 2.1

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Table 2.1 List of group activities

Education

Curriculum Assessment Committee (CAC)Examines all aspects of the program and

prepares it for accreditation

Academic Committee (AC) Oversees all aspects of the undergraduate

and graduate programs, including outreach

Research Thrust Steering Group

Thermo-fluid Systems Group (TSG)

Plans and coordinates development of

research and education programs in the

thermo-fluid systems area.

Mechanical Systems Group (MSG)

Plans and coordinates development of

research and education programs in the

mechanical systems area.

Infrastructure and Capacity Building

Computer Resources Committee (CRC)

Oversees maintenance and development of

all computer systems in the Department

for education, research, and Department's

operation.

Facilities Infrastructure Committee (FIC)

Envision and lead the renovation of the

educational labs, instructional classrooms,

research labs, and the optimized use of

shop space for student machining.

Strategic Growth and Development

Strategic Planning Committee (SPC)

Oversees implementation and ongoing

evaluation of the Department's Strategic

Plan.

57

II.5.4 Evaluation Tools

The Department will utilize the following tools to evaluate progress toward

achieving our educational mission. Each committee will select the appropriate measures

for its area of responsibility:

1. Student admission applications (quality and number);

2. Enrolled students (quality and number);

3. Pace and scope of new curriculum development

4. Faculty/student interaction (mentoring, advising, supervision)

5. Quality of educational facilities (computers, labs, student study areas)

6. Exit surveys; Alumni surveys (1, 3, and 5 years); and Employer surveys

7. Student interview

8. Student teaching evaluations and peer teaching reviews

9. Graduate placement and job distribution

10. Graduate admission to graduate programs in other high ranking institutions

11. Student participation in research

12. Faculty participation in teaching workshops

13. Faculty published work on educational issues (papers, books)

14. National and international recognition of educational contributions (awards,

invited talks, papers, quotations)

15. Interaction with other departments and other institutions (quality, frequency)

16. ABET Visiting Committee feedback

17. Publications (papers/books) and Citations

18. Grants and fundraising success

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19. Facilities (scope, quality, uniqueness)

20. Student outcomes

21. Awards and honors

22. Patents

23. Professional and scientific impact (effect on industry, effect on other

researchers)

24. Conference and workshop participation

25. Invited talks

26. Consulting opportunities

27. Service and leadership in professional societies (conference organization,

technical committees, advisory committees, editorial positions)

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III.

CHAPTER III

CONCLUDING REMARKS

A recent SWOT analysis and the subsequent development of a strategic plan for the

Mechanical Engineering Department have been presented. The SWOT analysis was

based on internal self-studies and a number of surveys carried out to determine views

of various constituencies.

The aim of setting a strategic planning for ME Department is to devise a continuing

process to determine the best way to be followed to move from the Department present

to a future state to achieve results and targeted goals, considering the expected

changing conditions, whether possible opportunities or challenges.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) has developed its strategic plan for

the purpose of guiding the Department over the next five years. The strategic plan is a

clearly written document of where we are today, our strengths and weaknesses,

specific goals of where we want to be in 2012, a clear roadmap of specific actions that

need to be taken in order to achieve those goals, and criteria to measure the

achievements.

60

REFERENCES

[1] S. K. Deb; and P. B. Barua; "Strategic Operational Model for Higher Educational Institutions Under Changing Environment", Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. XIII, pp. 12-18, April, 2005.

[2] B. C. Blake-Coleman, "The Development of Higher Education for Engineering in The 21st Century", Measurement and Control Journal, Vol. 28, pp. 143-145, June 1995.

[3] Wayne Clough, "The Future of Engineering Education", Available http://www.gtalumni.org/news/magazine/win00/future.html

[4] M. Porter, Competitive Advantage, The Free Press, New York, 1985.

[5] M. M. ElMadany, "Engineering Education in the New Century", ICEET-2-1013, In Proceedings, 2007, Conference on Engineering Education and Training, April 9-11, 2007, Kuwait.

[6] Bob Whelan, "Bridging the Innovation Gap- a You Can’t Ignore”, Measurement and Control Journal, Vol. 28, p. 146, June 1995.

[7] J. D. Kuehler, "Setting an Example for the Class of 2000", Journal of Mechanical Engineering, pp. 56-57, February 1992.

[8] Nathan H. Hurt, "Engineering as Exploration", Journal of Mechanical Engineering, p. 57, February 1992.

[9] Ben Erwin, Technology, Engineering and Education, Available http://www.cisp.org/ imp/july_2000/

[10] A. K. Mazher, "An Integrated Approach to Unify the Technical Dimension of Engineering Education", AIAA paper 2002- 1053, 40th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit, 14-17 Jan 2002, Reno, Nevada.

