Developing leadership skills through student-led initiatives: Student platform for engineering education development
Conference
O'Shea, J, Delaine, D, DeBoer, J. (2010). Developing leadership skills through student-led initiatives: Student platform for engineering education development
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O'Shea, J, Delaine, D, DeBoer, J. (2010). Developing leadership skills through student-led initiatives: Student platform for engineering education development
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Student-coordinated initiatives provide a mechanism for engineering students to develop leadership and interpersonal skills. The formalised structure of university engineering degree programs results in an often prescriptive approach to learning, with few genuine opportunities for students to lead real-world projects. The Student Platform for Engineering Education Development (SPEED) is an international, non-profit organisation that empowers and enables students to stimulate change in their local communities through the development of "Action Plans', diverse projects created, developed and run by motivated students. This paper details some notable Action Plans, both successful projects and those that failed to gain traction; it also outlines how these projects have been effective in the development of student skills. Furthermore it demonstrates how the SPEED-model of student-led local projects can be used to enhance leadership development in universities globally. Action Plans are developed during SPEED's Global Student Forums, international workshops held in conjunction with other high-level engineering education gatherings. One of the organisation's core aims is to develop the skills of participating members, with a keen focus on the environmental and societal impact of the profession. These collaborative events include discussions and idea-sharing in addition to developing specific Action Plans with a diverse group of student activists and academics. Furthermore, through insight into policy, academia/industry relations and organisational structure, SPEED serves to continue the professional education of its members and participants of its forums. With these projects representing a rare development opportunity, SPEED has become a unique organisation for globally-minded, motivated students to work with other ambitious individuals for the betterment of the profession.
