IETEC Conference 2011 & 2013
Archived content

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For several years this was the official website for the International Engineering and Technology Education Conference (IETEC), a series of conferences initiated and coordinated by a team of engineering and technology educators from around the globe which has now transformed to an open, collegial and supportive working group.
Content is from the site's 2011 & 2013 archived pages as well as other outside sources.

The current website for the International Engineering and Technical Education Conference is found at: http://ietec.apaqa.org/

 

International Engineering and Technology Education Conference (IETEC)

The International Engineering and Technology Education Conference (IETEC) is a series of conferences initiated and coordinated by a team of engineering and technology educators from around the globe which has now transformed to an open, collegial and supportive working group. The IETEC involves multiple likeminded universities and organisations from around the world. The IETEC features significant keynote addresses, plenary presentation sessions, interactive workshops, a panel discussion, exhibition stalls and opportunities for international collaborations. The IETEC provides opportunities and forum for engineering and technology educators to discuss important issues and develop strategies to foster engineering and technology education.

The inaugural IETEC (IETEC 11) was successfully organised and staged at Taylor's University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January 2011 with collaboration between Central Queensland University, Australia and three Malaysian universities, i.e. Taylor s University, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn (UTHM) Malaysia.

The IETEC 13 will be staged in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in between 3 and 6 November 2013 and will be jointly organised by Central Queensland University Australia and several Universities/organisations in Vietnam.

 

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IETEC'13 (3-6 NOVEMBER 2013)

Enhancing Global Engineering and Technology Education: Meeting the Future

IETEC 13 is the second conference in the IETEC series. It will be held in beautiful Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, between 3 and 6 November 2013. The IETEC'13 will explore issues related to the global future of engineering and technology education. The conference features active participation and networking in formal and informal settings. This includes dynamic key note addresses and interactive sessions, workshops, and panel discussions.

Innovation in technology and engineering play a fundamental role, both economically and socially in improving the quality of life for all citizens in future knowledge-driven economies. Moreover, the highly interdisciplinary nature of new technologies, and the impact of cyber-infrastructure appear to demand new paradigms in engineering education, research and development.

IETEC'13 brings together a wide range of engineering and technology education stakeholders from around the globe to explore the building of new capacities in engineering and technology education that are essential in creating environmentally and socially sustainable 21st century economies.

 

This conference aims to identify and explore the latest trends and developments that will shape the future worlds of engineering and technology education.

IETEC 13 SPECIAL FEATURES

• Interactive workshops for all stakeholders.
• Several special plenary sessions, such as CDIO.
• The full papers submitted and presented at the conference will be considered by the award committee for the best paper awards of the IETEC'13.
• The awarded papers and the other selected papers will be invited to publish in the special issues of International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology education (IJQAETE).
• The selected papers of the IETEC'13 will be published in an edited book by IGI Global.
• Exhibition stalls of engineering education books, softwares, tools and equipments.
• Showcasing international universities and organisations.
• Opportunities for international collaborations in engineering and technology education.
• All the accepted and presented papers will appear in the fully indexed proceedings published by the conference committee. The IETEC 13 proceedings will be submitted for consideration to EI Compendex, Thomson Reuters (ISI) Conference Proceedings Citation Index and SCOPUS.

 

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IETEC 13 signals the beginning of a new world order for the engineering and technology education fields, and is an exciting and innovative time to be in these fields. Technological advances have created conditions in which successful older systems are giving way to new ways of performing old tasks using modern tools. But in some cases, these advances can be best implemented via applications modernization rather than via discarding the outdated systems. In many instances legacy system modernization permits existing tools to continue to be used with additional capabilities without sacrificing long standing data and applications whose functionality can be preserved. Costs and learning curves are reduced, and the users can continue to deploy systems they have become accustomed to. While there may be some legal challenges to revising copyrighted works, attorney Benjamin Pred suggests that these issue are easily resolved if all parties benefit from the improvements. This change is one that will obviously be at the core of the conversations for many attending the conference and will be a topic for discussion for many years to come.

