C.3.2. Design and application oriented Teaching Engineering is a design and application oriented activity and engineering design is the most important ingredient in the education and training of an engineer. It is design that distinguishes an engineer from a scientist. So, the design content in the curriculum must be substantiated. Teaching of design methodologies and problem-solving approaches are essential features of marine engineering education. In earlier years, conceptual design, detailed specifications, manufacturing, assembling, commissioning and testing, formed part of the curriculum in every discipline. During the decades of sixties and seventies, significant changes in the engineering curricula took place, influenced largely by the practices in some western countries. This has resulted in a considerable shift in emphasis from design and application oriented teaching to basic sciences. The introduction of more basic and engineering science courses has generally been at the cost of design courses and fieldwork. We must move to emphasise design and application into engineering education. Moreover, meaningful projects dealing with real life problems should form the culmination of the education programmes.
