Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been successfully adopted in South Africa in line with international trends. A number of international scholars found that EIA offers distinct advantages to a proposed project (Bartik, 1988; Porter & van der Linde, 1995; Annandale & Taplin, 2003). The widespread successful adoption of EIA could be an indication that the benefits of conducting EIAs outweigh the potential economic loss due to delays and costs related to the EIA. However, there are negative perceptions about EIA and its influence on development. But the question is whether South African engineers are experiencing these benefits at project level? South African civil engineers are faced with the legislative requirements of EIAs on a daily basis. Through a survey of professionally registered civil engineers this research examined the merits that EIA has for civil engineers. It was found that EIA helps engineers to ensure that they have all the legal aspects of the development in place before the development starts. Furthermore EIA creates the opportunity for the engineers to design out the most significant adverse environmental impacts. It was found that since the implementation of EIA engineers are observing a shift towards more environmentally sound design alternatives. Therefore, if the EIA process is influencing engineers to review their designs from an environmental point of view, it could significantly minimise environmental impacts. According to engineers it was found that, EIA is assisting them in taking all the potential impacts of a new development into account during the design process. The engineering design normally determines the true environmental impact of a development. According to the respondents, the majority were aware of projects where the design was changed as a result of potential impacts highlighted by the EIA. It was found that for the majority of the respondents the environmental review of the design was a key component of the design process. According to the engineers that took part in the survey, they were aware of projects where the EIA improved the sustainability of the design by effecting a change to the design or to the construction materials. Since the implementation of EIA they have become more aware of, not only the life cycle, but also the sustainability of the development. EIA is therefore creating awareness about sustainability in the engineering fraternity. The engineers experienced EIA as a useful tool for improving the sustainability of the design. However, it was found that EIA also caused a significant delay in the majority of the projects where the respondents were involved. The delays were sometimes so severe that it jeopardised the economic feasibility of the projects in question. According to the respondents, the delays are mainly due to slow decision making by the competent authority. Due to this slow decision making process, the engineers blame the competent authority if they start with the construction of the project before authorisation. However, in spite of these delays, the engineers are still of the opinion that EIA is doing more good to the environment than harm to the economy. It was found that what the majority of the engineers knew about the EIA process was what they had learned from their own experience. They agreed that there was very little focus on environmental sustainability during their undergraduate studies and that EIA training during their undergraduate study would have been useful. But in spite of this, the majority of respondents did not complete any environmental short courses or post graduate studies. It was found that EIA does in fact have a positive influence on the work of civil engineers and that they experience these benefits at project level. The engineers have a positive attitude towards EIA and it is increasingly influencing their work positively. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been successfully adopted in South Africa in line with international trends. A number of international scholars found that EIA offers distinct advantages to a proposed project (Bartik, 1988; Porter & van der Linde, 1995; Annandale & Taplin, 2003). The widespread successful adoption of EIA could be an indication that the benefits of conducting EIAs outweigh the potential economic loss due to delays and costs related to the EIA. However, there are negative perceptions about EIA and its influence on development. But the question is whether South African engineers are experiencing these benefits at project level? South African civil engineers are faced with the legislative requirements of EIAs on a daily basis. Through a survey of professionally registered civil engineers this research examined the merits that EIA has for civil engineers. It was found that EIA helps engineers to ensure that they have all the legal aspects of the development in place before the development starts. Furthermore EIA creates the opportunity for the engineers to design out the most significant adverse environmental impacts. It was found that since the implementation of EIA engineers are observing a shift towards more environmentally sound design alternatives. Therefore, if the EIA process is influencing engineers to review their designs from an environmental point of view, it could significantly minimise environmental impacts. According to engineers it was found that, EIA is assisting them in taking all the potential impacts of a new development into account during the design process. The engineering design normally determines the true environmental impact of a development. According to the respondents, the majority were aware of projects where the design was changed as a result of potential impacts highlighted by the EIA. It was found that for the majority of the respondents the environmental review of the design was a key component of the design process. According to the engineers that took part in the survey, they were aware of projects where the EIA improved the sustainability of the design by effecting a change to the design or to the construction materials. Since the implementation of EIA they have become more aware of, not only the life cycle, but also the sustainability of the development. EIA is therefore creating awareness about sustainability in the engineering fraternity. The engineers experienced EIA as a useful tool for improving the sustainability of the