 

Dar Salu: I especially enjoyed the minister's opening address which was motivating and full of high expectations for Malaysia's future, particularly with regard to our advancements in technology. He also included a spiritual reference to our revered and learned educators. He used a passage from Syed Muhammad al Naquib bin Ali al-Attas to introduce the idea of thinking outside the box as this legendary philosopher encouraged. It was a very moving experience for many of the attendees. I chatted with our minister afterward and we ended up in a philosophical discussion about notions of existence, everything, and nothing. These were concepts with which he was well versed, especially the logical arguments involving the idea of "nothing." I had recently read a fascinating post In Search of Nothing that included the arguments for the existence of god based on the definition of "nothing" and he was immediately intrigued enough to ask for the url so he could read it later. This event was a huge success. Many wonderful connections, among leaders in diverse but related fields, will powerfully benefit Malaysia in the long run.

 

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Important Dates

Structured Abstract Submission:	20 April 2013
Full Paper Submission:	30 May 2013 15 June 2013
Revised Papers (after review process):	30 July 2013
Early Bird Registration Closes:	20 September 2013
Conference Dates:	3-6 November 2013

 

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Venue

The IETEC 13 will be staged at the University of Technical Education Ho Chi Minh City (http://www.hcmute.edu.vn). The University is located at the eastern gate of Ho Chi Minh City, only 10 km north-east of its centre and 29 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport. With over 26 thousand students, University of Technical Education Ho Chi Minh city is the second largest institution in education and research in engineering in the south of Vietnam. The University offers a wide range of courses ranging from advance diploma to PhD programs. All Conference sessions will be staged at the University premises. The details will be provided in the conference program in due course.

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Accommodation

The IETEC'13 Organising Committee has finalised a contract deal exclusively for IETEC 13 registered participants with a beautiful Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. (http://www.caravellehotel.com/en/31/info.aspx) Caravelle Hotel is a leading international 5-star hotel in the centre of the business, shopping and entertainment district, 8 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport. IETEC committee has negotiated extremely reasonable and affordable room rates exclusively for IETEC'13 registered participants and it is strongly advised all participants to stay in Caravelle Hotel ONLY since conference social events, such as; the Welcome Reception and Conference Gala Banquet, will be held in the Hotel. Most importantly, the transportation to Conference Venue (HCMUTE) will also be provided by IETEC'13 from this Hotel.

The special discounted room rates for IETEC participants are:

Deluxe Single US$135++
Deluxe Double US$157++
(Room rates are inclusive of breakfast and Wifi internet access)

Participants need to use "special room reservation forms" in order to obtain special discounted room rates, for Caravelle Hotel.

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Airport-Hotel Transfer

Airport transfers are available at Caravelle.

Mercedes E-class USD50++/way (maximum 3 persons)
Mercedes mini van USD60++/way (maximum 5 persons)
USD11++/way/person (Minimum 6 persons)

Local Tours and Visits

The IETEC'13 Organising Committee would like to nominate Saigontourist Travel Service Co. as an official designated tour company for IETEC'13 participants which will offer special discounted rates for IETEC'13. All participants willing to book local tours for their accompanying spouses/partners/themselves are requested to contact Saigontourist representative available at the registration desk during the conference.

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Organisers:

 

Central Queensland University Australia

 

University Of Technical Education Ho Chi Minh City

 

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

 

Supporters:

Tomsk Polytechnic University

 

Deakin University Australia

 

Sponsors:

 

 

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IETEC 2011

The inaugural IETEC (IETEC 11) was successfully organised and staged at Taylor s University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January 2011 with collaboration between Central Queensland University, Australia and three Malaysian universities, i.e. Taylor s University, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn (UTHM) Malaysia. IETEC 11 exhibitors were National Instruments and Taylors and Francis Asia-Pacific.

The conference was inaugurated by the Malaysian Higher Education Minster s representative. The 130 academics and experts who attended from 25 different countries covering the Asia Pacific, North and South America, Europe, the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East regions contributed 75 papers across 16 plenary presentation sessions, including special sessions. The conference provided opportunity for international participants to interact and discuss concepts, ideas and practices at the conference and stimulated highly productive discussion and reflection. The IETEC 11 featured significant keynote addresses, plenary presentation sessions, poster presentations, interactive workshops, a panel discussion, exhibition stalls and opportunities for international collaborations which helped participants to foster their knowledge and expertise in engineering and technology education.

 

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES

The International Engineering and Technology Education Conference (IETEC 11) is being organised to foster cooperation between a wide range of stakeholders of engineering and technology education to enhance educational policy developments, learning, teaching and research that will help enhancing 21st century skills for global engineers and technologists. The IETEC 11 will be structurally organised in order to promote active participation of all attendees and presenters via plenary presentation sessions, key note addresses, interactive workshops and panel discussions. In addition, facilities will be provided for group meetings and one-on-one interaction to discuss issues of engineering and technology education and to network with conference participants and organisations.

