Higher education in recent virtual engineering environments

Changed engineering activities from conventional methods in descriptive product representations to self adaptive contextual lifecycle configured product models needed continuous and relevant changes of higher education curriculums and programs. Currently, change between old and new generations of industrial engineering technology brings need for teaching of new problem solving process both structurally and thematically. The structural change is forced towards more project and virtual solution centered lectures and laboratories. Thematic changes must serve the integrated appearance and application of disciplines. This paper introduces a latest result in research for new approaches and concepts in order to change higher education engineering programs in accordance with the changes in theoretical, methodological, and systemic background of leading engineering technology. Including major advances from the area of lifecycle product engineering during the first decade of this new century in course programs is emphasized.