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Leading Engineering Curriculum Transformation: An Integrated Engineering Approach
Participants will:
- Explore the principles of PBL (problem and project based learning) and its application in engineering education.
- Gain a deeper understanding of implementing a PBL curriculum, with lessons from the UCL IEP.
- Delve into effective assessment design for PBL.
- Learn how to adapt PBL for different engineering disciplines.
- Examine strategies for working with accrediting bodies like the IET, IMechE, and ICE, incorporating real-world examples from the UCL IEP.
- Discuss the redesign of engineering programmes in the context of GenAI, Industry 4.0, and Industry 5.0.
Registration is open NOW and places are limited.
The course features expert presenters from UCL’s IEP team:
- Professor John Mitchell
Professor of Communication Systems Engineering, Head of Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Co-Director of the UCL Centre for Engineering Education, and Founding Director of the IEP, who will share insights into the programme’s origins and leadership strategies.
John Mitchell is Professor of Communications Systems Engineering and Head of the UCL Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and Co-director of the UCL Centre for Engineering Education. Between 2012 and 2016 he was on secondment to the UCL Engineering Sciences Faculty Office, where he led the development of the Integrated Engineering Programme, a major revision of the curriculum that introduced Problem/Project based learning across the engineering faculty. He has published widely on curriculum development, problem-based learning, active learning and issues of diversity within engineering education. From 2015 to 2022 he was Vice-Dean Education of the UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences. Professor Mitchell is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Principal Fellow and National Teaching Fellow from the Higher Education Academy, President of the Engineering Professors’ Council, Vice-President Publications of the IEEE Education Society and was until recently a Member of the Board of Directors of the European Society for Engineering Education and Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Education.
- Professor Emanuela Tilley
Professor of Engineering Education and Director of the Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP), who will share insights on leadership strategies, and provide expertise on interdisciplinary PBL curriculum design.
Emanuela Tilley is a world leader in engineering education, serving as Director of Studies for the UCL Centre for Engineering Education at University College London. She pioneered the IEP’s cross-faculty teaching framework engaging over 2000 students annually in interdisciplinary, experiential learning to address global challenges. Emanuela’s passionate, pragmatic and people-centred leadership is credited for building a sense of community focused on modernising engineering education at UCL.
With a background in industry, Emanuela worked as an engineering project consultant on renowned architectural projects before transitioning to academia. She is Vice President of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She also sits on advisory boards for higher education institutions, focusing on education strategy and innovation. Her research spans innovation in engineering education pedagogies, social responsibility in engineering, and interdisciplinary learning.
- Dr Fiona Truscott
Associate Professor for Engineering Education, Module lead for the capstone IEP Challenges module and expert in team-based learning, offering practical guidance on PBL workshop facilitation and assessment.
Fiona Truscott is Associate Professor (Teaching) in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences at UCL, affiliated with both the Integrated Engineering Programme and the Centre for Engineering Education. She leads the Engineering Challenges Module, a cross-disciplinary, team-based project for first-year engineering students. She holds a BA/MSc in Natural Sciences (Chemistry) from the University of Cambridge and a DPhil in Organic Chemistry from the University of Oxford, followed by postdoctoral research at the CNRS (France) and in Biochemical Engineering at UCL. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and co-chair of the SEFI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Special Interest Group, her academic interests focus on interdisciplinary teaching, collaborative learning, and the integration of societal dimensions into engineering curricula.
- Dr Chika Nweke
Associate Professor in the department of Biochemical Engineering, UCL, Departmental Director for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), Departmental Tutor, Module lead for Design and Professional Skills 1, and expert on Engineering skills and attributes, academic accreditation and PBL assessment design.
Chika Nweke is an Associate Professor in the dept of Biochemical Engineering, UCL, where she is Departmental Tutor and Director for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI). She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and Co-Chairs EDI special interest groups for both the Engineering Professors Council and SEFI. Academic qualifications include: MEng Biochemical Engineering (UCL, 2013), PhD Biochemical Engineering (UCL, 2017) and MSc Engineering & Education (UCL IOE, 2021). She has led on the IEP's Design & Professional Skills since 2017 and is module lead on UCL Biochemical Engineering QbD MBI short course for industry training.
