OVERVIEW OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ELECTROMECHANICAL ENGINEERING

1.      Introduction

Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (here after, AASTU), is one of the new public universities of the country established to play as a forefront changing actor in the technological transformation of the country by creating strong linkage with industries. As it was stated in the Five-Year Growth and Transformation Plan (2010 – 2015 G.C), the establishment of well institutionalized and strong science and technology universities and institutes of technology will serve as a cornerstone to build an economically developed and industrialized state of Ethiopia. As a result, AASTU was founded in 2011 under the Directive of the Council of Ministers No. 216/2011 as well as amended by regulation numbers 314/2014 by admitting the first batch (2000 students) in November 2011.

Since 2015, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University has been following nationally harmonized undergraduate programs curriculum. Now, it is time to change the curriculum to meet the requirements of accreditation which consists of continuous quality improvements (CQI).

In January 2016, the Ministry of Education (Education Strategy Center) developed a concept note to reform the education sector in accordance with the national vision and national development goals. Hence, one of the strategic plans proposed in the Ethiopian education road map has included common courses which account a total of 40 credit hours as a national requirement that led to the development of fundamental changes to the Ethiopian educational system.

In line with the given strategic direction of Ethiopian development, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University has a mission to be a problem solver of the industry, leading in the nation research, and delivering world-class education. To meet this mission, the university has given special attention to strengthen the academic sector by working towards accreditation of all undergraduate programs.

As a result of the above reasons, the university planned to revise the entire undergraduate program curriculum from the accreditation point of views. The goal of accreditation is to ensure the education provided by higher education to an acceptable level of quality. Therefore, this curriculum framework is developed based

on the requirements of the Washington accord and ABET for engineering program and applied sciences programs accreditation respectively.

1.1.               Vision and Mission of the University

Vision

• To be internationally recognized Ethiopian Hub of science and technology with strong national commitment and significant continental impact by

Mission:

• Delivering world-class education and training in strategically prioritized science and technology disciplines based on national economic
• Conducting problem-solving applied researches to support the productivity and competitiveness of
• Serving as a center for knowledge and technological adaptation, innovation and
• Building the technical and managerial capabilities of
• Building a national hub of science and

1.2.               Background of the Program

The availability of sufficient skilled manpower plays a key role in realizing national goals and in accelerating the country’s growth. Consistent with the national goals, AASTU aspires to surpass in accredited BSc programs in Science, Technology, and Engineering disciplines which will have a principal contribution to the industrial transformation plan of the nation.

The curriculum for BSc program in Electromechanical Engineering is developed, mainly by taking into consideration the specific objectives of Addis Ababa Science and Technology University to train technically sound and professionally competent engineers who can support the transformational activities of the nation, who can solve the pressing problems of the industry, who are competent in the global skilled labor market.

Recently, advancements in Science and Technology become decisive arrays for survival and competitiveness in the global arena. It was due to this fact that the government decided to open two distinctive Science and Technology Universities. AASTU envisions being a center of excellence in Science and Technology of various Engineering disciplines. Therefore, launching a BSc program in Electromechanical Engineering helps students to grasp multi-domain state-of-the-art knowledge and skills in the field of study which can help them to actively engage in the national industrial transformation. Moreover, the inauguration of this BSc program in Electromechanical Engineering gives an opportunity for staffs and students to be engaged in practical problem solving researches and technology transfer practices. In this context, the curriculum is expected to provide the students a lurching and strong background in Electromechanical Engineering.

Complex mechatronic systems of today like airplanes, cars, robot, industrial process machines, medical equipment, and spaceships have many embedded mechanical and electronic systems that monitor and control the behavior to avoid catastrophic failure and improve the performance. With its origin in Japan in late 1960s the term mechatronics was in principle coined to define such control and operation systems. The concept has since spread all over the world and a significant international growth has been observed within the last decades. According to technology review   of MIT press, mechatronics is identified as one of the top 10 technologies that will change the future world. The field is in general viewed as the vehicle by which students and professionals are introduced to and made to comprehend the diverse disciplines (Fig.1) such as mechanical engineering, computer science, control theory, and electrical and electronics engineering areas concurrently. By combining diverse fields, mechatronics curriculum provides sufficient background, knowledge, depth and breadth enabling the new breed of graduates to tackle complex engineering problems the world we are living in.