[11] A. K. Mazher, "The Social Dimension of Engineering Education", In Proceedings, 2003, The American Society for Engineering Education, ASEE Annual Conference, 22-25 June 2003, Nashville, Tennessee.

[12] A. Rugarcia; R. M. Felder; D. R. Woods; and J. E. Stice, “The Future of Engineering Education: A Vision for a New Century”, Chemical Engineering Education, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 16-25, 2000.

[13] J. Wei, “Engineering Education for a Postindustrial World”, Technology in Society, Vol. 27, pp. 123-132, 2005.

[14] A. Haddad and L. Khezzar , "Effective Methods and Emerging Trends in Engineering Education", In Proceedings, 2006, International Conference for Engineering Education, ICEE, Paper No.42, Qassim University, March 2006.

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[15] College of Engineering Strategic Plan 1999, University of Texas at Austin.

[16] College of Engineering Science, Strategic Goals, Clemson University.

[17] The Strategic Plan for the College of Engineering, North Carolina State University.

[18] The College of Engineering, Oregon State University 2000-2001 Strategic Plan.

[19] The Strategic Plan, College of Engineering, New Mexico State University, October 2000.

62

APPENDIX A

SWOT ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION

The external environment has a profound impact on educational institutions.

During the last two decades educational institutions, economy, society, and even

individual lifestyles are poised for new changes. A recent shift from an industrial to an

information-based society and from a manufacturing to a service-oriented economy has

significantly impacted the demands made on engineering program offerings. Existing

programs, and those planned for the future, should be based on a careful consideration

of future trends in society. Engineering institution administrators should become

initiators in shaping the future of their institutions. Strategies must be developed to

ensure that institutions will be responsible to the needs of the people in the new

millennium. In order to do so, it requires, among other things, an examination of not

only the individual college environment but also the external environment.

In order to formulate Mechanical Engineering educational strategy, as well as

operations strategy, a through analysis should be made about the internal and external

environment. The different conditions that influence the external environment are (i)

economic, (ii) social, (iii) technological, and (iv) employment. An analysis of the

internal environment of the institute (department) helps to identify the strengths and

weaknesses of the existing operations. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and

Threats (SWOT) analysis is used here to examine the department's internal strengths

and weaknesses, and its environments, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT analysis is

a general tool designed to be used in the preliminary stages of decision-making and as a

63

precursor to strategic planning in various kinds of applications. When correctly applied,

it is possible for the Mechanical Engineering Department to get an overall picture of its

present situation in relation to its community, other departments, and the industries its

graduates will join. An understanding of the external factors, comprised of threats and

opportunities, coupled with an internal examination of strengths and weaknesses assists

in forming a vision of the future. Such foresight would translate to initiating competent

programs or replacing redundant, irrelevant programs with innovative and relevant ones.

Strength and weaknesses of the Department need not be taken as static or

constants. The SWOT analysis forms the basis for strategy formulation. The operations

strategy overcomes weaknesses and builds on existing strengths. It specifies how the

Department will employ its educational capabilities to support its strategy.

The Mechanical Engineering Department at King Saud University has recently

carried out a series of surveys (e.g., employers, graduating senior students, alumni and

faculty members) to obtain feedback of its constituencies on some key issues related to

its ME programs, facilities, and policies. These survey results are used to develop a

detailed SWOT analysis for the department, students, faculty, and facilities; Figure A.1.

Currently, an operational plan for the college is being developed to identify strategic

goals and strategies to achieve those goals. The purpose of this Appendix is to use

SWOT analysis to analyze the current status of Mechanical Engineering Department.

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COLLEGE VISION, MISSION, AND GOALS

Core Values and Guiding Principles

College Strategic Plan

FacultyFaculty

StudentsStudents

StaffStaff

Graduating Students Surveys

Graduating Students Surveys

Faculty SurveyFaculty Survey

Alumni SurveyAlumni Survey

Employer Survey

Employer Survey

ABET Evaluation Report, 1986

ABET Evaluation Report, 1986

SWOT AnalysisSWOT Analysis FacultyFaculty

Strategic GoalsStrategic Goals

FacultyFaculty

Department Vision and Mission

Department Vision and Mission

Department Strategic PlanDepartment

Strategic Plan

Fig. A.1 Department Strategic Plan

SWOT PROCESS

The main purpose of SWOT analysis is to complement the strategic planning

activities, and to help in establishing strategic objectives. A detailed SWOT analysis has

been conducted by taking the following inputs into consideration:

