IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CURRICULUM BY COMBINING GLOBAL, LOCAL AND FUTURE-ORIENTED PERSPECTIVES

The mechanical engineering curriculum, at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, has been revised twice in the last decade. Despite these updates, its core foundation remains based on older models. While there have been some minor adjustments, such as adding or removing a few courses, these changes don not keep pace with the rapid advancements seen globally. The present paper conducts a comparative analysis of the new mechanical engineering curriculum with those of four foreign universities. It identifies deficiencies and discrepancies in meeting the current needs of the engineering community within the country and anticipation of future developments. Additionally, the article provides practical recommendations aimed at improving the efficiency and modernization of the curriculum. These recommendations span various areas, including general enhancements, changes in titles, addressing existing shortcomings, and advocating for a revamped approval process for disciplinary curricula. Importantly, the most important shortcoming in the curriculum is ignoring design concepts and engineering principles. The suggestions can be implemented for other engineering disciplines.