Ansys Announces Inaugural Open Call to Academia for Funded Curriculum Proposals

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As part of its ongoing mission to support the next generation of engineers and equip students with in-demand simulation skills to thrive in the industry, Ansys announced that it is contributing $250,000 toward funded curriculum proposals in 2023. Ansys is inviting educators of accredited educational institutions from around the world to submit proposals to reshape existing undergraduate engineering curricula or develop new curricula using Ansys' simulation tools in strategic ways.

Simulation integration into curricula enhances the student learning experience with hands-on projects, positively impacts student retention rates, and provides students with sought-after skill sets that increase job prospects after graduation. The first call for submissions is open through March 31 with priority given to proposals that span multiple courses in a department and include simulation in at least one first- or second-year course. The second call will open later this year and focus on undergraduate engineering courses that cover sustainability or electronics topics. Selected institutions will receive grants up to $25,000 to fund the resources needed for curriculum development.

Proposals must outline how Ansys simulation will be implemented in new courses or how existing courses will be enhanced using the tools in innovative ways. Courses should combine Ansys technologies with proven teaching and assessment methods, such as active learning techniques and project-based learning.

Many institutions, like the University of Delaware, already integrate Ansys' technology into coursework through the Ansys Academic Program, which provides universities with deeply discounted software for use in the classroom or in research while supplying students with free resources for self-learning.

"We are incorporating Ansys simulation into core courses within our Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, which will enhance the student experience by reinforcing learning through visualization, demonstrating how to compute solutions when analytical solutions do not exist, and building simulation skills for future careers," said Dr. William H. Hartt IV, an engineering professor within the department at the University of Delaware. "With simulation so prevalent in today's engineering industry, it is important that we expose students to new ways of solving engineering problems with these tools. We look forward to seeing the culmination of this learning experience when students use simulations to design prototypes in their senior design courses."

"Simulation and computer-aided design tools are critical components of engineering — not specialized tool sets but required, standard tool sets," said Prith Banerjee, chief technology officer at Ansys and executive sponsor of the Ansys Academic Program. "Ansys is dedicated to preparing the next generation of engineers for this digital transformation with educational opportunities and resources that provide students with firsthand simulation experience."