1. Employer Survey

2. Exit Survey for graduating students

3. Faculty Survey

4. Alumni Survey

5. ABET evaluation (1986)

6. Strategic Planning Committee Report

7. Lab Committee Report

8. Senior Design Project Committee Report

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9. Senior Students Interview

10. Strategic and Operational Plans of various Universities and Colleges (e.g.,

University of British Columbia, University of Texas at Austin)

In carrying out the SWOT analysis, a balanced approach has been adopted so

that the views of all constituencies are included. The assessment of strengths and

weaknesses are facilitated through surveys, focus groups, anecdotal evidences provided

by individual faculty and administrators. It is recognized that different perceptions may

exist depending on the representative group consulted. Therefore, considerable effort

has been spent to reconfirm the identified strengths and weaknesses. The external look

to identify opportunities and threats is considered complimentary to the internal self-

study in the SWOT analysis. National and regional influences and concerns are of

paramount importance when deciding about the strategies and actions to address the

weaknesses. Furthermore, any strategic planning should also address the local and

regional threats. Though no formal survey has been conducted to identify the

opportunities and threats, extensive consultations with knowledgeable people, review of

local, regional and international developments, and a thorough review of existing

literature on engineering education lead to the identification of the most relevant

opportunities and threats.

SWOT Analysis

A list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the COE is

presented next.

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Strengths

1) Balance between young, dynamic faculty, and old, experienced faculty

2) High quality faculty with excellent international academic and diversified

background

3) Curricula that have the following:

a. Strong engineering science components

b. Availability of in-depth technical senior level courses

c. A well structured laboratory experience

4) Reasonably equipped laboratory, library and IT facilities

5) Emphasis on summer training experiences

6) Proximity to many governmental agencies and research centers such as KACST

7) Proximity to other colleges within the KSU campus and ability of COE faculty

to do interdisciplinary research in various areas

8) Location in the city of Riyadh the capital of Saudi Arabia; with a population

above four million

Weaknesses (Concerns)

1) Deficiencies in certain outcomes in graduating students

a. Communication skills

b. Design/real world applications

c. Contemporary technical and economic issues

d. Engineering profession and ethics

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e. Impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context

f. Teamwork and leadership skills

2) Quality and quantity of current students (Undergraduate and Graduate)

a. The lack of motivation to excel

b. The culture of being “spoon-fed”

c. Inadequate English language preparation

d. Inadequate training in critical or analytical thinking

e. Lack of problem-solving skills

f. Insufficient number of full-time graduate students

g. Large number of admitted students with students/faculty ratio

approaching 25/1

3) Inappropriate mode of teaching

a. Spoon-feeding

b. Lack of active learning

c. Inadequate classroom assessment

4) Late exposure to engineering coursework. Students start taking engineering

courses in the fourth semester

5) Inadequate capstone senior project experience

6) Absence of industrial participation in the curriculum

7) Absence of student placement office

8) Large proportion of faculty with limited professional and industrial experience

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9) Inadequate tenure and reward systems

a. Existence of an automatic tenure for nationals

b. Absence of a tenure system for non-nationals

c. Inadequate merit based incentives for promoting excellence

10) Inadequate and insufficient faculty development plan for nationals

11) Absence of non-national faculty development opportunities

12) Lack of good quality of secretarial and administrative support staff

13) Insufficient number of skilled, self-learning technicians

14) Insufficient number of qualified, self-motivated teaching and research assistants

15) Low research budget and funds

16) Lack of an effective college-industry communication

17) Weak relationship between the College and alumni

18) Lack of joint/interdisciplinary research projects between college departments

19) Weak communication between research groups on the college level

20) Low research projects/faculty ratio

21) Lack of upgrading some important labs

22) Complicated decision-making process at the University level

a. Complicated and restrictive purchasing procedures

b. Complicated and restrictive hiring procedures

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Opportunities

1) The appointment of a new rector who is pro change and improvement, willing to

allocate substantial funds towards fulfilling the changes, and to modify outdated

mandates

2) Young and dynamic society

a. A good pool for potential students

b. Readiness to accept changes

3) The emergence of 13 regional new engineering colleges, thus removing

governmental and societal pressures for over admittance to the COE

4) Assessment and accreditation (EC-2000, regional accreditation)

a. The flexibility of EC2000 to incorporate local needs into educational

objectives

b. Opportunity for curriculum improvement with minimal resistance

c. Developments leading to a possibility of establishing Gulf Accreditation

Board for Engineering and Technology (GABET) and our influence in

shaping its structure, criteria etc.

