Enhancing Architecture Studies at Silesian University of Technology

1. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON ENGINEERING EDUCATION Attractiveness and Effectiveness of Studies at the Faculty of Architecture,Silesian University of Technology. Joanna Serdyńska, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland Jerzy Witeczek, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland

2. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions ASSUMPTIONS, AIMS AND METHOD • FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE • Facts: • the Faculty of Architecture has a 60-years’ experience of teaching, • about 600 candidates each year take an entrance examination at the Faculty, • about 90 students each year graduate from the Faculty THE SURVEY • Two goals to be achieved: • to measure the attractiveness and the effectiveness of studies at our Faculty • to consider the changes of the graduate’s profile • Period of time covered by the survey: 1978 – 2003 • Source of data for the survey: • questionnaire of the candidate for a study, • a protocol of a diploma examination. • Questions: • What makes architecture studies so attractive? • Who are the successful graduates? • How effective are studies at the Faculty of Architecture?

3. HOMETOWN LOCATION Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions • Prerequisites that effect a choice • and a success at the entrance examination: • hometown (location and size), • type of secondary school, • home background. Studies at our Faculty are attractive mainly for students who live in Silesia. Only 2 cities in the group of 15 greatest students’ suppliers have been from out of the Silesia region. Gliwice, the main students’ supplier, is the hometown for the average 21% of architecture students.

4. SIZE OF HOMETOWN Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions The greatest number of students (40 – 60%) has come from big cities with the population 100000 – 200000 (light blue). The second greatest students’ suppliers are cities with the population of more then 200000 (dark blue). From the cities of these two groups have come the average 70% of architecture students. There are practically no students from small cities and rural areas.

5. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions STUDENTS BY TYPE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL • Types of schools prior to studies: • art secondary schools • vocational secondary schools • technical secondary schools • general secondary schools There has been a vast majority of general secondary schools’ matriculates among the graduates from the Faculty of Architecture. There is a constant trend to increase the number of other than general secondary schools’ matriculates. This means the increase in the breadth of our students’ secondary school background.

6. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions FATHER’S OCCUPATION On the average, 70% of graduates’ fathers have been working in engineering. The number of fathers working in medicine decreased from 8% (1978) to 1% (2003). Very few fathers have been working in economy, law, human science and agriculture. Father’s occupation does have much influence on child's choice of studies.

7. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions MOTHER’S OCCUPATION Practically no graduates originate from law, human science and agricultural background. Slightly decreasing number of graduates originating from medical background. From 1988 constant number of graduates originate from engineering background. Mother's occupation doesn’t have much influence on child's choice of studies.

8. Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions Introduction AGE IN THE MOMENT OF ENROLMENT • Legal education period prior to studies: • 12 years (general secondary schools and specialized secondary schools) – (19 years) • 13 years (technical secondary schools) - (20 years) Slow but constant growth of the average age in the moment of enrolment means the growth of the technical secondary school graduates’ ratio.

9. Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions Introduction EFFORTS PRIOR TO ENTRANCE EXAMINATION There has been a group up to 25% of candidates who have been taking their entrance examination more then once. 70-100% students enrolled in their second effort had been repeating their exam at the Faculty of Architecture SUT. Up to 30% of candidates have been taking their first entrance examination at other architectural faculties. The group of former candidates for other then architectural studies has been very small.

10. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions LEGAL AND REAL LENGTH OF STUDIES The legal length of studies at the Faculty of Architecture during the period 1978-2003 has been 10 semesters. • During the years 1978-1988 the length of studies has been increasing due to three reasons: • free of charge studies, • obligation to do the military service after completing education, • uncertain state economy. • After 1988 there has been a decreasing trend, due to: • introduction of a payment for those who failed their course-examinations, • changes in the military forces’ regulations, allowing not to do military services.

11. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions WOMEN IN ARCHITECTURE There has been a sort of a gender balance in the group of architecture students. In recent years there has been a trend for increasing number of female students. In 2003 there were 68 females in the group of 113 graduates and females were more than 60% of all graduates from the Faculty of Architecture.

12. Introduction Choice of Studies Enrolment Length of Studies Women in Architecture Conclusions CONCLUSIONS The survey has revealed that the group of the Faculty of Architecture students originate from a very specific environment. • The average student of the Faculty: • lives in Silesia, • comes from a big city (preferably Gliwice or Katowice), • has graduated from general secondary school, • and it is very likely that his father works in engineering. • The survey has also indicated some trends: • shortening of the real length of studies, • increase in the breadth of our students’ secondary school background, • increase in the number of women students.