The Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) is a name awarded to graduates of engineering programs that develop their students' capabilities to work within a professional context. These programs focus on applied techniques in their respective engineering fields. Participation in a program that awards the abbreviation PDEng requires at least a Master's degree in a related field ^[1].

The main schools currently awarding this name are the Eindhoven University of Technology, Delft University of Technology, and University of Twente. Among these schools are interscholastic cooperation programs like the 3TU Federation and its Stan Ackermans Institute ^[2].

Contents 1 Accreditation 2 Hallmarks 3 History 4 References

[edit] Accreditation

The PDEng is certified by the Dutch Certification Committee for Technological Design Programmes (CCTO or Dutch: Nederlandse Certificatiecommissie voor Opleidingen tot Technologisch Ontwerper), which represents the interests of the Dutch Employers' Collective (Dutch: Raad Centrale Ondernemingsorganisaties) and the Royal Institution of Engineers in the Netherlands (KIVI NIRIA or Dutch: Koninklijk Instituut Van Ingenieurs) ^[3]. The CCTO's main goal is to ensure that such degrees hold to the high standards establishes by both academia and industry. The committee reviews these degree programs every five years to ensure continuted standards compliance ^[4].

[edit] Hallmarks

Where the Ph.D. degree is an academic degree, the PDEng is a professional qualification in the Netherlands. Althought suggesting, the name "Professional Doctorate" is not a doctoral degree recognized by the Dutch Law^{[citation needed]} as opposed to "Doctor of Philosophy". It is not equal to a Ph.D. degree. PDEng laureates who wish to pursue a Ph.D. are still required to complete the associated academic training, but in most cases, they are allowed to complete the training one or two years faster than otherwise.

Generally, the idea is that a PDEng laureate (design engineer) is equipped to design technical solutions for products, processes, and/or systems, based not only on practical/functional requirements, but also business/market requirements. PDEng trainees should be furthermore trained in accomplishing such goals within the context of a general societal character, placing emphasis on sustainability, societal and cultural impact, and other aspects of social responsibility ^[5].

PDEng training should be problem-based, team-oriented, and practically applied ^[6].

[edit] History

The Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) name owes its existence to the adoption of the Bachelor/Master (Ba/Ma) degree system after the Bologna Process. While most Dutch universities adopted the Ba/Ma system in 2001, the PDEng was known as the official Master of Technical Design (MTD) degree until 2004. It was then that the Dutch Certification Committee for Technological Design Programmes finally ratified the new degree to separate it from the new Master's degree ^[7].

[edit] References