Aims and Characteristics

The Department of Mechanical Engineering has merged two undergraduate programmes, the BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and the BEng (Hons) in Product Analysis and Engineering Design, into the BEng (Hons) Scheme in Mechanical Engineering. Students admitted to the scheme study together during the first 2 years, and then complete their preferred programme (one of the above two programmes), normally within 2 years. This arrangement allows students to make their choice of study after they have obtained a better understanding of the programmes. There is no quota restriction on the number of students in the BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering or the BEng (Hons) in Product Analysis and Engineering Design programmes.

BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering

Programme Aims and Learning Outcomes

We aim to educate professional mechanical engineers who are able to use up-to-date technology to solve and manage multidisciplinary engineering problems for various engineering/business sectors.

Graduates of the programme are expected to

• have learned to apply scientific principles and carry out engineering analysis and design to solve challenging problems that are typical in mechanical engineering;

• be able to use computers as tools to solve engineering problems;

• be able to formulate technical problems mathematically and analyse engineering systems;

• be able to properly select the most suitable materials and methods – i.e. those that are safe, environmentally and aesthetically acceptable, and economically competitive – for systems/products and their design and manufacture;

• have the skills needed to think innovatively and creatively and communicate effectively in both oral and written forms; and

• appreciate the ethical and societal responsibilities of engineers, the importance of lifelong learning, concepts relating to continuous quality improvement, and the continued effect of the globalisation of the design, manufacturing, and marketing of technical goods and services.

Programme Characteristics

After our students have received a broad and solid foundation in areas such as physics, mathematics, computing, engineering sciences, design and manufacturing, they are able to apply their knowledge and skills to the following clusters:

• Aerospace Engineering

• Robotics and Autonomous Systems

• Environmental and Energy Engineering

• Mechanics and Materials

BEng (Hons) in Product Analysis and Engineering Design

Programme Aims and Learning Outcomes

This unique interdisciplinary programme aims to enable students to synthesise technology, design, and business in the development of high-quality innovative products. It provides graduates with the fundamental knowledge, skills, techniques, and global insight needed to develop creative products that are competitively priced, meet international standards for quality, and can be successfully marketed. Graduates usually serve the community as professional design engineers, engineering designers or product innovation specialists. They are expected to play important roles in Hong Kong’s evolving industry, from ODM to innovative OBM, as they have the ability to:

• perform product-design engineering by considering market needs and technology and business constraints;

• apply scientific, mathematical and engineering knowledge and understanding of market trends and customer needs to analyse design engineering problems;

• manage product innovation and development; and

• master innovation entrepreneurship and develop their own businesses.

Programme Characteristics

The programme provides comprehensive education and training in design, development and analysis for engineering and product innovation, enabling graduates to synthesise product design, technology and business to produce successful new products that satisfy market needs. The programme adopts learning outcome-oriented, integrative and real-life design project-based teaching and learning approaches, helping students to develop their knowledge in engineering innovation, product development and marketing. We also help our students to develop their communication, teamwork innovation, project management and self-learning skills. Furthermore, students are given opportunities for extensive practical training through international or local attachments in professional design consultancy firms or industrial R&D departments for 2 to 6 months, to strengthen their ability to integrate knowledge into design engineering activities in a realistic industrial context. Thus, our graduates are equipped to play leading roles in the industry by virtue of their well-balanced education and practical training in design engineering innovation and product development.

In both programmes:

• we use a learning outcome-oriented teaching approach;

• students are required to complete Industrial Training and Work-Integrated Education; and

• students can also opt for summer placements in companies abroad, or in industry in Hong Kong or on the Chinese mainland.