The EPC is delighted to announce the start of work on a landmark new initiative, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering through the Diversity Impact Programme, which is funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, to create an Inclusive Engineering Toolkit. The toolkit will help educators embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles into their teaching and professional practice.
Professor Sarah Sharples CBE FREng has agreed to chair the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Expert Working Group, providing leadership and expertise to support the group’s development of the toolkit. The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit is due to be launched before the end of 2026 with a programme of enhancements over the following years.
Taking up the role, below, she celebrates the importance of the Toolkit and details how educators and industry experts can actively contribute.
Why is the EPC developing an Inclusive Engineering Toolkit?
Engineering has the power to shape the world we live in. But as societies become increasingly diverse, technical expertise alone is not enough. Future engineers must design solutions that are accessible, equitable and inclusive, ensuring innovation benefits everyone. Embedding inclusive design thinking into engineering education helps graduates work responsibly, creatively and fairly.
Many engineering educators did not receive formal training in fostering inclusive mindsets, or on how to embed inclusion into engineering practice, yet they are expected to prepare students for complex, real-world challenges. Without a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), engineering solutions risk unintentionally disadvantaging certain groups. Diverse perspectives, on the other hand, lead to stronger, more ethical, and adaptable outcomes.
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit is being developed to address this need, turning research-informed recommendations into practical resources that help educators embed inclusive principles in their teaching and equip students to become ethical, collaborative, and globally aware engineers.
What will be in the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit?
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit will be a free, open-access collection of teaching resources designed to support engineering educators in embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across their modules and programmes.
It will consolidate high-quality resources, signpost external materials and develop new content where required.
The suite of resources will equip educators with practical tools, strategies and guidance to embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles into their lessons, modules, courses and programmes.
The Toolkit will focus on inclusive engineering outcomes, helping educators guide future engineers to design solutions, products, and systems that are accessible ethical and free from bias.
The Toolkit will include resources suitable for university-level engineering education contexts. Resources may include: Interactive teaching materials, such as case studies, interactive exercises, discussion prompts, lesson plans, project briefs and checklists. Practical guidance for fostering inclusive teamwork and problem solving, supported by real-world examples and classroom-ready resources. Guidance articles will explain key EDI-related issues, highlight existing resources and solutions, and encourage engagement with a network of academic and industry experts. Assessment tools to help educators evaluate the impact of inclusive practices.
The Toolkit’s resources will be ready to use in the classroom and designed for engineering educators at all levels of experience, including professors, lecturers and course leaders, with varying levels of familiarity and confidence in teaching EDI. Whether they are new to EDI-focused teaching or already incorporating inclusive approaches, educators will find materials that support the development of relevant knowledge, skills, and mindsets alongside practical suggestions grounded in educational best practice.
Where relevant, resources will be aligned with AHEP and QAA criteria and graduate attributes, helping educators demonstrate how inclusive principles can be integrated into engineering programmes and ensuring alignment with broader educational and professional frameworks
The resources are designed for a wide range of teaching formats, including online, hybrid, lecture-based and project-based learning, and the Toolkit is intended to grow and evolve over time, remaining responsive to the needs of educators and students.
How is the Toolkit being developed?
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit is being created through a carefully considered, collaborative process to ensure it is practical, relevant and high-quality.
It will begin with a foundation of curated, existing high-quality resources contributed by a diverse group of academics and industry experts from multiple disciplines and perspectives across continents. This will be published and ready for use, allowing educators to start embedding inclusive principles immediately.
Building on this foundation, the Toolkit will expand over time, incorporating new resources and feedback from educators and students to ensure it continues to meet the evolving needs of the engineering education community.
Users will be invited to submit their own materials for review and inclusion, contributing resources, sharing best practice and engaging with a network of peers and experts.
This approach will ensure the Toolkit remains both immediately useful and adaptable for the future.
Who is involved in developing the Toolkit?
The development of the Toolkit will be managed by a Working Group of subject experts from academia and industry, put together by the EPC and the Academy.
The Planning and Scoping Group laid the groundwork for the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit, shaping the initial concept, generating ideas, and setting early priorities. Members included: Johnny Rich (Engineering Professors’ Council), Crystal Nwagboso (Engineering Professors’ Council), Stella Fowler (Engineering Professors’ Council), Chika Nweke (University College London), Irina Lazar (University College London), Karen Grayson (Royal Academy of Engineering), Genevieve Dobinson-Addo (Royal Academy of Engineering), Dawn Bonfield (Kings College London). I am delighted to be building on the excellent work of this group to now lead the delivery phase of the toolkit development. Members of the Planning and Scoping Group will continue to play a central role in guiding the toolkit’s active development, and together we now invite you to join us.
This is your opportunity to help us shape the toolkit, contribute ideas, guide content and ensure it becomes a valuable resource for all. We are currently seeking experts from academia and industry to join our Expert Working Group.
To volunteer and register your interest in joining our Expert Working Group, please complete this form: https://epc.ac.uk/inclusive-engineering-toolkit-expert-working-group-register-your-interest
