October 2005

15/10/2005:  Seminar Program

Progress of New VISION of Engineering Economy Teaching

Project Seminar

Duration: from 19/10/2005 to 21/10/2005

Location: Main Conference Hall - the Social Club, Faculty of Engineering – Cairo University

Project Partners invited to the Seminar

* Grant Applicant: Prof. Renato Rizzo

Professor of Electromechanical Design

Faculty of Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Italy

* Egyptian Team, Egypt

* Third partner: Prof. Tony Ward

Department of Electronics, University of York, UK

* Fourth partners: Prof. J. K. Kaldellis

Mechanical Engineering Dept., TEI of Pireaus, Greece

* EG-Internal Reviewer: Prof. Adel Khalil

Vice-Dean of Postgraduate studies and Research,

Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Egypt

* EU-Internal Reviewer: Prof. Eugenio Garcia

Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain

(All stakeholders are invited to participate in the seminar)

September 2005

27/9/2005: Module 4 Assignments - Delayed One Week:

Dear Module 4 trainees,
Up on the request of some trainees, the submitting dead line of the two
assignments of Module 4 is delayed to 5-10-2005.

The following names are expected to get certificates in this Module, if they complete Module 4 requirements (e.g. assignments, personal photos for the M4 guests). Please check if your name is written correctly, else, write to me the correct one.

Ahmed Galal El Deen Mohamed
Inas Ahmed Mohamed Yassine
Amal Fathey Aiad Bishara
Reem Abd El Aziz Youssef Diab
Mohamed Samir Mahmoud El Attal
Alia Shawky Abd El Hamed
Noha Mahmoud Talaat Mostafa
Asmaa Mohamed Abd El Aziz
Manar Moahmed Hamid
Omar Abd El Aziz Ahmed
Hussein Magdy Mahamed
Waleed Abd El-Ra'ouf El-Mandouh
Mohamed Hamed Hossni
Abd Allah Sayed Mahmoud
Ahmed Essam El-Din Khalil
Mohamed Hasan Abd El Ghani
Ahmed Sayed Abd El-Monem
Mohammed Ragab Abou El Fotouh
Mohamed Shaban Ali Abed El Aziz
Mohamed Fathy Esmail
Mohammed Abd El Mohsen
Mohammad Mokhtar

M4 guests
Doha Taha Anwar
Mohamed Samir Ahmed
Sarah Samir Badr
Sherif Samih Ahmed
Ahmed Mostafa Ali
Mohamed Fahmy
Mahmoud Hares Mahmoud

 

Best Wishes
Sayed Kaseb

18/9/2005:  Module 4 Assignments:

Dear Module 4 trainees,
About Module 4 Assignment of Prof. Corrado.
The submitting dead line of the two assignments is 28-9-2005.
(The second one is the Power Point presentation about you experiences and benefits from this project as well as challenges and expectations)
 

Best Wishes
Sayed Kaseb

This is Prof. Corrado e-mail:
Dear Sayed:
I am sending you attached the assignment for module 4. Students can work
on it by groups. You can deliver it to them in a week, at your coming back in Egypt.
I am also working on the questionnaire for our paper.

Sincerely,
Corrado.

The First Assignment:

A company manufacturing semiconductors is considering the installation of an automatic control system, which will produce estimated savings in its production process equivalent to € 35,000 per year. Two different suppliers are under consideration. If the equipment is purchased from Suppliers A, it will have an initial cost of € 50,000, and estimated operating costs of € 21,000. Its estimated salvage value at the end of its economic life will be € 5,000. If the equipment is purchased from Supplier B, its initial cost and its estimated operating costs will be € 40,000 and € 25,000, respectively. Its final salvage value will be € 8,500. Both equipments will have an economic life of 7 years. Assume that the control system is depreciated according to the straight-line method (e.g., the same amount each year) and effective tax rate is 40%. Capital gains are to be considered and they are taxed at 35%.
Questions:

a) The after-tax MARR is 15%, the investment is provided by the firm’s retained earning. Which supplier should be selected?
b) The after-tax MARR is 15%, the initial investment is borrowed at 10% with the repayment of interest at the end of each period and repayment of the loan principal at the end of 5 years. Which supplier should be selected?
c) Repeat a) and b) for a MARR of 10% and 6%.
d) Repeat a), b), and c) assuming that there is an annual average differential inflation rate for estimated savings and operating costs of 5% and 3%, respectively.

