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DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

Project: Human Resource Development in Engineering Education & Training in the Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone

Part A Request for used equipment

Part B Request for new equipment including modern computers

Introduction

     Background

            Sierra Leone is a low-income developing country with a total land area of 72,300 km2 and an estimated population of 5 million.  It is an independent African country lying between latitudes 7 deg. and 10 deg. North and longitudes 10 deg. 30’ and 13 deg. 15’ West on the West Coast. The annual population growth rate is nearly 2.7%.  The population is predominantly rural, accounting for about 74% of the total.  Rural incomes are derived mostly from subsistence agricultural production. The economy is characterised by high consumption and low savings trends.  The per capita gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to approximately US$300 in 1995 and presently estimated at under US$162 [World Bank, 1997]

     Against this background, Sierra Leone, like many developing countries is beleagured with many social and economic problems which have been compounded with an eight-year old rebel war. It has further stifled all major economic activities in the mining and agricultural sectors, resulting in almost total dependence on foreign aid for its existence over the last four years 1994-1998.  The political processes to usher in sustainable peace is in progress and will hopefully auger in a new lease of life for the country in terms of stability and development programmes.

The Department is one of three Departments in the Faculty of Engineering and is making every effort to provide the necessary tools for the development and advancement of its students and staff.  It is however constrained by inadequate number and type of equipment that would foster the required environment for such growth and development.  The requirements cover not only computers but also measuring equipment as well as books for its small library.

The proposal is in two parts. The first investigates the possibility of acquiring used equipment including computers that may no longer be used in your establishment and the second part, a more proactive one taking account of our needs at the Final Years and also our development plans for the future.

Departmental programmes:

Electrical & Electronic Engineering Department

  Computer-related courses in this department are :

                  a)            Microcomputer Engineering

                  b)            Circuits and Fields

                  c)            Electronics

                  d)            CAD

                  e)            Data Processing & Signal Analysis

                  a)            Microcomputer Engineering .

This course provides an introduction to the rudiments of computer technology, operating systems, networking and programming using Pascal and C.  It is offered at the Qualifying Year and runs throughout the year.  Fifty per cent of the programme is spent in the laboratory gaining hands-on experience on the use of the computer and mastering programming techniques.  Without adequate number of computers this programme is heavily under-subscribed in terms of time spent on practical work with the result sadly being more theoretical coverage and less practical work.

                  b)            Circuits and Fields

                 Various techniques in circuit analysis and synthesis are treated.  After the theoretical consideration, it is expected that exercises in computer analysis and simulation will be undertaken with some fundamental introduction to design and analysis using computer programmes, either ready-made or written by students, especially SPICE techniques or its variants.

            c)            Electronics

This is a very important course in the department.  Fundamentals will have been treated in the first year under Electronic Engineering and Applied Electricity I.  It introduces elements of digital electronics as pathway to concepts in computer science.

                        It is now proposed that CAD packages in electronic design are introduced at this year under this course.  Also programming in C⁺⁺ should form a second programming language accompanied by the usual tests, practical and assignments.

                        The introduction of those topics and activities will address one of the criticisms levied by external examiners of insufficient level of computing skills before the project execution both in the third and fourth years.  Invariably students are introduced to CAD only at the fourth year when projects are being given some of which require programming and CAD skills.  The learning period required for the successful execution of the project, invariably reduces the time spent on the actual project implementation with its obvious implications on the quality of projects submitted.  Furthermore, students’ appreciation of concepts in Electronics and circuit theory will be significantly enhanced by exposure to CAD analysis, which would also result in confidence building in these areas.

                        It is felt that the introduction and treatment of these topics at the second year will enable other advanced topics to be considered later on, as well as more demanding projects given with great practical bias.  The students should be more marketable on completion of their degree programme and will also prove more informed and useful during the industrial attachment period after the third year.  They would have appreciated the usefulness of computers as an engineering tool in design and analysis, skills, which would be transferred to industry when eventually employed

            d)            CAD 

                  This course is usually treated at H2 or the fourth year.  With the modifications proposed above, more detailed or advanced work would be covered in this year.  The aspect of manufacturing will also be investigated translating the schematic to printed circuit board construction for final testing.  A portfolio of exercises will now be required as course work, being a significant component of the continuous assessment in the CAD programme.  This course is also supposed to be heavily geared towards practical work using popular CAD packages such as Autocad, Pscpice and electronic bench among others.  Again because of inadequate number and types of computers it is more theoretical than practical.

            e)            Data Processing and Signal Analysis

This course covers the application of mathematics in engineering situations.  It is pre-requisite for the Communication and Control Courses introduced at the Final Honours II Year.  Computer programs in Pascal and C are written to solve numerical problems using theories met during the Qualifying Year Mathematics lectures and also new topics introduced in the Honours I Year such as convolution, Fourier Tranform, autocorrelation, etc.

