Institution of Mechanical
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Leaders of Industry
A Conference to be held at the ING Headquarters, Avenue Marnix 24, B-1000 Brussels on 19th March, 2007.
The European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL) is delighted to announce a half-day conference on an issue of crucial importance to the future of European Industry.
One of the issues which concerns the EIIL's Corporate members, Institutional Members and individual members equally, is the decline in the numbers of students entering university science and engineering courses, and the declining numbers of those graduating actually choosing careers in science and engineering.
A view expressed by one of its members is that the demonisation of industry as the major contributor to climate change by the environmentalist, and particularly renewables, lobby has done more damage to the long term supply of engineers and technologists capable of innovating to provide the future solutions it demands. Business and society in Europe must ensure a home-grown strategic supply of innovators in order to allow its Businesses to lead the world towards ever higher standards of higher operational efficiency and low natural resources consumption whilst meeting the increasing demands of its consumers. This requires an increase in the numbers of young people pursuing school and university choices which will enable them to pursue a career in science, engineering or related discipline.
The EIIL believes that many of Europe's future industrial leaders will be found from appropriately developed high potential technical graduates, and that it is up to today's industry leaders to ensure that the supply of their successors is not threatened by this continued decline in the size of the talent pool from which they can draw. The EIIL's premise, that future industrial leaders in Europe can be found from appropriately developed high potential engineers and scientists, is necessarily threatened if the size of the talent pool to promote from declines.
In association with several of Europe's national engineering professional associations, the EIIL will be hosting this conference as part of its fourth annual 'Leaders of Industry' survey. The conference theme will be:
The projected shortage of engineers and technical professionals in Europe in the coming decade; industry's position on the impact of this on European competitiveness and its actions and responsibility to address this situation.
This Benelux, conference, the first in a series to be hosted by engineering professional associations across Europe, will present preliminary findings from the EIIL's 'Leaders of Industry' survey 2006/7 which has sought views on this themed question from industrialists across Europe (see below about the LOI survey).
In addition to reviewing the survey findings, an invited list of speakers will provide their opinions, representing the various stakeholders in this Europe-wide problem:
An international school head teacher will present views on what is being done and what more can be done to encourage school-age students to elect to study subjects which will allow them to follow a science-based university course. How can industry help science teaching in schools to be presented in such a way as to make its relevance to the challenges of a society which can be recognised by young people?
A head of a university engineering faculty will discuss the ways in which universities currently attempt to attract entrants onto undergraduate courses, and will identify where industry leaders can help them by providing role models, case studies or project work to exemplify the many varied, exciting, well-rewarded and relevant career options open to technical graduates in industry.
A representative of the Brussels Regional government will present a precis of the several initiatves undertaken in the region to encourage more interaction between industry schools and universities to address the decline science and engineering graduates.
A representative of an engineering professional association, will discuss the role of these bodies in addressing a situation which in extremis threatens their very existence.
Two current senior executives, one from a major energy multi-national, and one from a technology company whose products support the manufacturing sector, will discuss the impact of the current shortage of European technology graduates on their industry. They will also illustrate the pro-active steps which their companies have taken to secure their future supply of this crucial 'raw material' for their businesses.
An EU representative will share his views on the conference theme, in the light of the EU's policies and actions to improve Europe's competitivity, in particular the Lisbon Agenda.
A moderated panel discussion will conclude the formal session of the conference.
The conference will be chaired by Patrick Thomas, CEO of Bayer Materials Science and Chairman of the EIIL's Industrial Advisory Board.
The conference is expected to attract an attendance of 150 - 200 influential delegates from the senior ranks of industry, academia and the engineering profession. It will start at 12:00 with a drinks reception and a light lunch. Participants and speakers will have the opportunity for a further exchange of views during coffee and at an informal cocktail immediately after the event, which will finish at 20.00.
The conference will interest senior executives of manufacturing and technology companies and all senior level officers who have a responsibility or an allied interest in the selection and development of future industrial leaders.
The conference cost 250 Euros, with members of sponsoring organisations eligible for the special member's rate of 100 Euros.
For further details about the conference, or to take part in the Leaders of Industry survey, please contact secretariat@eiil.net.
The EIIL Leaders of Industry Survey:
In association with several of Europe's national engineering professional associations, the European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL) is currently conducting its fourth annual 'Leaders of Industry' survey, with the theme the projected shortage of engineers, the impact of this on European competitiveness, the responsibility to address the problem, and the pro-active steps being taken.
If you have not already taken part in the survey, please follow this link and visit our web-site www.eiil.net
About the EIIL:
The European Institute for Industrial Leadership (EIIL) is a not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to developing future leaders of technology-led and manufacturing industry in Europe. Established in 2003 by senior industrialists and members of the engineering profession, the EIIL is committed to the continued professional development of engineers and technical professionals and to encouraging more into the profession. It is currently providing excellent executive-level leadership education, in Brussels, to aspiring leaders of industry from around Europe.
The EIIL gratefully acknowledges the kind support provided by its principal sponsors for the 2006/7 Leaders of Industry survey and conference programme. For more information about these organisations, please contact:
ING dave.deruytter@ing.be
ABB lummusonline.com
BRAINS brains.irisnet.be
IET www.iee.org
IMechE www.imechebenelux.org