Further, conduct your analysis both adopting a total-investment (i.e., A and B alone) and an incremental approach (i.e., A and B-A). Solve by calculating NPV and IRR.
 

7/9/2005:  Module 4 Arrangements:

This the text of the last two e-mails, I was sent it to Module 4 trainees

First mail:

Dear Module 3 trainees,
I hope you are well and enjoy your vacation

All of you are invited to attend module 4.
Your name now is Module 4 trainees.

Module 4 schedule start from 11-9 to 14-9-2005 from 16:00 to 19:30 everyday, in Mechanical Power Engineering Dept., FECU.

Prof. Renato Rizzo and Prof. Corrado Lo Storto will conduct the training of Module 4.

The module includes 8 lectures (1,5 hours each) as following:
> 11-09-2005
16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 1 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 2
> 12-09-2005
16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 3 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 4
> 13-09-2005
16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 5 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 6
> 14-09-2005
16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 7 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 8

The Training Syllabus is:
Inflation and price change
Basic concepts
Reflection on economic analyses
Selection of a Minimum Attractive Rate of Return (MARR)
Economic analyses for governmental and public projects
Distribution of capital among attractive projects
Before- versus after-tax economic analyses

Best wishes
Sayed Kaseb
 

Second mail:

Dear Noha,

Sorry, I can not delay the training ONE day because the schedule is very tight for the Italian team. For example, there Hotel data is:
Prof. Rizzo Renato in 10 - out 14 Sept.
Prof. LO STORTO Corrado in 10 - out 15 Sept.

> we have exam at 12/9
> cant it be delayed to 12/9
> its me , amal , rana
> Noha Mahmoud


> kaseb@pathways.edu.eg wrote:
> Dear Module 3 trainees,
> I hope you are well and enjoy your vacation
>
> All of you are invited to attend module 4.
> Your name now is Module 4 trainees.
>
> Module 4 schedule start from 11-9 to 14-9-2005 from 16:00 to 19:30 every
> day, in Mechanical Power Engineering Dept., FECU.
>
> Prof. Renato Rizzo and Prof. Corrado Lo Storto will conduct the training
> of Module 4.
>
> The module includes 8 lectures (1,5 hours each) as following:
>> 11-09-2005
> 16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 1 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 2
>> 12-09-2005
> 16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 3 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 4
>> 13-09-2005
> 16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 5 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 6
>> 14-09-2005
> 16:00 - 17:30 Lecture 7 ; 18:00 - 19:30 Lecture 8
>
> The Training Syllabus is:
> Inflation and price change
> Basic concepts
> Reflection on economic analyses
> Selection of a Minimum Attractive Rate of Return (MARR)
> Economic analyses for governmental and public projects
> Distribution of capital among attractive projects
> Before- versus after-tax economic analyses
>
> Best wishes
> Sayed Kaseb

August 2005

No Announcements

July 2005

17/7/2005:  

Results of the Evaluation of Module 3 Trainees:

Post-Graduate Order

Under-Graduate Order

We have may be good news or bad news:

We face some problems with EC-EU in trainees travel and its cost. For that reason Module 4 may conducted in Egypt for the all 29 trainees, not in Italy for 12+3 trainees.

12/7/2005:

EMAIL:

Dear Module 3 Trainees,
The Greek team (two Profs.) arrived Mon 11-7-2005.
Module 3 will start as it was planned, Wed. 13-7-2005 at 16:00.
This Module will be conducted in the Mechanical Power Engineering Building,  third floor (beside the EE Administration Office).

Attached one of the assignment of that module, you have to submit it by the  end of the Module 3.
Best wishes
Sayed Kaseb
 

N.B:
The first week was conducted in the first floor.
The second week was conducted in the second floor.
The third week will be conducted in the third floor.
The forth week will be conducted in Italy, InshaaAllah.

8/7/2005:

Dear Module 3 Trainees,
For the future plan, Prof. Renato Rizzo and I prepare to conduct the final  seminar of the project on October 2005, just after module 4 implementation.

