RELEVANCE OF CDIO TO INDUSTRY 4.0 – PROPOSAL FOR 2 NEW STANDARDS

Abstract

This is a paper meant for discussing if the CDIO Framework remains relevant today, considering the manufacturing landscape which is broadly captured under the umbrella of Industry 4.0. It explores if the 12 CDIO Standards need to be expanded to include additional standards. This paper can be broadly divided into 2 parts. The first half of the paper begins with a brief explanation of what Industry 4.0 is, and the key elements such as Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data and data analytics, and cyber-physical system (CPS). Then, based on the reviews of available publications to date, the paper summarises the implication of Industry 4.0 on the knowledge needed and skill profile of future engineering graduates. This first half concludes with a discussion of how Education 4.0 – the educational ‘counterpart’ of Industry 4.0 – will affect the learning experience. The second half of the paper reviews the relevance of the CDIO Syllabus in terms of its coverage of knowledge and skills needed for Industry 4.0; followed by the review of the CDIO Standards. Each Standard is studied in relation to its applicability to Industry 4.0. This paper suggests that the CDIO Syllabus be retained in its current format but recommends that one uses a Skills Profile approach when validating the skills and attributes with key stakeholders. The paper also concludes that the CDIO Standards are still relevant as their descriptions can be expanded to reflect the coverage of Industry 4.0. However, to better serve the educational needs of Industry 4.0, this paper proposes that two additional standards be introduced: one on Industry Engagement, and another on Workplace Learning.