design. However, it was found that EIA also caused a significant delay in the majority of the projects where the respondents were involved. The delays were sometimes so severe that it jeopardised the economic feasibility of the projects in question. According to the respondents, the delays are mainly due to slow decision making by the competent authority. Due to this slow decision making process, the engineers blame the competent authority if they start with the construction of the project before authorisation. However, in spite of these delays, the engineers are still of the opinion that EIA is doing more good to the environment than harm to the economy. It was found that what the majority of the engineers knew about the EIA process was what they had learned from their own experience. They agreed that there was very little focus on environmental sustainability during their undergraduate studies and that EIA training during their undergraduate study would have been useful. But in spite of this, the majority of respondents did not complete any environmental short courses or post graduate studies. It was found that EIA does in fact have a positive influence on the work of civil engineers and that they experience these benefits at project level. The engineers have a positive attitude towards EIA and it is increasingly influencing their work positively. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Consulting Engineers worldwide, and in South Africa, render a professional service to clients consisting of project feasibility studies, planning reports, design, documentation and construction monitoring for infrastructure projects. In rendering this service, consulting engineers are subject to certain project risks that can have a huge influence on their company’s success and hence their profitability. Quality Management is an instrument through which the risks associated with consulting engineering can be mitigated to a certain degree, if a Quality Management System (QMS) is successfully introduced and continuously managed. The QMS must conform to the requirements of a recognized system like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and in this particular case ISO 9001, which is a model for quality assurance systems in design, development, production, installation and servicing. The quality system requirements of ISO 9001 are aimed at preventing nonconformity at all phases of the product life cycle from design and/or development to servicing. The study was carried out by obtaining a convenience sample of qualitative questionnaires among professional civil engineers in consulting management positions, testing their experience of a QMS. This study has indicated that a QMS can only be successful in a company if the users have a positive attitude towards the system, and if they believe in the benefits thereof. It is therefore required that the system be launched and maintained in a user-friendly manner, with the emphasis on real risk-reducing aspects. As one of the requirements of ISO 9001 is continuous improvement of the system, recommendations are made in this study towards improving the QMS of the particular company. The influence of a QMS on the frequency and extent of Professional Indemnity cases against a company was investigated and reported on by studying 20 case studies of projects that have experienced difficulties, and have resulted in lawsuits against the consulting engineer. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Consulting Engineers worldwide, and in South Africa, render a professional service to clients consisting of project feasibility studies, planning reports, design, documentation and construction monitoring for infrastructure projects. In rendering this service, consulting engineers are subject to certain project risks that can have a huge influence on their company’s success and hence their profitability. Quality Management is an instrument through which the risks associated with consulting engineering can be mitigated to a certain degree, if a Quality Management System (QMS) is successfully introduced and continuously managed. The QMS must conform to the requirements of a recognized system like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and in this particular case ISO 9001, which is a model for quality assurance systems in design, development, production, installation and servicing. The quality system requirements of ISO 9001 are aimed at preventing nonconformity at all phases of the product life cycle from design and/or development to servicing. The study was carried out by obtaining a convenience sample of qualitative questionnaires among professional civil engineers in consulting management positions, testing their experience of a QMS. This study has indicated that a QMS can only be successful in a company if the users have a positive attitude towards the system, and if they believe in the benefits thereof. It is therefore required that the system be launched and maintained in a user-friendly manner, with the emphasis on real risk-reducing aspects. As one of the requirements of ISO 9001 is continuous improvement of the system, recommendations are made in this study towards improving the QMS of the particular company. The influence of a QMS on the frequency and extent of Professional Indemnity cases against a company was investigated and reported on by studying 20 case studies of projects that have experienced difficulties, and have resulted in lawsuits against the consulting engineer. