The teaching method of Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate (CDIO) is a novel approach to engineering education that meets the demands of the 21st century, professor Johan Malmqvist, dean of education at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, has said.

At a three-day CDIO Asian regional meeting that began March 25 in Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, Malmqvist said that engineering education faces many challenges, including the preparation of future engineers for work in global, multidisciplinary teams; co-development of scientific knowledge and practical skills; and fostering of leadership innovation and entrepreneurship.

CDIO is used in many universities worldwide and in Asia, including Japan, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

The CDIO network now includes over 100 of the world's leading engineering universities and is continuing to expand.

In Vietnam, two universities are part of the CDIO network, including Vietnam National University-HCM City (VNU-HCM City) and Duy Tan University in central Da Nang City.

In 2010, VNU-HCM City began to apply CDIO in five majors in engineering and applied sciences at two of its member universities, Associate Prof Nguyen Hoi Nghia, vice president of VNU-HCM City, said.

It has used the CDIO framework beyond engineering education such as in the field of business and management, Nghia said.

This year, VNU-HCM City is expanding the CDIO for an additional 15 majors, increasing the total majors to 60 at its four-member universities, he said.

It has also adopted the CDIO as a guideline to achieve the following goals, including systematic reform of the curriculum in order to provide students with the knowledge, skills and professional competences desired by stakeholders.

Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong, dean of the department for environmental engineering at Duy Tan University, said that CDIO has been applied for four years in the majors of information technology, electrical engineering, environmental engineering and civil engineering.

This year, FPT University will also apply the CDIO framework.

Natha Kuptasthien, assistant to the president of international affairs at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanaburi in Thailand, said that after one year of implementation, the CDIO framework has proven to be the most appropriate framework to produce hands-on graduates.

Major changes and improvements have been made in integrated curriculum development, workspace renovation, teaching and learning methods, faculty member competency enhancement as well as assessment methods.

Pham Cong Xuyen, lecturer at Lac Hong University in Dong Nai Province said that he attended the meeting to learn about CDIO and make plans to apply the framework at his university.-VNA