The advantages and importance of university-industry collaboration, particularly in curriculum design and delivery, are well-known. However, although curriculum development models are available in the literature, very few are sufficiently concrete to be applicable in practice or are generalizable beyond their discipline of origin. In this paper, a…

The main purpose of this study was to explore pre-service STEM teacher perceptions, or misperceptions, about manufacturing, and to identify potential practices for how the K-12 system can better inform students, parents, teachers, and society on education and career paths in manufacturing. The research design and methodology were grounded in…

This article explores the workplace experience of seven science, engineering and technology graduates. The research design and methodology used in the study are exploratory, in-depth and qualitative in nature. The case study companies are located in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and employ the graduates under the FUSION project. The…

This article explores the varied learning experiences among third-year students undertaking a structured work placement module in the furniture and wood manufacturing industries. Using situated learning theory, the article considers the outcomes of in-depth interviews with 10 students and offers an insight into the multifaceted interactions…

This paper examines the evolutionary process of secondary innovation in a typical Chinese equipment manufacturing firm in the context of globalization and elaborates how to achieve latecomer's advantage from imitation to innovation. Four stages are identified in the process of international manufacturing: the equipment import stage, the production…

Does academic research have a positive impact on productivity? To examine this question, the paper focuses on national Canadian manufacturing data, using a variable-cost CES-translog cost system. Changes in the elasticities calculated from the estimation results allow the study of the impact of the free-trade agreements on Canadian production and…

VALEURTECH is a pilot project under the European Commission's Leonardo II programme. It includes 35 partners from higher education institutions and professional organizations in eight European countries and has the major objectives: of (a) setting up a homogeneous "labelling" process, such as a diploma supplement, based on a common…

The mission of Virginia's Manufacturing Innovation Center (VMIC) is to enhance the capability of Virginia's small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms to meet the competitive challenges of the future. VMIC helps build strong economic foundations while improving the quality of life and maintaining strong economic development programs. (JOW)

Assesses Cooperative Extension Service's role in advancing manufacturing modernization in rural areas. Considers whether the complementary interests of extension and the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Manufacturing Extension Partnership warrants increased collaboration. (SK)

A Chinese university and a Canadian university collaborated on an advanced manufacturing technologies project designed to address human resource development needs in China. The project featured university/industry/government partnership and attention to environmental issues. (SK)

At the centre of the PRIME Faraday Partnership's Technology Watch service is a growing series of technology and market reviews for managers and engineers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) producing "smart" products. Its aim is to help them maintain their awareness of new technologies and markets and thereby seize opportunities to…

A unique partnership of industry, government, and the University of Sunderland involves a holistic approach to manufacturing, integrating efficiency with quality of life for a profitable and sustainable competitive advantage. (SK)

Includes "Introduction" (Childe); "Local Universities as a Resource for Local SMEs (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises)" (Edmondson); "University of Sheffield's Technical Audit Programme" (Lowe, Ridgway); "Benchmarking as the Gateway to Knowledge Transfer for SMEs" (Nelder, Skandalakis); and "Assessing the Likely Effectiveness of Intervention…

Perceived as important contributors to economic growth, network and cluster groups are currently receiving much attention. The same may be said of SMEs. But practical and theoretical perspectives indicate that SMEs, and particularly the owner-managers, place little value on networks and have only limited networking resources. Consequently, they do…

This presentation of the innovation-driven environment in Colombia derives from important national efforts to gather and store pertinent information. Two large surveys have tested the "innovative behaviour" of Colombian manufacturing firms--the more recent of these was in 2005. Another information source is the Scienti platform, an…