5) On-going establishment of faculty development plan

a. Sufficient funding

b. Institutional support for sabbaticals, travels etc

c. Availability of international workshops, seminars etc

d. Possibility of utilizing local mentors for teaching and research

6) Emerging technologies

a. Technologies that does not require extensive industrial infrastructure

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b. Information based technologies

7) New trends in multi-disciplinary professional education and new teaching

methods

a. Possibility of re-designing curriculum and by-laws to allow multi-

disciplinary teaching and learning, and

b. Possibility of utilizing e-learning and distance education

Threats (Challenges)

1) Competition (local, regional and global)

a. Emerging local and regional private colleges offering a variety of forms

in engineering discipline,

b. Accessibility of international schools via distance education, and

c. Fast pace of developments in technology (e.g. IT, emerging new fields)

2) Lack of sufficient number of quality students with strong interest in engineering

3) Inadequate public awareness for engineering profession and job opportunities

4) Quality of incoming students (language, analytical thinking, motivation)

a. Inadequate K-12 curriculum, and

b. The quality of teaching staff in K-12 education

5) Higher salary scales that other Gulf countries offer to faculty members

6) Early retirement by many young faculty members

7) Large number of young faculty members leaving the College permanently or on

temporary leave basis

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APPENDIX B

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STRATEGIC PLAN FOR

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Engineering and science tools appropriate to ME discipline

Base student's education on a knowledge of engineering and science tools

appropriate to their disciplines by insuring that graduates have:

- An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.

- An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret

data.

- An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.

- An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.

- An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary

for engineering practice.

High quality broad based education

Strive to provide high quality broad based education that will prepare students

for productive careers in an increasingly diverse and technological society by insuring

that graduates have:

- An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.

- An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.

- An ability to communicate effectively.

- The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions

in a global/societal context.

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- Knowledge of contemporary issues.

Life-long learning

Provide a foundation for lifelong learning to foster personal and professional

growth by insuring that graduates have:

- Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning.

Continuous improvement

Continuously improve the undergraduate academic programs in partnership with

industry, alumni, and government by:

- Attracting and enrolling an excellent and diverse student body.

- Retaining students to graduation.

- Assisting students in gaining career experience and placement.

- Seeking the opinions of exiting students relative to their experience while

engineering students.

- Seeking the opinions of industrial and governmental partners and alumni relative

to student outcomes and other educational matters.

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An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

ME engineering graduates will:

1. be proficient in mathematics to a level of differential equations, linear algebra,

numerical analysis, and probability and statistics

2. have an understanding of the physics concepts of mechanics, electric circuits,

thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and optics

3. be knowledgeable in basic chemistry

4. be competent in the knowledge of and applying engineering science

As demonstrated by:

1. passing engineering science as well as basic and advanced math and science

courses

2. successfully working problems in engineering analysis and design courses

3. completing projects in engineering courses that include an analysis component

An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

ME engineering graduates will:

1. be able to design experiments to efficiently collect data to test a hypothesis or

design a component using:

a. statistical and probabilistic methods

b. basic science and engineering science backgrounds

c. knowledge of the scientific/engineering methods

2. be able to conduct experiments and collect information with:

a. an understanding of equipment and measurement systems

b. knowledge of the process through a background of engineering/basic sciences

3. be capable of drawing and presenting conclusions from experimental results

through data analysis using:

a. experience in statistical and probabilistic methods

b. appropriate forms of graphical presentation of data

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c. skills in data interpretation to draw important conclusions

d. information in verbal and written forms

As demonstrated by:

1. passing ME 302

2. passing courses with labs requiring professional lab reports

3. passing a course having probability and statistics components

4. conducting undergraduate research

An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.

ME engineering graduates will:

1. have a firm understanding of the design process

2. appreciate the non-technical aspects of a design including environmental, socio-

economic and regulatory impacts and constraints

3. have the ability to successfully consider ambiguity and poorly defined problems

As demonstrated by:

1. passing ME 301 and ME 401

2. having a continuous exposure to design and the design process in the curriculum

3. having exposure to professional practice through an appropriate career

experience

4. successfully completing the general education requirements

An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

ME engineering graduates will:

1. have knowledge of the engineering method

2. solve open-ended, multiple solution problems with increasing difficulty through

the curriculum

3. have an ability to identify and formulate problems from a verbal or written

statement including defining objectives and constraints

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4. be capable of conducting a literature survey and collecting data and background

material from appropriate sources

5. have the ability to formulate and solve engineering analysis problems

As demonstrated by:

