Hi Wire,
It is true that it is not an easy process, but in fact, this idea is not new within the department (and again I focus on the EE department but this is the case for many other departments). For example, you may be familiar with the industrial training (or "fourth term") for Tech students. This is one example of the University-Industry partnership that more may be familiar with.
But back to the department, essentially, the projects can be broadly divided into power (and alternative energy) engineering and telecommunications. The projects can be hardware/electronics or software oriented or a mix. So, perhaps this was an omission in my earlier submission.
The other thing I could say is that we need to do a better job of publicising the student projects that have indeed followed this path, so that this in itself would be used by those interested to judge the value of participating in this type of program. From the last project presentations, a few examples that come to mind are a collaboration that was done with Crown Bottlers to assess the opportunities for alternative (solar) heating which the company views among other things as ways of reducing operating costs. Another was a project to optimally extend the power grid to Kalangala via a combination of hydro and non-hydro sources. And yet another was to study the bandwidth utilisation with Bank of Uganda MIS to assess the case to purchase additional bandwidth or to restructure current bandwidth utilisation policies.
About how projects are generally selected. The project selection process is indeed done so as to address issues that are in line with the curriculum. Between now and about October or so, the Department gathers project proposals (a pager or two) about the project objectives and expected outcomes. The projects may be either from Industry or research projects contributed by lecturers themselves. So for example, I have made an open call on this list, but I have also made direct contact with a few companies that I happened to know are doing work around areas of interest to me in terms of student projects and I will submit my own research projects as well. Others have their own ways of soliciting their projects, and infact some companies have on their own submitted projects to the department. All project submissions are then reviewed and a project selection made for the year. Projects may be adjusted to ensure that the project does infact address issues/concepts of the EE curriculum.
It is true that more documentation about this process would be useful, but I hope that for those that are indeed interested in this, that we can discuss offline on a case-by-case basis where possible areas for collaboration could be.
Hope this helps,
Dorothy
At 11:39 AM 7/23/2004, you wrote:
Dorothy
You said
> In terms of actions, are there members on this list, who would be > interested in developing collaborative projects for fourth year EE > projects (typically a 9-month project)? If yes, I would greatly > appreciate hearing from you.
I dont think it is as simple as that. There needs to be a wholistic approach. In terms of projects that we would like to see University guys doing, there are lots and lots. However this needs to be integrated into the entire curriculum of the faculty plus changing mindsets of both the lecturers and students and probably some other factors I am not able to mention right now.
Why dont you think it over and show some one like me how participation in a collaborative effect is bound to be effected and the benefits it will have at the end of de day to the student, university and private sector.
Wire
> A good perspective on what we would like to have at the Department of > Electrical Engineering, and perhaps we have not had as much action on > this. "University-Industry (private or public)" partnerships are > beneficial on a number of levels > - good incentive to students as you rightly point out, and even from the > perspective, that there is more to the work they are doing than simply > to have a report at the end of the day > - opportunity for EE department to "get a feel" for the general > direction and needs for EE skills > - opportunity for industry to obtain basic research or testbed for ideas > of interest > > While I speak from the EE department perspective, I believe this is a > sentiment shared by others at the Faculty of Technology or other > institutions. Question is more on the actions (or lack thereof). > > In terms of actions, are there members on this list, who would be > interested in developing collaborative projects for fourth year EE > projects (typically a 9-month project)? If yes, I would greatly > appreciate hearing from you. > > Regards, > > Dorothy > > At 10:03 PM 7/22/2004, you wrote: >>Most people will not produce results unless there is a meaningful >> incentive. There are 2 parties involved in this equation-the >> government, which supplies funding and the students who supply the >> projects. >> >>Let me give the example of how this works at the University of >> Waterloo, please dont bash me, it may not be practical in Uganda's >> situation but it illustrates the idea of incentives. >> >>The University of Waterloo has created a technology triangle where >> graduating engineering students have started up small profitable >> businesses from projects they submitted at the end of their course. Why >> is this possible? >> >>Government provides the funding and in turn becomes the incubator of >> these ideas and having a monetary stake in these new technologies >> through the university. >> >>The students are therefore extremely motivated to be creative and put >> in a lot of effort to ensure their project generates sufficient >> commercial viability. >> >>In essence, everyone benefits. The university gets the funding they >> need, the students get a chance to start a money making venture from a >> technology they love and the government gets a stake in the the >> businesses that are started. >> >>The students I studied with in Makerere 1997-2000 were among the >> brightest I knew(Mass Comm). Engineering students in Uganda by virtue >> of choosing such a technical subject must be bright and therefore >> given the right incentive would do a fabulous job of developing viable >> technologies or at least useful research. >> >>Results = Incentives >> >>Joyce > > > > --------------------------------------------- > This service is hosted on the Infocom network > http://www.infocom.co.ug
-- "Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, but people don't pay for the software," he said. "Someday they will, though. As long as they are going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade." Bill Gates as Quoted by C|Net News.com
--------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
--------------------------------------------- This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