Figure Disciplinary foundations of Mechatronics

In Ethiopia, industry sector is booming and those industries are using state of the art technologies in their production line. Having an industry by itself is nothing unless there is enough skilled manpower with the skill and knowledge they demand. Industries can demand from the basic skill up to engineers who are able to develop and design system level operations. These day’s machines and production lines are fully integrated systems (mechanical, electrical and software). In addition to traditional engineers, like other countries around the globe, Ethiopia needs a new breed of engineers and professionals who have multidisciplinary knowledge and skills to tackle complex engineering problems that we are facing these days.

Within the scope of this wide discipline, engineering disciplines closely related to Electromechanical Engineering is recently being offered in few Ethiopian Universities at BSc degree level.

However, with the sweeping development of the manufacturing and construction industrial sectors of the Ethiopian economy and expansion of engineering and technology institutions throughout the country, basic knowledge and applications of Electromechanical Engineering are being highly required. As a stepping-stone towards meeting this growing demand, the College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering of Addis Ababa Science and Technology have deemed to elevate the level of training to BSc, MSc and PhD degree programs.

1.3.               Rational of the Program

The curriculum for BSc degree program in Electromechanical Engineering has been developed primarily by understanding the high demand of the boosting national economy for graduates of Electromechanical Engineering. A preliminary need assessment has also been conducted by consulting different engineers, managers, supervisors, and other professionals working in the manufacturing, construction, and other metal and engineering sectors.

With the increasing demand for Electromechanical Engineering graduates in the national market, it is becoming inevitable that many of the students shall be seeking education at undergraduate level.

As AASTU is a “University for the Industry‟, the College of Electrical and Mechanical

Engineering deemed to respond to this escalating demand.

2.      Structure of the program

2.1.               Mission of the University

Mission:

• M1: Delivering world-class education and training in strategically prioritized science and technology disciplines based on national economic demand.
• M2: Conducting     problem-solving          applied researches        to         support the productivity and competitiveness of industries.
• M3: serving as a center for knowledge and technological adaptation, innovation and transfer.
• M4: Building the technical and managerial capabilities of industries.

• M5: Building a national hub of science and technology.

2.2.               Program Educational Objectives (PEO)

Our graduates of the BSc degree in Electromechanical Engineering program are assumed to attain the following career achievements within three to five years of graduation. These objectives are based on the needs of the program’s constituencies (government, employers, industries, alumni, students and research and development centers).

Table 1: Program Education Objectives (PEO)

• Mapping of PEO and University Mission Table 2: Mapping of PEO with University Mission

2.4.               Program Outcomes (PO)

Upon graduation, our BSc in Electromechanical Engineering program graduates will have the following attributes

Table 3: Program Outcome

• Mapping of PO and PEO Table 4: Mapping of PO with PEO

• Admission Requirements
  • Admission requirements for undergraduate regular program

The minimum admission requirements for the undergraduate regular program are as stated in the Senate legislation July 2017, Article 78. Hence, admission to the undergraduate programs of AASTU shall be based on the completion of the preparatory and obtaining the necessary pass marks in the Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEE) or equivalent academic achievements from foreign countries as well as the STU entrance examination to be set by the Ministry and/ or AASTU.

• Admission requirements for undergraduate continuing education program

The minimum admission requirements for the undergraduate continuing education program are as stated in the senate legislation July 2017, Article 79. However, admission to the undergraduate continuing education programs of AASTU shall be based on obtaining the necessary pass mark in the AASTU entrance examination.Preparatory complete with a pass in the Ethiopian Higher Education Entrance Examination (EHEE) or equivalent academic achievements from foreign countries as well as the STU entrance examination to be set by the Ministry and/ or AASTU.

2.6.               Duration of the study

Under normal circumstances, the total elapsed time for the BSc program in Electromechanical Engineering requires five years/10semesters for Regular program students and 6 years/12 semesters for the continuing education program.

• Teaching and Learning Approach Methodology

The teaching-learning methods to be adopted, for the transfer and/or acquisition of

Knowledge and skill development include:

• Classroom Lectures backed up by  Coursework  Projects,  Tutorials  and Assignments
• Lectures by Industry professionals and resource persons on a periodic basis
• Interactive based “Blended E-Learning” and other such self-learning modules,

– Workshop Practice and Laboratory Exercises.

