On Adding Interdisciplinary Elements to the Classical Engineering Studies

The analysis of the available scientific literature on the types of general skills needed for current engineering graduates led us to examine an interdisciplinary approach to engineering education, which is needed for graduates to be competitive in the labor market. To develop a set of skills such as interdisciplinary teamwork, design thinking and time management skills, it is important to create a unique learning environment and this appropriate content must be integrated into the engineering curriculum. The relationship between the acquisition of core knowledge, the implementation of this knowledge and the execution in the project must be sought. Hackathon-like workshops appear to be a good way to establish an initial connection between the knowledge acquired and the application, while developing the skills set necessary for success in collaborative work. The paper presents a way to implement such an interdisciplinary approach, which was tested at Shenkar College, in Israel.