Centre for Engineering Education Seminar Series

Our online seminar series showcases contemporary research and practice in engineering education, aligned with the Centre’s mission to advance global excellence in the field. Registration is now open.

What each event will cover

In this series, leading scholars and practitioners from diverse backgrounds examine current challenges and emerging opportunities in engineering education and related areas.

Our seminars are an hour long, open to the public, free to attend and delivered online. Each session includes a scholarly presentation followed by an audience Q&A.

Who this is for

Academics, researchers, students, and professionals with an interest in engineering education and related fields.

Attendees will benefit from:

Clear insights into emerging research and effective practice in engineering education.
Exposure to diverse perspectives shaping the future of engineering education.
Opportunities to engage directly with leading experts through Q&A.

Cherry blossoms in the foreground, the UCL portico in the background. Blue sky.

This month’s event

The Impact of Hidden Curriculum – Case Studies in Engineering Education

20th February 2026, 2PM

Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón, wearing a deep blue blazer.

Speaker: Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón

Chair and Professor in the Department of Engineering Education in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, at the University of Florida

A U.S. White House presidential awardee (PECASE), Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón is a renowned national and international leader in engineering education research and practice with over 20 years of experience translating her research and honours into impactful practices that support and enhance the education and professional formation of engineers. She has earned numerous national and international awards and honours spanning professional organisations such as the National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineering (IEEE), and the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). She is currently a Fulbright scholar at UCL.

Talk description

Hidden curriculum provides a structural framework by which to evaluate hidden (unseen or unacknowledged) norms, values, beliefs, or attitudes about a learning or working environment. In the context of engineering, hidden curriculum has informed both curriculum innovations and programmatic changes as well as informed students and faculties’ sense of belonging to their profession. This seminar will introduce the concept of hidden curriculum, its theoretical principles, its different forms (positive and negative) and showcase examples of research in hidden curriculum in engineering in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The seminar will conclude with translatable recommendations for engineering educators in the United Kingdom derived from work conducted previously. Finally, implications to policy, if time allows, will be discussed.