Mechatronics challenge for the higher education world

Mechatronics engineering courses at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as vocational training courses are rapidly increasing across the world. Philosophy and structure of such courses divert from the classical single-discipline engineering programmes and induce a challenge for the higher education institutions. Different institutions in various countries are reacting differently to this challenge but, all aiming at educating mechatronics engineers. This paper reviews the mechatronics education at various centres in the world. It also analyses the structure and contents of a number of selected mechatronics programmes in various higher education institutions. Furthermore, it proposes a list of features that a sound mechatronics engineering programme should contain.