In this seminar, if any of the 29 trainees want to participate in the organization or make a presentation related to his experience in this project or in EE in general, he has to contact me.

Some of the trainees already have a plan; we will work as a team.
 

Best wishes
Sayed Kaseb

7/7/2005:

Dear Module 3 Trainees,
The Greece team (two Profs.) will arrive Mon 11-7-2005.
Module 3 will start as it was planned Wen 13-7-2005.

This Module contains many EXCEL application and test by the end of the Module. Prepare your self for the last module in Egypt.
 

Best wishes
Sayed Kaseb

June 2005

27/6/2005:

Dear Module 3 trainees,

The time and place of Prof. Rizzo meeting is slightly changed, the meeting with him will be held in the Faculty council meeting room at 15:30 (not 16:00), Wed 29-6-2005 . The FECU Dean, Vice Dean and VISION Project team will attend as well as the trainees.
 

27/6/2005:

Dear Module 3 trainees,

Thanks for your attendance in the Orientation meeting held at 25-6-2005

(You can download the MOM).
 

23/6/2005:

Dear Module 3 trainees,

The application of Module 3 as well as the letters of intent for M3 and M4
can be downloaded.

23/6/2005:

Dear Module 3 trainees,

Prof. Rizzo will come to Cairo from June, 28th to July, 4th.

I will start to arrange some meeting for him with FECU officials, FECU team and with VISION Module 3 trainees.
 

Best wishes
Sayed Kaseb

22/6/2005:

Dear Module 3 trainees,

The coordination for such international project is a challenge.

Finally, we have a specific plan for module 3, as following:

1- Sat. 25-6-2005 at 16:00 PM: Orientation meeting with Dr. Sayed Kaseb, in Pathways Office.

2- Sun. 26-6 to Wen. 29-6: The following activities must be finished for all
trainees:

a. Filling new application
b. Filling letter of intent (for module 4 travel)
c. Performing computerized TOEFL test
d. Performing computerized general knowledge test

All the above will be done in the Engineering Economy Administration Office, third floor, Mechanical Power Engineering Department.

3- Thu. 30-6 or Sat. 2-7 a general lecture by Prof. Rizzo (Italy) may be conducted.

4- Wen. 13-7 to Sun 17-7-2005: Module 3 lectures will be conducted by Greek team and me (see Module 3 table).

The selection of Module 4 trainees (12 trainees) will be applied according to trainees attendance and performance in the above 4 items. The specific date of Module 4 is under negotiation with Prof. Rizzo.

Best wishes
Sayed Kaseb

5/6/2005:

Forth Year MPED: The results of year work is available.

May 2005

14/5/2005:

Third Year MPED: The results of the second report is available.

11/5/2005:

EE Trainees: The third week trainees list is now available.

4/5/2005:

Third Year MPED: The results of the first report will be published in this site at Saturday 7-5-2005.

EE Trainees: The third week trainees selection will be done within a week.
Check trainees selection item in the menu, it will be uploaded in the project website.

I will publish all the reports in the project website. Prof. Tony will see it. If he like to comment, I will take his comments (or marks) into consideration. In all cases, I am responsible for judge all the reports and add their marks with the other marks (for attendance, evaluation, ...).
 

3/5/2005:

Third Year MPED: The second report (Economical effects of Iraq war) is explained in detailed in Project Scheduling lecture #1, PPP.

Its submission deadline is Saturday 7-5-2005, 10:00 am o'clock, in heat lab

April 2005

18/4/2005:

Dear Engineering Economy Students, Third Year MPED

The first report submission deadline is 24-4-2005.

It should include analysis of a balance sheet (for 3 years) for a company working in one of the following sector:

Bank, Insurance, Cement, Iron and Steel, Cigarettes and Mobile Phones.

To encourage the team work, three students may submit the report together. Each team is responsible to ensure that the report is submitted to Aam Sayed Abo-Al-Alaa, in the Heat lab.

The second report (Economical effects of Iraq war) is explained in detailed in Project Scheduling lecture 1 PPP. Its submission dead line will be announced later.

17/4/2005:

Dear Engineering Economy Trainees, Second Week
Thanks for your report submission in the due date. I will upload it in the project web-site as usual. Hence, Prof. Tony can check it. Within two weeks, you may find the result of the filtration process in the site.

