Assessment of global competencies for the development of global engineering education

The engineering workplace is becoming increasingly multinational because of technological advances and global economic integration. Consequently, engineering students should learn how to use advanced and appropriate technologies, as well as develop transferable skills, such as global competence, which are necessary to successfully work in a global environment. However, the question of which global competencies are required from engineers by the global marketplace has not been addressed. In this study, we present the results of a survey in which we asked industrial engineering leaders and multinational companies in Thailand about the appropriate and essential skills that should be targeted by engineering departments and programs at universities in Thailand, Japan, and other countries to enhance the engineering curriculum of students. According to the survey results, well-known Thai companies value global competencies, whereas Japanese and other multinational companies in Thailand tend to emphasize on technical skills. All the respondents agreed that global competence is very important for engineering graduates to be recognized as professional engineers in the future.