1. successfully completing the B.S. project

2. passing ME 401

3. successful completion of junior/senior level lab, lecture (analysis) and design

courses

4. successful completion of engineering science courses

5. effective participation in undergraduate research experiences

An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for

engineering practice

ME engineering graduates will:

1. have a working knowledge of computers (hardware and software) appropriate to

program goals. Example tools are:

a. working knowledge of a computer programming language

b. ability to use equation solvers

c. ability to use of spreadsheets

d. ability to use of word processors

e. knowledge of and proficiency using e-mail

f. ability to access and effectively collect information from the worldwide web

2. be capable of effectively using engineering science techniques

3. have a working knowledge of equipment/instrumentation appropriate to program

goals

As demonstrated by:

1. professional prepared reports

2. successfully completing the B.S. project

3. use of state-of-practice tools in coursework

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4. passing GE 203 and GE 209

5. completion of lab and field courses

6. effective participation in undergraduate research project

7. performing in practice via summer training programs

An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams

ME engineering graduates will be able to function effectively on teams using their

knowledge of:

1. team dynamics

2. team communication

3. social norms

4. conflict management

As demonstrated by:

1. successfully completing ME 401 Design of Mechanical Systems II team projects

2. performing at a professional level on the B.S. project

3. completing undergraduate team lab exercises

4. being involved in undergraduate research experiences

5. effectively completing team-based reports in some prescribed senior level

courses

6. performing evaluations of team accomplishments

An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

ME engineering graduates will have:

1. knowledge of appropriate code of ethics related to their disciplines.

2. knowledge of the impacts of engineering solutions on safety and quality

3. exposure to engineering case studies with an ethical component that includes

societal and cultural considerations

4. knowledge of the steps required to obtain professional registration

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5. an awareness of the need to maintain a knowledge of the current advances in

their engineering disciplines

As demonstrated by:

1. their ethical behavior

2. completing courses, seminars, and/or colloquia incorporating ethical case studies

that include student evaluations and presentations

3. participation and membership in student chapters of professional organizations

An ability to communicate effectively.

ME engineering graduates will communicate effectively:

1. in written form using words, graphs and tables

2. orally using words, graphs and tables in prepared presentations

3. technical material to non-technical individuals

4. by accepting and understanding others communications

As demonstrated by:

1. preparation and presentation of effective written reports

2. preparation and presentation of oral reports

3. competent use of professional communication tools

The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a

global/societal context

ME engineering graduates will have:

1. exposure to issues in humanity

2. experience in informal discussions on current issues

3. interaction with students and faculty from other disciplines

4. an understanding of how to bring global/societal issues into design criteria and

constraints

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As demonstrated by:

1. completion of the ME general education requirements

2. completion of several seminars in senior level courses

3. interaction with a diverse faculty

A knowledge of contemporary issues

ME engineering graduates will have:

1. a knowledge of contemporary technical issues

2. a knowledge of contemporary economic issues

As demonstrated by:

1. completion of college of engineering general education requirements; GE 441

and GE 442.

2. involvement in professional societies

3. maintaining professional journal subscriptions

4. knowledge of the worldwide web

A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning

ME engineering graduates will:

1. have an ability to identify and utilize education resources on their own

2. participate in continuing education after graduation

As demonstrated by:

1. involvement in professional societies

2. development of a career/educational plan

3. completion of a bibliography/seminar design projects

4. performing an alumni survey

5. attendance in seminars/guest lectures in some senior level courses

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Attracting and enrolling an excellent and diverse student body

As demonstrated by the:

1. number of undergraduate admissions

2. number of admitted undergraduate students who attend

Retaining students to graduation.

As demonstrated by the:

1. percent of undergraduate students retained each semester

2. percent of freshman cohort students retained to graduation

3. number of equivalent years to graduation

Assisting students in gaining career experience and placement

As demonstrated by the:

1. percent of students who have a career experience prior to graduation

2. percent of graduates placed in career positions

Seeking the opinions of exiting seniors relative to their experience while students

As demonstrated by the:

1. overall satisfaction of students leaving the program with BS degrees

Maintaining an Industry Advisory Council that is actively involved in educational

improvement

As demonstrated by the:

1. number of Industries represented on IAC

2. percent of IAC agenda dedicated to involvement in undergraduate education

matters

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Seeking the opinions of industrial and governmental partners and alumni relative to

student outcomes and other educational matters

As demonstrated by the:

1. percent of industrial and governmental partners returning survey questionnaires

annually

2. percent of 1, 2 and 5 year alumni returning survey questionnaires annually