Riccio College of Engineering Strategic Plan: Priority 1

Actions/Initiatives

1.1.1. Prepare students to impact the Massachusetts and national economies, and contribute to solving complex societal challenges by offering high-quality, high-value engineering degree and certificate programs and experiential learning opportunities.

1.1.2. Continue to grow the biomedical engineering program to address workforce needs for the Massachusetts life sciences economy. 

1.1.3. Develop a vibrant recruitment effort via communication and outreach, and a commitment to diversity to attract the highest-quality engineering students from the broadest possible segments of society.

1.1.4. Expand financial support through research grants, scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships to attract and retain outstanding undergraduate and graduate students.

1.1.5. Offer a modern curriculum with interdisciplinary and integrative components. Embed the college’s curricula with content and activities that promote social and environmental justice. Become leaders in “Inclusive Design.”

Actions/Initiatives

1.2.1. Improve academic support for undergraduate and graduate students by providing expanded access to instructional staff, makerspaces and state of the art laboratory and classroom facilities.

1.2.2. Enhance the student experience with transformative experiential learning opportunities such as internships, research experiences, student design teams, and service learning as early in the engineering education process as possible.

1.2.3. Provide outstanding mentoring and advising to students throughout their academic programs with new mentoring programs and increased advising staff.

1.2.4. Create a collaborative learning environment for students to develop team-based skills via early-stage laboratory courses and team activities embedded in the curriculum.

1.2.5. Expand the study and use of computing, data science and AI across the curriculum to better prepare students for the next generation workforce.

1.2.6. Enable interdisciplinary teaching across departments in the college as well as in collaboration with other colleges.

1.2.7. Enable and expand study abroad and global partnerships.

Actions/Initiatives

1.3.1. Include career and professional development in all components of a student’s education and advising including integration into seminars and core courses.

1.3.2. Through collaboration with campus partners, identify interdisciplinary degree programs, grow master’s and certificate programs, (including new online and multimodal courses) and education at the Charles River Campus, to address market needs and offer students increased opportunities for postbaccalaureate education. 

1.3.3. Expand access to accelerated (4+1) master’s programs across engineering disciplines by streamlining course requirements and improving course availability.

1.3.4. Increase alumni engagement to provide mentoring, experiential learning, and employment opportunities for engineering students.