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Anläggningssektorn är en växande bransch. En väl fungerande infrastruktur är en viktig faktor för ett fungerande och utvecklande samhälle. Anläggningssektorn avser inte bara infrastruktur utan är ett väldigt brett område där några ytterligare delområden är energianläggningar, industribyggnation och grundläggning. Studenter som tar examen från byggingenjörsprogrammet är mer förberedda att arbeta inom byggsektorn jämfört med anläggningssektorn. Utbildningen reflekterar idag inte det behov anläggningssektorn kräver. Arbetet grundar sig främst i intervjuer, enkätundersökningar och statistik. Examensarbetets syfte är att lyfta upp behovet av att integrera mer anläggningskunskap i byggingenjörsutbildningen alternativt att ge studenterna valmöjligheten att välja inriktning under utbildningen. Att kunna välja mellan en bygginriktning eller en anläggningsinriktning. Examensarbetet skall medföra en inblick i byggingenjörsutbildningen för Peab Anläggning och ge dom en möjlighet att påverka utbildningsupplägget efter deras behov. Målet med arbetet är att undersöka utbildningens brister och möjligheter i förhållande till anläggningssektorns behov. På ett systematiskt tillvägagångssätt upplysa lärosäten och Peab Anläggning att de är beroende av varandra gällande studentens utveckling. Med det menas att båda parter skall visa tillräckligt intresse för att gemensamt utveckla studenterna och tillhandahålla de verktyg som krävs för det framtida yrkeslivet. För att skapa en väsentlig inriktning på detta arbete med konkreta ramar för innehållet har val av metod haft en stor betydelse. Författarna har övervägt mellan olika metoder som vidare resulterade i att två huvudmetoder användes för att uppnå det eftersträvade resultatet. Arbetet bygger på undersökningar i form av enkätundersökningar och intervjuer. Det påvisas att byggingenjörer inte är förberedda att arbeta inom anläggningssektorn i den grad som motsvarar byggingenjörer i byggsektorn. Enligt de undersökningar som genomförts visade det sig att hypotesen stämde. Detta beror på olika faktorer som tas upp i denna rapport. Anläggningssektorn behöver en rekrytering på ca 30 % av de nyexaminerade byggingenjörerna för att täcka marknadens behov. I dag är det ca 10 % av de nyexaminerade byggingenjörerna som startar en karriär inom anläggningssektorn. Arbetet med att utveckla studenter som läser till byggingenjörer bör styras mer mot anläggningssektorn. För att detta skall genomföras måste Peab Anläggning som en stor aktör i branschen ha ett större inflytande på skolan samt effektivisera sin marknadsföring av anläggningssektorn. Den största anledningen till att studenter inte söker sig till anläggningssektorn är deras brist på kunskap om branschen. En stor del av de som deltagit och samarbetat med författarna i arbetet med denna rapport påstår att de lärt sig för lite om anläggningssektorn under utbildningen och därmed inriktat sig mot byggsektorn. För att utveckla studenterna krävs det i första hand att utbildningen förändras. En ökad verklighetsförankring med en större variation av arbetsmiljöer för att klargöra alla aspekter av branschen. Genom att upplysa studenterna med fakta kring kommande projekt inom anläggningssektorn skapas ett intresse. Intresse vilket i sin tur skapar engagemang och en vilja att arbeta i ett anläggningsföretag. Trots bristen på byggingenjörer i anläggningssektorn anses byggingenjörsprogrammet bidra med de grundläggande egenskaper som krävs av en byggingenjör. Platschefer, arbetschefer och personalchefer ser på individen vid anställning. Utbildning är ett behörighetskrav som anses som en självklarhet då en tjänst söks på Peab. Individen som anställs ska i första hand ha en grundläggande kunskapsbas. Detta skall sedan följas av ett helhetstänkande som skapar förutsättningar för problemlösningar och ett ökat ansvarstagande. / the functioning and development of the society. Students whom graduate from the civil engineering program are more prepared and competent to work within the building sector compared with the construction sector. The civil engineering program does not reflect the need that the construction sector demands. The purpose of this thesis is to enlighten the need to integrate more construction courses into the civil engineering program or to give the students an option of direction within the program. To be able to choose between building or construction. This thesis will show Peab Construction an insight in the civil engineering program and give them the opportunity to influence the program setup after their own needs and demands. The objective with this thesis is to examine the inadequacies and possibilities of the program in relation to the needs that the construction sector requires and in some cases demand. In a systematic way prove to the education and Peab that they are dependent on each other regarding the development of the students. With that said, both parties need to know the importance of showing the proper interest in the development of the students by giving them the required tools that are required in the future employment. Methods used in the making of this report are interviews, surveys and different types of information literacy. The targeted group of people on which the interviews and the surveys were based on was students in the civil engineering program (first and third year), recent graduates (whom have been working for 0-2 years) and more experienced local managers. It is proven in this rapport that civil engineers are not as prepared to work in the construction sector as in the building sector. This is caused by various factors that are brought up in this rapport. The work which is put in to the development of the students reading civil engineering should be steered to the construction sector. If this is going to happen, Peab Construction as a big representative of the marked must increase their influence over the schools. They also need to optimize their promotion of the construction sector. The largest reason why the students aren’t applying to the construction sector is their lack of knowledge regarding the sector. Most of which whom participated and cooperated with the authors during the work of these studies claim that because they’d learn so little about the construction sector and therefor chosen to focus on the building sector. VI To develop the students properly, the first thing needed is to develop the education. What needs to be integrated into the education of civil engineers is an increased reality attachment that shows all the different aspects of the market. By enlightening the students with facts about future projects within the constructions sector, we create an interest. That interest will thereon lead to a deeper involvement and the will to learn more. Even though there is a lack of civil engineers in the construction sector the education seems to contribute with the basic knowledge that working in the construction sector demands. The chief staff of Peab Construction looks much more on the person of interest instead of the required degree. They want to know if this person has the basic knowledge of the market. This is then followed by whether the person is capable of unity thinking, which therefore leads to an easier understanding of problem solving and an increased responsibility.