TOPICS OF INTEREST

Learning/teaching and assessing 21st century competencies and skills for global engineers and technologists
Outcomes-based curriculum design and implementation
Teaching-research nexus in engineering and technology education
Class-room teaching in engineering and technology education
Distance, online and flexible learning in engineering and technology education
Accreditation and quality assurance of engineering and technology education
Curriculum design, development and implementation
Issues of learning pedagogies in engineering and technology education
Design, development, implementation and assessment of e-Learning tools in engineering and technology education
Problem-based and project-based learning in engineering and technology education
Student-centred learning in engineering and technology education
Staff professional development
Academic retention and progression in engineering and technology education
Work-based learning in engineering and technology education
Internationalisation of engineering and technology education

SPECIAL FEATURES

Interactive workshops for all stakeholders, including the Advanced Workshop for Quality Assurance Professionals by Dr Peter Gray of USNA, USA.
The full papers submitted and presented at the conference will be considered by the award committee for the best paper awards of the IETEC 11.
The awarded papers and the other selected papers will be invited to publish in the special issues of International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology education (IJQAETE) as well as in the Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (JESTC).
The selected papers of the IETEC 11 will be published in an edited book by IGI Global.
Exhibition stalls of engineering education books, softwares, tools and equipments.
Showcasing international universities and organisations.
Opportunities for international collaborations in engineering and technology education.

CALL FOR PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS

The IETEC 11 organising committee invites authors to submit scholarly papers that seek to advance knowledge and understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship and its implications in engineering and technology education. The papers should be organised so as to accommodate abstract, introduction, state-of-the-art, objectives, used methodologies, obtained results and references. Submitted papers should be original and contain contributions of theoretical, experimental or application nature, or be unique experience report. Papers must be submitted before the submission deadline and electronic submission is required.

Proposals for holding workshops that will complement the main conference are requested from interested participants. The intended workshop proposals should fall within the scope of IETEC 11.

For paper submission and workshop proposal please contact Arun Patil ([email protected]).
For further details please visit: www.ietec.my

 

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More Background On IETEC-Conference.com

 

IETEC-Conference.com served for years as the official digital home of the International Engineering and Technology Education Conference (IETEC), a recurring global conference series dedicated to improving, modernizing, and internationalizing engineering and technology education. Although the conference now operates through a different domain in its current form, the archived version of IETEC-Conference.com provides a rich window into the early structure, ambitions, and influence of the IETEC movement. The website’s pages from 2011 and 2013 in particular showcase how the conference emerged, expanded across continents, and grew into a recognized forum for engineering and technology educators worldwide.

This article examines the website and the conference behind it in depth—its ownership structure, its goals, history, audience, events, activities, and broader cultural and social influence. It is designed to give readers a detailed understanding of what IETEC-Conference.com represented, how the conference operated, and why it was (and remains) widely respected within global engineering education circles.

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Origins and Ownership of IETEC-Conference.com

The domain was established as the official outreach and information portal for the International Engineering and Technology Education Conference. Rather than being owned by a commercial corporation, the site was maintained by the IETEC organizing committee, a rotating and collaborative body of engineering and technology education experts.

The guiding institutions behind the earliest editions included:

• Central Queensland University (Australia)

• Taylor’s University (Malaysia)

• Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

• Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)

• University of Technical Education, Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

These universities collaborated to host and administer the conference, while the website served as the global communication hub. The site’s ownership was thus academic and collaborative rather than corporate.

IETEC-Conference.com operated as an information center for:

• Paper submission instructions

• Conference themes and objectives

• Venue details

• Registration forms and hotel arrangements

• Workshop schedules

• Keynote speaker details

• Proceedings and post-conference publications

The domain’s archival content demonstrates a commitment to openness, international cooperation, and continuous improvement in engineering and technology education worldwide.

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Mission and Purpose of the IETEC Movement

The overarching mission of IETEC was to strengthen global engineering and technology education through international dialogue, research sharing, and innovation. The conferences showcased advances in teaching methods, curriculum development, accreditation standards, digital learning tools, and workforce preparation strategies.

