Fifty years ago, university faculty were distinguished practitioners of engineering with rich experiences in the practice of engineering in industrial settings. Today, most engineering faculty are experts in research and development in very specific disciplines. There is a gap between need and reality. Involving industry experts in the faculty development process may be a way to narrow the gap. This paper provides a rationale for faculty development in engineering skills, and links it with CDIO Standard 9. Three universities that have adopted the CDIO approach to engineering education – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the U. S. Naval Academy, and the University of Manitoba – provide examples of bringing industrial professionals to engineering faculty teams, and of inviting industry experts to be involved in engineering education programs.
