Systems thinking and abstract thinking play a major role in many areas of knowledge, especially in engineering. The so-called systems thinker is able to comprehend the interaction between system components, whereas the so-called abstract thinker can select information relevant to the current perspective. The necessity of these higher-order thinking skills is validated in light of the increasing complexity of systems and the enormous amount of data generated by them. However, the literature points to a lingering gap between the levels of systems thinking and abstract thinking needed in the industry and those of beginning engineers. The article reviews common ways for the development of systems thinking and abstract thinking among undergraduate engineering students, e.g., project-based learning, and discusses the considerable challenges involved for both students and faculty. In view of the recently reported interrelationships between systems thinking and abstract thinking, the article proposes a new model for cultivating these two types of thinking simultaneously in undergraduate engineering education. The model is based on the integration of interdisciplinary courses or courses that combine several levels of abstraction in the curriculum. The proposed approach is demonstrated in the realm of electrical engineering. It is important to note, however, that this method can be adopted in other engineering fields and related disciplines.

Keywords: Systems thinking, abstract thinking, engineering education, undergraduate students.