Key goals included:

1. Enhancing 21st-Century Engineering Education

IETEC emphasized the urgent need to produce graduates capable of thriving in rapidly changing technological environments. This required new teaching methods, new curricula, and new frameworks for teacher training.

2. Supporting International Collaboration

The conference encouraged cross-border partnerships among universities, educators, researchers, and industry stakeholders. Many attendees used the conference to initiate joint research projects, collaborative grants, faculty exchange programs, and cross-national curriculum initiatives.

3. Promoting Quality Assurance and Accreditation Standards

IETEC was an important platform for discussing accreditation frameworks, quality assurance protocols, outcomes-based education, and the global harmonization of engineering qualifications.

4. Encouraging Innovation in Learning Technology

Workshops and paper sessions highlighted e-learning tools, simulation environments, distance learning techniques, and digital assessment platforms—topics that have only grown more relevant over time.

5. Providing Opportunities for Publication and Research Recognition

Each IETEC edition included formal proceedings, best-paper awards, and pathways to have top-ranked papers published in respected international journals.

IETEC therefore positioned itself at the intersection of academic research, professional training, and global educational reform.

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Historical Overview: A Timeline of the Conferences

IETEC ’11 — The Inaugural Conference in Malaysia

The first edition of the conference took place in January 2011 at Taylor's University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It brought together approximately:

• 130 academics and professionals

• From 25 countries

• Contributing 75 peer-reviewed papers

• Organized over 16 plenary sessions, workshops, and panels

This inaugural event established IETEC’s identity: international, academic, collaborative, and forward-looking. Exhibitors included major industry players such as National Instruments, while keynote speakers included high-ranking representatives from Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education.

IETEC ’13 — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The second major conference documented on the website was held from 3–6 November 2013 in Ho Chi Minh City, hosted by the University of Technical Education Ho Chi Minh City (HCMUTE).

The theme was:

“Enhancing Global Engineering and Technology Education: Meeting the Future”

IETEC ’13 expanded the conference’s scope even further, highlighting:

• Cyber-infrastructure and its impact on new teaching paradigms

• The need to modernize legacy engineering education systems

• Sustainability and social responsibility in engineering

• The rise of interdisciplinary approaches

Special presentations included sessions on CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate), a globally adopted model for engineering education reform.

The conference also introduced:

• Exhibition booths for universities and technology companies

• A major international book publication opportunity

• A competitive best-paper process

• Formal proceedings indexed for inclusion in global citation databases

The event confirmed IETEC’s status as an influential, internationally recognized engineering education conference.

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Location, Venue, and Proximity

Though IETEC is itinerant, hosted in different cities, the archived site highlights two main locations:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2011)

A major commercial and academic hub, Kuala Lumpur offered:

• Easy international access

• A thriving engineering and technology sector

• A strong culture of higher education development

• Multiple collaborating universities within close proximity

This location helped establish IETEC within the broader context of Southeast Asia’s rapid technological growth.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2013)

The chosen venue—University of Technical Education Ho Chi Minh City (HCMUTE)—is one of the largest engineering education institutions in the country.

Its proximity details included:

• 10 km from downtown Ho Chi Minh City

• 29 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport

• On a major educational corridor in Vietnam’s southern region

The conference’s designated accommodations, such as the Caravelle Hotel, were centrally located near business, shopping, cultural, and culinary districts—adding convenience for international participants.

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Conference Features and Offerings

Each IETEC conference had a robust set of components that made it attractive to educators and institutions worldwide.

1. Keynote Addresses

Speakers typically included ministers, university presidents, and influential figures in engineering education. The addresses often focused on:

• National talent development

• Higher-education reform

• Strategic technological needs

• The global role of engineering institutions

2. Plenary Sessions

These sessions provided the backbone of scholarly exchange, with papers presented on:

• Curriculum innovation

• Quality assurance

• Learning technologies

• Pedagogy

• Research-teaching integration

• Assessment strategies

3. Interactive Workshops

Workshops allowed participants to gain hands-on experience with tools, frameworks, and teaching methodologies, including:

• E-learning platform design

• CDIO methodology

• Industry-academic collaboration strategies

• Quality assurance systems

4. Panel Discussions

Panels facilitated open conversation on emerging challenges such as:

• Skills gaps in engineering labor markets

• The digital transformation of laboratories

• International degree mobility

• Global engineering accreditation

5. Exhibitions and Showcases

Exhibitor booths featured:

• Engineering education software

• Assessment tools

• Textbooks and teaching materials

• University partnership opportunities

• Lab equipment and technology innovations

These exhibitions connected institutions with vendors and opened opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.

