University hosts international workshop on design

Engineering design is known to be a very knowledge-intensive activity. Designers thus need access to a wide breadth of domain knowledge to support them in rapidly generating and evaluating innovative solutions.

Research on the development of related technology was disclosed last month, during the fifth international workshop on Knowledge Intensive Computer Aided Design technology organised by Work Group 5.2 of the International Federation of Information Processing (IFIP), hosted locally by the Department of Manufacturing Engineering (DME).

The workshop participants, who hailed from Malta and various parts of the world, were given a warm welcoming address by the University Rector, Professor Roger Ellul-Micallef.

Parliamentary Secretary Jesmond Mugliett, who is responsible for Science and Technology, stated that the government firmly believes that in today's knowledge-based economy, the key issue is not just how well prepared you are in terms of technology but also how knowledge can be turned into business opportunities. In this way research on the development of Knowledge Intensive CAD technology is beneficial.

The workshop, supported by the Chamber of Engineers and the Malta Council for Science and Technology was chaired by Dr Ing. Jonathan C. Borg, Head, Department of Manufacturing Engineering.