Developing Technologies at City University
Year: 2011
Editor: Kovacevic, Ahmed, Ion, William, McMahon, Chris, Buck, Lyndon and Hogarth, Peter
Author: Pullen, Keith Robert; Dennis, R
Series: E&PDE
Section: Design Teaching Environment 1
Page(s): 629-635
Abstract
Developing Technologies (DT) has been facilitating and supporting design, make and test engineering projects linked to real needs in developing counties for 8 years. Its aim is to use student project work to provide low-cost technical support to organisations working in developing countries. DT operates as a UK registered charity that was initially based at Imperial College London in 2002, moved to City University London but still operates in both institutions This provides both a valuable educational experience for the students and can also have a beneficial impact in helping to relieve poverty in the target countries. Projects are found from a range of clients and are vetted to ensure they provide a good learning experience and a useful output can be achieved within the resources available to the students. Students are highly motivated by working on real projects with the potential to help poor people in developing countries. Examples are given of a number of projects that were started by students at Imperial College and are now being implemented in the field. A further examples is given of a large group project for 15 students based at City. DT raises funding to support projects, particularly for overseas implementation, and also to support an experienced engineer to co-ordinate exploitation of projects and help with supervision of projects. Five projects are now in progress at City University, four individual projects and one group design project. These are all in Mechanical and Automotive Engineering but it is hoped there will be interest to diversify into other disciplines.
Keywords: Developing Technologies