• Practical Demonstrations, – Audio-Visual teaching materials
• Cut-Sectional Model Studies
• Wall mounted display charts
• Field visits related to community development/intervention
• Industrial
• Practical and development oriented design projects
• Individual and group seminars/Presentations
• Group tasks/discussions/Case studies
• Brain storming sessions
• Assembling/disassembling of real world prototype

Interactive based Blended e-learning

The more the learner gets involved in the learning process, the better he/she will be able to absorb process and retain the information and make use of it in concrete situations. In the active mode of knowledge and competence construction,  the learner is supported by the teacher- and also by means of targeted and structured technical impulses The knowledge has a generally higher relevance as regards the implementation in practice- the transfer turns out to be easier and the learner experiences learning as a process that he himself can control and steer in steps.

In this context, the potential of blended e-learning (integration of traditional and e- learning) can be exploited and hence is to be practiced, to the extent possible, by the use of media and a Learning Management System (LMS). This can be done by supporting the students to acquire learning contents themselves and by assisting them as a mentor -not only in situations of physical presence in the class room, but also outside the class room in the computer lab using the University’s own intranet or may be in the internet or even in a field setting. A teacher can develop new and more interactive learning methods through the use of LMS and e-learning platforms, depending on the scope and content of his own specific subjects. Concerted efforts would be made by one and all concerned for its implementation.

2.8.               Program Type

The program is delivered in full time or part-time / continuing education learning mode.

2.9.               Assessment and Evaluation Mechanisms

Assessment and evaluation mechanisms include the range and variety of assessment methods oral examination, written examination, oral presentation, test, paper/essay, portfolio, report about an internship, report on fieldwork, continuous assessment, group or individual projects, summative assessment such as final exams, project, problem solving assignments, senior essays, interactive computer and simulation assignments and group presentations

2.10.            Grading System

Examinations are graded on letter grading system as stated in the university senate legislation July 2017, Article 92. However, the grading system for industrial attachment/internship for four years program shall be described as excellent, very good, good …etc., the status description is based on the raw mark interval given in Table 7.

Table 5: Grading System

2.11.            Graduation Requirements

The minimum requirements for successful completion of the program are 188 Cr.Hr. of course work. The student must also complete and successfully defend his/her final year project by providing the originality of the work. The student shall attain a minimum cumulative grade of 2.00 points in major courses as well as in his/her entire study.

2.12.            Degree Nomenclature

The degrees awarded to students who successfully complete the minimum requirements are shown as in below: The nomenclature of the degree earned by a student of the Electromechanical Engineering Program, shall, in English and Amharic, read as follows:

In English:

“Bachelor of Science Degree in Electromechanical Engineering

In Amharic:

“የሳይንስ ባችለር ዲግሪ በ ኤሌክትሮ- ሜካኒካል ምህንድስና”

2.13.            Course Coding

Every course has been given an identification tag, characterized by four digit code preceded by four letters. For Bachelor of Science Degree Program in Electromechanical Engineering, the course coding looks like: “EMEg5101”

For example in the code “EMEg5101”;

• EMEg: Refers the home base which is Electromechanical
• The first digit (5) represents the year (level) in which the course is given,
• The second digit (1) indicates the category number to which the course belongs,
• The last two digits (01) indicate the course number and the semester in which the course is given.
  • All courses given in the first semester are represented by odd number (01, 03, 05, 07 …etc.)
  • All courses given in the second semester are representing by even

Number (02, 04, 06, 08…etc.)

• List of Courses and Category Course Category

There are two course categories in the curriculum:

Category 0 = Common (National and University) and Supportive Courses,

Category 1 = Core/Compulsory Courses,

Table 6: Distribution of credit hours for all course composition

List of Courses

Table 7: Common Courses/National Requirement

Table 8: Core Courses

• Course Breakdown for Regular Program Table 9: Course Breakdown for Regular Program Year I, Semester I

Year I, Semester Il

Year Il, Semester I

Year Il, Semester Il

Year IlI, Semester I

Year IlI, Semester Il

Year IV, Semester I

Year IV, Semester II

Year IV, Semester Summer

Year V, Semester I

Year V, Semester II

Department of Electromechanical Engineering Staff profile

Table 1: Academic staffs’ profiles

Table 1: Mechanical Engineering Department laboratory lists