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result there is a need for bridging the knowledge gaps, where
present.
European countries started a harmonization process of
their higher education systems about 20 years ago but they
are not totally compatible yet. Therefore, there is a low probability
for seeing a worldwide harmonization of the higher
education systems in the near future. However, it is possible
to focus on specific fields to reduce the impact of the differences
on the education of STEM professionals as the IEEE
Instrumentation and Measurement Society (IMS) is trying
to do.
Educational Offerings of the IMS
The significant differences in the higher education systems can
translate into difficulty in evaluating the compatibility of education
provided even in the disciplines considered 'main.'
I&M is not even considered a discipline on its own everywhere;
therefore, the situation is more diverse. The fact that
I&M is ontologically mixed with the 'main' disciplines but can
also be a subject within most of them is a strength since a STEM
graduate skilled in I&M can work on I&M applications within
all of the 'main' fields. However, such characteristic can also be
a weakness when one would like to design the profile of " the
I&M professional " since there would likely be several different
profiles depending on the application field.
Where I&M topics are included in the basic subjects along
with physics, mathematics, geometry, chemistry, etc., they often
follow the fate of those in the list of most easily forgotten
knowledge during the study course or after graduation. Therefore,
the graduated students or the professional engineers
could need a refresher.
In general, the extreme heterogeneity of the education in
I&M around the world and the different courses of study and
professional careers can raise different needs for students or
professionals, depending on how much their actual I&M profile
fits the application requirements or on how much they
remember of the subjects they studied in the past. For example,
somebody in the early stage of his/her job career or late stage
of his/her studies could need to refresh basic I&M knowledge.
Somebody else in an advanced stage of his/her career
could need to improve his/her I&M skills or to study new topics
related to a specific task. Somebody can have a lot of time
to deepen his/her knowledge by reading books and following
courses lasting months. Somebody else can have few minutes
to devote every day to quickly launch a new job activity. Depending
on educational needs, available basic knowledge,
driving motivations and available time, different kinds of educational
activity and different types of interaction can be more
or less useful.
In order to support its members and to reach out to any
student or professional who needs to improve his/her knowledge
of I&M topics, the IMS formed a standing Education
February 2023
Committee (EdCom). According to the IMS Strategic Plan, the
EdCom has the following objectives:
◗ to provide the most comprehensive and high-quality
educational services to the community, to IMS members
and related professionals;
◗ to coordinate the educational activities of the IMS to
spread and assess the I&M culture while serving our
members and related professionals;
◗ to continuously identify and pursue " hot topics in I&M "
where there is a " need " for contribution of the I&M
culture.
The EdCom works to: identify the educational needs of
the Society members; align the educational activities with the
needs of the membership; disseminate and support I&M culture
within institutional educational channels; better link IMS
members (students, academics, industry) through educational
activities; maintain mutual-education events at IMS major
conferences; and create and sustain research awards for students.
To reach these aims, the EdCom works in collaboration
with the Membership Development Committee, the Publications
Committee, the Awards Committee and the Conferences
Committee of the IMS.
The EdCom acts in multiple directions to equalize the inhomogeneous
knowledge of I&M topics in the electrical and
electronics fields, indirectly fostering the education and research
and providing direct education contents. Awards are
the main indirect means to foster diffusion of our topics in
higher education institutions. The direct educational offerings
exploit multiple channels and different approaches to
reach potential learners based on their needs (Tab.1). In-person
education is provided by means of Distinguished Lecturer
(DL) visits at local chapters and/or universities. An alternative
in-person educational offering is provided by means of tutorials
presented at our main conferences, currently I2MTC and
MeMeA. Remote education is also provided by means of the
Internet. Using online-based platforms allows reaching a wide
number of learners very easily, providing interactive or on-demand
contents. Remote education on demand is provided by
offering video tutorials, while live and on-demand education
is provided by means of webinars recorded during the events
and available on the IMS website after the events. Last, but not
least, by exploiting the features of the IEEE Learning Network,
the IMS is developing a coherent and quite complete education
program in I&M.
IMS Education Awards and Grants
The awards and grants are an indirect way to spread the education
in I&M by recognizing the excellence in studies and in
graduate research activities, as well as supporting the creation
of new subjects within existing study programs. The EdCom
started and manages three annual awards: the IEEE Instrumentation
and Measurement Faculty Course Development
IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine
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Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine 26-1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine 26-1
