International Requirements in CDIO Programs

Large numbers of engineers are today involved in many different ways in projects that require them to work in an international environment. Some of the ways in which engineers work in an international environment are:

1. By working on international development projects in or with workers from developing countries, the work usually being supported by governmental or non-governmental aid agencies. (Water supply, housing, medical related problems, etc.).
2. By working on projects in foreign countries on behalf of a home based company under contract to some level of government in the foreign country or to companies operating in these countries. (design and construction of hydroelectric plants, dams, bridges,  transportation systems, etc.).
3. In opening new manufacturing plants in foreign countries, these plants being designed to meet a demand in the home country, and in the training of local workers for these plants. In some cases this will involve the engineer spending significant periods of time in the foreign country while in other cases it will only involve a number of relatively short visits to the foreign country.
4. Implementing modifications to existing products designed for and previously only sold in the home country that will make them acceptable for sale in foreign countries. This may involve modifications to meet differing government regulations and modifications that ensure that the product is socially acceptable in these countries. Work in this area often involves interacting with people in the foreign country who will be selling and in some cases manufacturing the modified product. 
5. Working on projects in the home country in which part of the design process will be subcontracted to engineers in foreign countries. Examples of this are the subcontracting of cfd studies to workers in India and the subcontracting of significant portions of the design of new automobiles to engineers in Eastern Europe.
6. In working on complex engineering systems in which large parts of the system are manufactured and in many cases largely designed in a number of different foreign countries around the world. Modern commercial aircraft are examples of this type of activity.  Both Boeing and Airbus now have large parts of their new aircraft produced and designed in various different foreign countries.

This is by no means a complete list of the ways in which engineers undertake work in an international environment. Work of this nature has long existed but has not in the past involved so many practicing engineers.