土木技師公會係依政府法令規定而由具有執業土木技師資格者為會員組成之社團法人組織，兼具業務服務與非營利組織雙重的特質。由於執業權受環境的影響，土木技師公會自成立以來即不斷與政府法令抗爭，目前收入最大宗的現況鑑定業務，也面臨了激烈的競爭環境。 本論文採Aaker策略市場管理模式，綜合Glueck提出之策略規劃架構，以個案研究方式，選擇台北市土木技師公會作為研究對象，探討個案公會目前面臨問題及可採行之經營策略，獲得結論如下： 1. 土木技師公會現況鑑定業務經營之關鍵成功因素為良好的人脈關係、良好的工作品質、良好的社會形象及良好的價格優勢。 2. 因環境改變，個案公會面臨現況鑑定業務的減少。 3. 外在環境仍讓個案公會會員之執業權受限。 4. 宜要求政府立法成立一專責機構負責推動全國土木建設事宜。 5. 個案公會業務宜採穩定策略，保障執業權宜採擴張策略。 文最後對個案公會可採行策略方案提出建議，另外對土木技師公會面臨問題、政府作法及後續研究方向也提出建議，以供後續研究者參考。

O trabalho possibilitou a transposição de uma tensão social para uma investigação: analisar e interpretar a evolução técnico-científica do Curso de Engenharia Civil de universidades gaúchas (Federal, Confessional e Comunitária) e sua aproximação e/ou afastamento do humanismo e da tecnologia. A tese parte da proposição de que os Cursos de Engenharia Civil revelam níveis diferenciados na conduta de projetos de formação do engenheiro, de acordo com a concepção e o modelo de universidade. A hipótese é de que há diferenças na gestão de projetos em vigor nesses cursos de Engenharia Civil em relação ao humanismo, à tecnologia e à inovação. O estudo de casos múltiplos foi o método utilizado para desvelar as proposições numa abordagem qualitativa, descritiva e comparativa, dado o critério de escolha: comunitária (UPF); confessional (PUCRS) federal (UFRGS). A entrevista semi-estruturada foi o instrumento, sendo que as evidências provenientes dos documentos proporcionaram o encadeamento e a triangulação dos dados. Foram atores do processo de investigação, os diretores e os coordenadores dos cursos de Engenharia Civil, bem como os coordenadores dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia, além dos professores mais antigos e, ou mais experientes dessas universidades, totalizando 12 professores-participantes. Humanismo e tecnologia são as categorias teórico-referenciais; reforma e mudança, ter ou ser, técnica e tecnologia, inovação (radical e por obsolescência), conduta de projeto (unicidade, singularidade, gestão da complexidade, da incerteza e da exploração de oportunidades) são as categorias conceituais. Autores como Boutinet (2002), Pinto (2005), Serres (2003), Popkewitz (1997), Fromm (1987), Rossato (1998, 2002) ancoram a construção teórica e num tom dialético promovem junto aos atores não apenas a confirmação da proposição de tese e da hipótese, como ampliam e incluem novas variáveis: as condutas de projetos ocorrem em níveis diferenciados considerando a concepção e o modelo de universidade, a concepção de homem e de sociedade de cada ator e a formação do ator. / This work made possible the transposition of a social tension to an investigation: to analyze and to interpret the technical-scientific evolution of the university Civil Engineering Courses in Rio Grande do Sul (Federal, Confessional and Communitarian) and their approximation and/or removal from the humanism and from the technology. The thesis starts on the proposition that Civil Engineering Courses disclose differentiated levels in the conduct of engineers formation project, considering the conception and the model of university. The hypothesis is that there are differences in the Civil Engineering Courses project management in operation, concerning the humanism, the technology and the innovation. The study of multiple cases was the method used to reveal the proposals in a qualitative, descriptive and comparative approach, concerning the criterion of choices: communitarian (UPF); confessional (PUCRS) federal (UFRGS). The semi-structured interview was the instrument and the evidences from documents had provided the data chaining and triangulation. The directors and the coordinators of the Civil Engineering Courses, as well as the coordinators of the Engineering Post-graduation Programs have been the actors of the investigation process, besides the oldest and/or more experienced professors of those universities, totalizing 12 participants. Humanism and technology are the theoreticalreferential categories. The conceptual categories are: reform and change, to have or to be, technique and technology, innovation (radical and for obsolescence), conduct of project (uniqueness, singularity, complexity management, the uncertainty and the exploration of chances). Authors as Boutinet (2002), Pinto (2005), Serres (2003), Popkewitz (1997), Fromm (1987), Rossato (1998, 2002) anchor the theoretical construction and in a dialectic tone they not only promote to the actors the confirmation of the thesis proposal and the hypothesis together, as they extend and include new variables: the conducts of projects occur in differentiated levels considering the conception and the model of university, the conception of man and society of each actor and the actor formation.