Interestingly the other courses can be greatly enhanced by CAL programmes that are now available on computer packages, especially the Control system, Communications, Power Electronics and Power systems.  

SET AND DESIGN LABORATORY EXERCISES

The department needs to urgently upgrade and arrange its laboratory activities in all the areas of study.  Students need hands-on experience in Electronics, Power Systems, Digital Systems, Electrical Machines, Controls and Telecommunications.

The need is increasingly urgent as greater interest is shown by potential employers in our students.  Furthermore, the department had organised a visit in 1993 by an advisory committee on Accreditation from the Institution of Electrical Engineers, U. K to gauge the chances of our BEng degree programme being accredited by them.  This exercise was carried out and an accreditation visit was being planned for March 1998 before the crisis of May 1997.  With the current increased emphasis on hands on exposure it is critical that the laboratory facilities are improved and the number of laboratory exercises increased significantly if this aspect of the programme should receive approval by the Accreditation team when the visit is finally arranged hopefully in the year 2002.  The spin-off effects of this status are tremendous and will provide attraction for students in the region and beyond as we would now enjoy comparable status with a number of similarly accredited Universities / Colleges in the UK with its attendant implications with respect to postgraduate work and professional recognition.

The following provides a list of equipment and instruments needed for this upgrading.

Development expenditure

Part A

Under this subheading we are appealing for as many used computers as can be provided for the introduction of computing and programming to our students at the Qualifying Year as they prepare for more advanced courses in the later years.  Computers in the Pentium range(100s for example) will be welcomed with suitable capacity and support for peripheral devices, e.g. Printers, drives, etc.

The student numbers are usually up to twenty at the Qualifying Year. Any other items of relevance to the Department’s operation as detailed above will be most welcomed.

Part B

Please note that the Suppliers indicated below are by no means prescriptive.  These names are merely the ones known to us and with whom we have done business.  We will be too willing to transact with others of your choice if this proposal is being discussed.

A  Supplier :

Maplin Electronics

New Laboratory kits for Qualifying to Honours I students

B             Supplier :

Feedback Instruments Limited :

Agent in Sierra Leone :

Transnational (S.L.) Limited

8 Wesley Street

Freetown

Tel : 225663

                Income Generation for Sustainable Development            

The acquisition of these computers and laboratory equipment leads to a number of opportunities, one of which is in the area of income generation to upkeep the machines in constant working order (ie Repair & maintenance costs as well as funds for purchasing more equipment and computers anticipated for bigger classes).  The department plans to mount short courses leading to the award of certificate for different clients.  Short programmes in introducing Electronics, Power systems, CAD, circuit theory and design, programming, etc world be offered to a range of students (both school leaving and matured e.g. technicians, engineers needing refresher programmes in digital techniques, etc).  These activities will undoubtedly address some of the gaps in our educational structure and thereby provide more flexibility and increased access to training in technical and vocational skills for self employment or further studies.

         Staff profile

           Evaluation & Monitoring

                        The success of an academic / training programme is measurable by the quality of its students, their relevance in the job market (which can be ascertained by employer), and the demand / popularity of the programme -measured in terms of number of applications to the programme.  Of greater importance is also the international recognition of programme offered.  In this regard it is hoped that with the improved facilities and restructuring of the degree course and new certificate programmes, it will be seen that the department is gradually fulfilling its mandate of greater access for students and eventual accreditation by international bodies such as the IEE.

                        The department will also undertake self evaluation which will constitute interviews/questionnaire analysis from students and also staff, of the impact of the programmes, especially with regard to the improved facilities and their effect on students confidence, range of knowledge and comprehensiveness of the learning process.

                        Such evaluation will be submitted to the funding agency as a measure of the success of the programme.

Dr Jonas A S Redwood-Sawyerr

Head,

Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Fourah Bay College

University of Sierra Leone

Freetown.  SIERRA LEONE.  WEST AFRICA

Email:               jasredwood@yahoo.com

Fax:                  010-232-22-224260

                        010-232-22-224439

Tel.:                  Office:            227924

                        Home:            226462

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