13/4/2005:

Dear Engineering Economy Trainees, Second Week
With respect to the EE Module 2 - Report submission deadline, Friday is a vacation. It should be Saturday 16-4-2005.
Each trainee is responsible to ensure that his report is submitted to Dr. Kaseb by the end of the working day 16-4.  
(Phone: 5713852 Mobile: 012-7457966)

March 2005

31/3/2005:

Dear Engineering Economy Trainees, Second Week,
I hope you are doing well.

The National Tempus Projects Forum, NTPF, Egypt 4-4-2005, will be held in Conference Center, Cairo University. Our project is presented in this Forum. If you have enough time, you are invited to visit this Forum.
For graduates only, Enhancement of Research Skills program (ERS) will start at 30 April 2005, training for five weeks. If you like to get this course,  you can check Pathways office. Also, it's available to submit electronically in one of the following programs:
1- DLS (Development of Leadership Skills program), Batch 2, starting at 11th May 2005, for five training days, the schedule is attached.
2- TOT (Training of Trainers program), Batch 4, starting at 21st May 2005, for five training days.

The submission to these courses is only through web-site Pathways-Egypt.com.

30/3/2005:

Due to Module#2 trainees requests and mid-term exam, it is decided to extend the deadline of the required Report till 15-4-2005.

You have to match with the deadline of report submission; if you need any help you can consult me from now (not one day before the deadline).

17/3/2005:

All trainees certificates for M1 & M2 are available now at Engineering Economy office Building no. 19, 3^rd floor, FECU - Egypt.

• Module 2 - Report #2 Instructions:

Due to the requests presented by Module 2 trainees, it is decided that Report#2 may be presented by groups of two or individuals.

• Second Week Trainees CV's

• Module 2 Assignments - Report #1

  1. Projects that involve overseas workers or sources of income that involve payment in the currency of the overseas country are affected whenever the exchange rate varies. Prepare a lecture, including PowerPoint slides, showing why exchange rate variations could be a problem for the realisation of the benefit cost ratio used at the justification stage and the ways a project can be ‘protected’ against exchange rate variations.

  2. The October 6th Bridge in Cairo is an example of a large scale metropolitan project.  With reference to actual data if you can obtain it, produce a benefit cost analysis report for this project.  Your report should include a description of the project and why it was considered desirable at the time

  3. Choose an example of a BOOT (Build Operate Own Transfer) project within Cairo.  Explain the project and identify the benefits and costs of the project.  Quantify the benefits that can be quantified and all quantify costs. (Make reference to actual data used at the project analysis time if you can)  Use this data to show the Benefit / Cost ratio.  What non-quantifiable benefits were used in the justification of this project?

  4. Prepare a bank of at least 15 questions (for inclusion in the problem bank) for one aspect of module 2.  The problems should test a range of different cognitive levels of understanding of the aspect of the module.  You could use Bloom’s taxonomy as a means of placing questions in the right cognitive level.

• Official Opening Day of the Second Training Week:   Photos      Videos

• Training Schedule of the Second Week is currently available.

• Training syllabus of Third and Fourth weeks are currently available.

• The Second Training Week official opening will start today, February 28th, 2005, 3:00pm, in the Meeting Room of Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Building no. 19, Second Floor, FECU – Egypt.

• First Week filtration results will appear on SATURDAY FEBRUARY  26th, 2005

• Deadline for delivering First Week reports is 3:00 pm ,Wednesday  FEBRUARY 23rd, 2005

• Reports less than 1 mega will be e-mailed to vision@engineering-economy.com

• Reports more than 1 mega will be delivered either softcopies on cd or disk (hardcopies are not accepted) to VISION Administration Office.

• A committee met on JANUARY 15, 2005 to put the strategies which will be used during filtration.

• Results of the first filtration are announced on JANUARY 29, 2005.

• Senior male students (students of 4th year) who must apply for their military service, will be able to attend the first three training weeks according to the filtering process.

• By the end of each training week, trainees will have a test and receive a certificate.

• Post Graduate and employed applicants will be able to receive official documents of their affiliation to the training program, when needed.

• Sessions will be conducted from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

February 2005

No Announcements