O trabalho possibilitou a transposição de uma tensão social para uma investigação: analisar e interpretar a evolução técnico-científica do Curso de Engenharia Civil de universidades gaúchas (Federal, Confessional e Comunitária) e sua aproximação e/ou afastamento do humanismo e da tecnologia. A tese parte da proposição de que os Cursos de Engenharia Civil revelam níveis diferenciados na conduta de projetos de formação do engenheiro, de acordo com a concepção e o modelo de universidade. A hipótese é de que há diferenças na gestão de projetos em vigor nesses cursos de Engenharia Civil em relação ao humanismo, à tecnologia e à inovação. O estudo de casos múltiplos foi o método utilizado para desvelar as proposições numa abordagem qualitativa, descritiva e comparativa, dado o critério de escolha: comunitária (UPF); confessional (PUCRS) federal (UFRGS). A entrevista semi-estruturada foi o instrumento, sendo que as evidências provenientes dos documentos proporcionaram o encadeamento e a triangulação dos dados. Foram atores do processo de investigação, os diretores e os coordenadores dos cursos de Engenharia Civil, bem como os coordenadores dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia, além dos professores mais antigos e, ou mais experientes dessas universidades, totalizando 12 professores-participantes. Humanismo e tecnologia são as categorias teórico-referenciais; reforma e mudança, ter ou ser, técnica e tecnologia, inovação (radical e por obsolescência), conduta de projeto (unicidade, singularidade, gestão da complexidade, da incerteza e da exploração de oportunidades) são as categorias conceituais. Autores como Boutinet (2002), Pinto (2005), Serres (2003), Popkewitz (1997), Fromm (1987), Rossato (1998, 2002) ancoram a construção teórica e num tom dialético promovem junto aos atores não apenas a confirmação da proposição de tese e da hipótese, como ampliam e incluem novas variáveis: as condutas de projetos ocorrem em níveis diferenciados considerando a concepção e o modelo de universidade, a concepção de homem e de sociedade de cada ator e a formação do ator. / This work made possible the transposition of a social tension to an investigation: to analyze and to interpret the technical-scientific evolution of the university Civil Engineering Courses in Rio Grande do Sul (Federal, Confessional and Communitarian) and their approximation and/or removal from the humanism and from the technology. The thesis starts on the proposition that Civil Engineering Courses disclose differentiated levels in the conduct of engineers formation project, considering the conception and the model of university. The hypothesis is that there are differences in the Civil Engineering Courses project management in operation, concerning the humanism, the technology and the innovation. The study of multiple cases was the method used to reveal the proposals in a qualitative, descriptive and comparative approach, concerning the criterion of choices: communitarian (UPF); confessional (PUCRS) federal (UFRGS). The semi-structured interview was the instrument and the evidences from documents had provided the data chaining and triangulation. The directors and the coordinators of the Civil Engineering Courses, as well as the coordinators of the Engineering Post-graduation Programs have been the actors of the investigation process, besides the oldest and/or more experienced professors of those universities, totalizing 12 participants. Humanism and technology are the theoreticalreferential categories. The conceptual categories are: reform and change, to have or to be, technique and technology, innovation (radical and for obsolescence), conduct of project (uniqueness, singularity, complexity management, the uncertainty and the exploration of chances). Authors as Boutinet (2002), Pinto (2005), Serres (2003), Popkewitz (1997), Fromm (1987), Rossato (1998, 2002) anchor the theoretical construction and in a dialectic tone they not only promote to the actors the confirmation of the thesis proposal and the hypothesis together, as they extend and include new variables: the conducts of projects occur in differentiated levels considering the conception and the model of university, the conception of man and society of each actor and the actor formation.

