Application of CDIO in Non-Engineering Programmes - Motives, Implementation and Experiences

The aims of the paper are to present a set of general recommendations for how to implement CDIO in non-engineering programmes, to show how they can be applied in practice, and to discuss associated benefits and challenges. The application of the recommendations is demonstrated in case studies of non-engineering programmes that have implemented CDIO. The subject areas of the programmes include art, science, food processing, business, and library science. The case descriptions are purposively relatively detailed aiming to enable a transfer of approaches and experiences from the cases to other non-engineering programmes. Common benefits of applying CDIO to non-engineering programmes include a stronger connection to the professional context, and strengthened programme development and quality assurance. Common CDIO implementation challenges for non-engineering programmes are found to be similar as for engineering programmes, for example, the training of faculty to teach skills beyond their subject specialty, such as design and communication.