Chalmers and General Motors in Long-term Sustainable Partnership

More than 1,200 engineers from General Motors (GM) have taken web-based master courses at Chalmers since 2002. The GM Technical Education Program (TEP) entered into the partnership with Chalmers more than 10 years ago because of the development of a web-based Global Automotive Safety course. Partnering with Chalmers allows GM employees the opportunity to learn from a leading, top level international university.

Lydia Gobis, GM– Chalmers currently offers four courses to GM. TEP anticipates them being an integral partner to deliver cutting edge learning opportunities to GM employees for years to come, says Lydia Gobis, Global Engineering Education and Training Manager.

The partnership was initiated in 2002 and cooperation between Chalmers and TEP has grown steadily resulting in considerable success. More than 1,200 GM engineers have studied Chalmers web-based credit courses over the years.

– A successful partnership like the one we have with GM TEP, allows us to build courses that can meet the needs of working professionals anywhere in the world, says Tuula Bergqvist at Chalmers Professional Education. She is responsible for the partnership with GM and for the Automotive Programs at Chalmers Professional Education.

– Web-based courses provide an ideal environment for engineers to learn together and share knowledge, says Tuula Bergqvist.

Ten universities contribute
Since 2005 GM TEP together with the University of Michigan has offered a Master of Engineering degree in Global Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering (GAME) to GM’s technical professionals worldwide, and since 2008 a Master of Engineering in Energy Systems Engineering. Ten universities, including Chalmers, contribute to the interdisciplinary content of the GAME degree, which has won a number of prestigious awards since its inception.

The collaboration between GM subject matter experts and the university faculty has been paramount to developing curricula aimed at meeting the needs of GM’s engineering employees. The job related coursework is delivered through the convenience of distance-learning technologies, which allow employees to balance their work and personal life while successfully pursuing their academic goals, and ultimately increasing their job specific knowledge and skills. Tailored content, globally friendly delivery and high-quality instructional design for online learning are focal points of these programs.

All TEP degree programs include a capstone project that provides a unique opportunity to integrate the body of knowledge learned from courses the student has taken, and address a real life GM issue that reduces cost, improves quality, enhances safety, and/or provides a competitive advantage to GM. TEP calculates the measurable savings that results from such projects to determine the return on their educational investment, which is a very concrete measure. Special recognition is given to students who develop innovative solutions and implement them to realize actual benefits to GM.