6. Research Recognition and Publication

Accepted papers were published in conference proceedings, with selected papers invited for journal publication. Several IETEC editions worked with:

• Quality assurance journals

• Engineering education journals

• International book publishers specializing in STEM pedagogy

Awards were given for outstanding contributions, further encouraging high-quality submissions.

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Audience and Community

IETEC-Conference.com catered to an international professional audience, primarily:

• University educators

• Engineering faculty

• Technical and polytechnic instructors

• Curriculum designers

• Accreditation and quality assurance specialists

• Graduate students in engineering education

• Engineering program administrators

• Research groups exploring STEM pedagogy

• Industry professionals interested in educational collaboration

The conference became a hub for those motivated to improve educational outcomes at large technical institutions, especially in Asia-Pacific regions—though participation grew increasingly global after the inaugural year.

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Topics of Interest and Conference Themes

Across different editions, IETEC consistently covered key subject areas relevant to engineering and technology education. Prominent topics included:

• 21st-century competencies for engineers

• Outcomes-based education

• Quality assurance and accreditation

• Project-based and problem-based learning

• Distance and flexible learning systems

• Teaching-research nexus integration

• Student-centered learning

• Learning analytics and assessment tools

• E-learning and digital pedagogy

• Work-based learning

• Internationalization of engineering programs

• Curriculum modernization and reform

The breadth of topics reflected the conference’s commitment to practical, forward-looking engineering pedagogy.

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Reputation, Popularity, and Recognition

Within the engineering education community, IETEC quickly became known as:

• A credible global conference bringing together experts from dozens of countries

• A platform associated with respected universities in Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam, and beyond

• A contributor to engineering education journals and book publications

• A conference with strong industry connections, featuring partnerships and sponsorships from major tech companies

• A leader in promoting modern engineering education practices, especially in the Asia-Pacific region

The conference’s mix of practical workshops, scholarly rigor, and international accessibility made it an attractive venue for a wide range of educators and institutions.

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Cultural and Social Significance

IETEC played an important cultural and social role in global engineering education by:

Promoting International Dialogue

Engineering education reform varies dramatically across countries. IETEC created a space where these differences could be explored, compared, and improved through dialogue.

Encouraging Educational Modernization

Many of the early IETEC sessions focused on replacing outdated teaching systems with modern, technology-driven approaches—a necessity as engineering becomes more interdisciplinary and digitally oriented.

Supporting Developing Nations

By hosting conferences in Malaysia and Vietnam, IETEC emphasized inclusivity and accessibility. These nations served as hubs for regional educators who might not regularly attend conferences in Europe or North America.

Building Networks

The conference nurtured long-term international relationships between universities, leading to:

• Joint research projects

• Faculty exchanges

• Co-authored papers

• Collaborative engineering education initiatives

Preserving Educational Heritage

The archived website now serves as a digital time capsule, capturing an important moment in the evolution of global engineering pedagogy.

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Why IETEC-Conference.com Matters Today

Though the active work of IETEC continues under a different domain, the archived content on IETEC-Conference.com remains an important historical record. It reflects:

• The early momentum behind global engineering education modernization

• The importance of collaboration between developed and developing nations

• The shift toward digital learning, outcomes-based curricula, and international accreditation

• The shared commitment among educators to prepare future engineers for a rapidly changing world

For researchers, educators, and institutional leaders, IETEC-Conference.com continues to offer insight into the evolution of engineering education policy, pedagogy, and global cooperation.

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IETEC-Conference.com was more than a conference website—it was the original digital platform behind a global movement to improve engineering and technology education. The domain documents the evolution of IETEC from its inaugural meeting in Malaysia to its continued expansion across Asia and beyond. It highlights the conference’s goals, structure, participants, and achievements, offering a detailed look into a highly respected and internationally relevant academic initiative.

Today, the site remains a historically valuable resource. It captures the collaborative spirit, global participation, academic seriousness, and forward-thinking innovation that defined the early years of IETEC. Its influence continues to be felt as engineering education moves deeper into the 21st century—embracing new technologies, new methods, and new global partnerships that the early IETEC organizers helped inspire.

 

 

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