A company-sponsored program for systems engineering education

The problem of providing stimulating, effective continuing education for experienced professionals is becoming more acute for industry as technology's development accelerates. Faced with this problem, The MITRE Corporation has developed an in-house educational program whose learning environment is designed to meet the needs of its technical staff: personnel of widely differing educational backgrounds and professional experience. The course format emphasizes problem solving, personal communications, and teamwork. The latest adult education techniques are used and classroom facilities and decor are designed to encourage interaction and interchange of ideas and experiences. The program has proved successful. Learning by doing and personal involvement in team activity have provided motivation and kept interest high, and the cross-fertilization achieved by the interaction among the students has been a valuable byproduct. This paper presents the MITRE program as an example of a successful industry-developed continuing educational activity. It is representative of the kinds of continuing educational activities in which many companies are engaged and as such may be useful to those who are designing such programs of their own.