Multi-purpose advanced teaching and basic research analytical and physical chemistry laboratory at khalifa university's biomedical engineering department

In summary, we present a model of a multipurpose laboratory which combines some standard biomedical engineering and modern science laboratory curriculum with a kernel of a Core/Shared Facility developed at Khalifa University - KUSTAR, Abu Dhabi, UAE. An impact of such multi-purpose laboratory on student global engineering competency is discussed within a survey of the first generation of BME seniors at this start-up university. In the second part of the report, we outline the initial positive impact of this laboratory facility on the start-up effort of the first batch of research-oriented faculty members in the environment where individual start-up packages are still not a norm. In terms of global preparedness of students and faculty, we suggest this model and its variations in other engineering disciplines as a “hard skill set” addition to the currently considered soft skill set needed by current and future engineering graduates. As discussed in Refs.^2,3,6 one of the major problems in achieving international competence is in the highly sequenced and demanding nature of the current engineering curricula. This manuscript discusses one potential approach to increasing the global competence by focusing on science-driven engineering training as a hard skill, leading to the lab-based internship, in addition to several soft-skill themed efforts, such as international study (study abroad as known in the US), international internships, or more ambitious transnational design projects.