Transformation of Traditional Engineering Education to CDIO Programs – Shantou University’s Experience

This article summarizes the experiences of implementing the CDIO initiative in the College of Engineering, Shantou University. With a reflection on our practice in the past three years, we have summarized ten important points leading to a successful implementation of the CDIO initiative: 1. Commitments and support from university and faculty leaderships; 2. Comprehensive planning before implementation; 3. Integrated solutions for multi-tasks; 4. Identifying champions and form core team; 5. Involve most faculty; 6. Innovative implementation of the CDIO initiative; 7. Piloting before full implementation; 8. Awareness of the resources constrains; 9. Supports for teaching, learning and leaning assessment and 10. Form coalitions.

Our experience may be more relevant to Chinese universities. However, a comparison with the eight steps of the “number one leadership guru” John Kotter reveals that our ten points largely correlate well with the eight steps. This manifests that the general rules for a successful change may be more general than what we initially thought. Consequently, Shantou University’s experience is of value to the CDIO reform of other institutions inside and outside China.