Readiness of Brazilian Industrial Engineering postgraduate programs for Industry 4.0: A knowledge dimensions assessment

This study examines how Industrial Engineering postgraduate programs intend to develop the competencies required for Industry 4.0 in their students. An exploratory and descriptive approach was adopted. Multiple sources of evidence were collected in four of Brazil's best-ranked and most traditional Industrial Engineering postgraduate programs, involving experienced academics and directors of these programs. Four knowledge dimensions were used to frame our study: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive. Results indicate that Industrial Engineering postgraduate courses tend to emphasize technical competencies, such as problem and conflict-solving, decision-making, and analytical and research skills, rather than competencies related to interpersonal relationships, such as creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, leadership, adaptability, and flexibility. We also found that the development of Industry 4.0 competencies in the examined Industrial Engineering postgraduate programs mostly relies on activities related to procedural knowledge. Our study provides Industrial Engineering instructors and academics arguments to revisit their curricula and better prepare postgraduate students for the challenges imposed by Industry 4.0.