O trabalho possibilitou a transposição de uma tensão social para uma investigação: analisar e interpretar a evolução técnico-científica do Curso de Engenharia Civil de universidades gaúchas (Federal, Confessional e Comunitária) e sua aproximação e/ou afastamento do humanismo e da tecnologia. A tese parte da proposição de que os Cursos de Engenharia Civil revelam níveis diferenciados na conduta de projetos de formação do engenheiro, de acordo com a concepção e o modelo de universidade. A hipótese é de que há diferenças na gestão de projetos em vigor nesses cursos de Engenharia Civil em relação ao humanismo, à tecnologia e à inovação. O estudo de casos múltiplos foi o método utilizado para desvelar as proposições numa abordagem qualitativa, descritiva e comparativa, dado o critério de escolha: comunitária (UPF); confessional (PUCRS) federal (UFRGS). A entrevista semi-estruturada foi o instrumento, sendo que as evidências provenientes dos documentos proporcionaram o encadeamento e a triangulação dos dados. Foram atores do processo de investigação, os diretores e os coordenadores dos cursos de Engenharia Civil, bem como os coordenadores dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia, além dos professores mais antigos e, ou mais experientes dessas universidades, totalizando 12 professores-participantes. Humanismo e tecnologia são as categorias teórico-referenciais; reforma e mudança, ter ou ser, técnica e tecnologia, inovação (radical e por obsolescência), conduta de projeto (unicidade, singularidade, gestão da complexidade, da incerteza e da exploração de oportunidades) são as categorias conceituais. Autores como Boutinet (2002), Pinto (2005), Serres (2003), Popkewitz (1997), Fromm (1987), Rossato (1998, 2002) ancoram a construção teórica e num tom dialético promovem junto aos atores não apenas a confirmação da proposição de tese e da hipótese, como ampliam e incluem novas variáveis: as condutas de projetos ocorrem em níveis diferenciados considerando a concepção e o modelo de universidade, a concepção de homem e de sociedade de cada ator e a formação do ator. / This work made possible the transposition of a social tension to an investigation: to analyze and to interpret the technical-scientific evolution of the university Civil Engineering Courses in Rio Grande do Sul (Federal, Confessional and Communitarian) and their approximation and/or removal from the humanism and from the technology. The thesis starts on the proposition that Civil Engineering Courses disclose differentiated levels in the conduct of engineers formation project, considering the conception and the model of university. The hypothesis is that there are differences in the Civil Engineering Courses project management in operation, concerning the humanism, the technology and the innovation. The study of multiple cases was the method used to reveal the proposals in a qualitative, descriptive and comparative approach, concerning the criterion of choices: communitarian (UPF); confessional (PUCRS) federal (UFRGS). The semi-structured interview was the instrument and the evidences from documents had provided the data chaining and triangulation. The directors and the coordinators of the Civil Engineering Courses, as well as the coordinators of the Engineering Post-graduation Programs have been the actors of the investigation process, besides the oldest and/or more experienced professors of those universities, totalizing 12 participants. Humanism and technology are the theoreticalreferential categories. The conceptual categories are: reform and change, to have or to be, technique and technology, innovation (radical and for obsolescence), conduct of project (uniqueness, singularity, complexity management, the uncertainty and the exploration of chances). Authors as Boutinet (2002), Pinto (2005), Serres (2003), Popkewitz (1997), Fromm (1987), Rossato (1998, 2002) anchor the theoretical construction and in a dialectic tone they not only promote to the actors the confirmation of the thesis proposal and the hypothesis together, as they extend and include new variables: the conducts of projects occur in differentiated levels considering the conception and the model of university, the conception of man and society of each actor and the actor formation.