- Professor Abel Nyamapfene
Professor of Engineering Learning & Teaching, founding member of the IEP and Programme Director of the MSc in Engineering and Education, who will focus on accreditation alignment and programme-level implementation.
Abel Nyamapfene is a Professor (Teaching) in Engineering Education at University College London (UCL) where he is the founder and programme leader for the UCL MSc Engineering and Education. He is a founding member of the UCL Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP), the award-winning teaching framework that underpins UCL undergraduate engineering programmes. Prior to his appointment at UCL, he led the modernisation and transformation of the MSc Electrical Power Systems Distance Learning programme at the University of Bath and reformed the common first year for undergraduate engineering programmes at the University of Exeter. He has published extensively on his work on engineering curriculum reform and presented over 20 keynote addresses and invited talks across five continents.
The course will feature interactive workshops, case studies, collaborative design sessions, and facilitated discussions, equipping participants with the knowledge, insights, and confidence to implement PBL curriculum redesigns in their own institutions.
Overview of the course
Day 1
- Foundations of PBL and Strategic Insights
- Key principles of PBL
- Origins and evolution of the UCL Integrated Engineering Programme
- Hands-On Workshop: Experiencing PBL
- Strategic Design of PBL Curricula
- Assessment Design
- Reflections on the day and potential for PBL to be introduced in home institution
- Drinks and networking
Day 2
- Scaling and Future-Proofing PBL
- Accreditation and PBL Alignment
- Future-Proofing Engineering Education
- Adapting programmes for GenAI, Industry 4.0, and Industry 5.0
- Engineering Programme Redesign Workshop
- Presentation of Redesign Proposals
Pre-course preparation
Prior to the course, participants will be asked to submit an idea for a course (re)design that they are planning to work on. This will enable course facilitators to review them and prepare relevant guidance and feedback.
Participants will be encouraged to develop their ideas throughout the course, with support from course facilitators and other participants.
About the Integrated Engineering Programme
The Integrated Engineering Programme weaves project-based design through the majority of UCL Engineering's undergraduate degree programmes along with integrated ‘employability’ skills, interdisciplinary ‘minors', and an applied mathematics programme focusing on modelling and analysis of engineering systems. Using authentic activities informed by the needs and challenges of the world around us, the IEP aims to enhance the students’ understanding of key theoretical concepts and heighten the development of key professional skills.
Recognised as offering a "world-class model" for engineering education to other institutions, the IEP fosters confidence and familiarity with multidisciplinary working and practical enineering from students' first year at UCL, through a cross-Faculty approach. It builds students' creative and critical thinking skills, practical and design skills, autonomy, and their ability to reckon with the ethical, economic, environmental and legal factors that will shape their professional practice.
Read more here about the IEP and watch a video explainer reflecting on the programme's 10 years.
About UCL East
Our UCL East campus is on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at East Bank in Stratford in east London, an iconic UCL location in one of the most exciting cities in the world.
East Bank is the UK's newest culture and innovation quarter, backed by the Mayor of London and a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. UCL is a founding partner in East Bank, along with other global institutions like the BBC, V&A, Sadler's Wells and London College of Fashion, UAL.
The campus is well connected by public transport and just minutes away on foot from the cafes and bars of Hackney Wick or world class sport, entertainment and shopping venues.
Frequently Asked Questions about UCL East
Consultancy
The UCL Centre for Engineering Education offers bespoke consultancy services, with access to a broad range of expertise.
Our consultants are practising engineers, academics and educators with a vast array of knowledge and experience which allows them to initiate and manage complex projects quickly and efficiently. Our experts within the UCL Centre for Engineering Education have supported both international and UK educators to carry out curriculum reviews, advise on teaching initiatives and support the development of new programmes.
For more information please click here.