I often wonder why there’s a big disparity in the numbers of people who go on exchange across our various programs. The statistics are interesting, and are reflected in this bar chart. It shows the absolute numbers of students who went on exchange (STOUTS, or STudentsOUT) from each program in 2011. Systems Design is one of our smaller programs, yet it outnumbered all the others in terms of exchange students. Electrical Engineering is our largest program, but it’s ranked seventh out of our 13 programs. More students from Architecture than any Engineering program, except Systems Design, go on exchange, and it has a class size of only 60.
How can one explain why the number of Systems students who go on exchange almost matches Civil, Electrical and Mechanical combined? How can it be changed? It’s not as if other engineering schools across the world don’t offer programs in the traditional areas of Chemical, Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. I can understand the smaller numbers from Nano, because there aren’t many matching programs, but plenty of places offer Environmental Engineering and there’s lots of room for Software, Computer, Mechatronics and even Geological Engineering students. Management is our newest program, and it fits well with similar programs in a number of our overseas partners.
Maybe EngSoc should offer P**5 points for exchange participation. Somehow or another I’d like to challenge the present first and second year classes of ChE, CivE, CompE, EnvE, ME MTE, SE and NE to go on exchange in the same numbers as SYDE. And if you do, you’ll still be a smaller proportion of your class than Systems.
It’s too late to apply for 2012, but there is room in 2013 and 2014. We have 72 exchange partners around the world. You could go to the oldest technical university in Europe, or you could study in top-ranked universities in Australia, Austria, Chile, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan or Wales. And more are being added each year. The opportunities are almost limitless, but you have to plan and apply.
Depending on your program, you can go on exchange in 3A and/or 3B and/or 4A, but the Waterloo Engineering Exchange application must be completed well in advance: – the end of January for the following Fall term, the end of May for the following Winter term and mid-October for the following Spring term; in general it should be completed before midterms. If you want to go to a particular school, get on the list early. Spaces are strictly limited. To find out more go to the Engineering Exchange website www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~exchange, then contact Cindy Howe (cindy@uwaterloo.ca) or me, Peter Roe (phoroe@uwaterloo.ca), in the Engineering undergraduate office (CPH 1320).
Exchange is a great, fun, life-changing experience. Exchange enhances your education. You have chosen Waterloo, the best school in the country; why not take advantage of all the opportunities we offer? Every single person who has returned from exchange would recommend it to you. Just ask them.
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