A series of new How-To Guides have been developed by universities across the UK as part of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s (RAEng) Diversity Impact Programme (DIP)

Supported by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, this programme funds projects that inspire change within university engineering departments and tackle unequal outcomes experienced by students from underrepresented groups.

Over the past three years, the Diversity Impact Programme has provided grants of up to £100,000 to 22 university projects. The latest phase focuses on sharing what has been learned through practical, evidence-based How-To Guides that other universities can replicate to embed inclusive practices and strengthen outcomes for all engineering students.

 

Funded awardees and their guides

Seven awardees have produced user-friendly guides on inclusive approaches within engineering education:

 

Our guide

We’re proud that our recently published guide, Integrating the Engineering Professors’ Council’s Inclusive Employability Toolkit into the Higher Education Engineering Curriculum (featured in our Inclusive Employability Toolkit), was developed in collaboration with Wrexham University, one of our Toolkit supporters alongside Canterbury Christ Church University, Equal Engineers, and The Royal Academy of Engineering. Through DIP funding, Wrexham University collaborated with us to develop a How-To Guide demonstrating how to use the Toolkit in practice, featuring real-world case studies of students and educators applying it and detailed session plans. This collaboration has enabled us to share practical, scalable strategies that advance inclusive employability within engineering education. We’re delighted to be featured alongside other outstanding contributions from Swansea University, University of Plymouth, King’s College London, University of Dundee, University of Strathclyde, and University of the West of England.

 

Explore the guides

We encourage our members and partners to explore the other awardees’ guides to see how their insights and approaches could inform your own practice. Visit the RAEng website to view all the How-To Guides by clicking here.

 

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Authors: Professor Anne Nortcliffe (Wrexham University); Crystal Nwagboso (Engineering Professors’ Council).

Topic: A practical guide for educators on using the Toolkit to embed inclusive employability in teaching, illustrated with real-life case studies and step-by-step session plans.

Engineering disciplines: Any.

Keywords: Academics; Active Learning; Case Study; Employability and Skills; Curriculum or Course; Engineering Professionals; Inclusive or Responsible Design; Interdisciplinary or Multidisciplinary; Pedagogy; Problem-Based Learning; Project-Based Learning; Students; Teaching and Learning; Workshop; Collaboration; Higher Education; General and Non-Specific or Other Engineering; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Who is this how-to guide / case study for? This guide is designed for educators, curriculum developers, and academic support staff seeking to integrate inclusive employability into engineering education. Through real-world case studies and detailed session plans, it provides practical strategies for fostering students’ professional skills, reflective practice, and meaningful engagement with industry, adaptable across diverse engineering disciplines and teaching contexts.

 

Download the How-To Guide (PDF):

English

Welsh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

EPC Launches Inclusive Employability Toolkit to Advance Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Engineering Education 

London, 30 September 2025 – The Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC) has launched a new Inclusive Employability Toolkit designed to support engineering educators and students in embedding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles into employability learning. 

Developed with funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering Impact Fund, and in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, Wrexham University, Equal Engineers, and the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Toolkit addresses persistent inequities in engineering graduate outcomes and workplace progression. 

The Toolkit equips the engineering higher education community to: 

 

Tackling Inequalities in Graduate Outcomes 

Despite progress, disparities remain in engineering graduate outcomes. According to the Office for Students (2024), 73% of white male engineering graduates progress into employment compared with 71.6% of female graduates, 68.7% of Asian graduates, and 69.8% of Black graduates. Inequities are also evident for LGBTQ+ students and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. 

Bias in recruitment practices can compound these issues. Research indicates that AI-based recruitment may amplify discrimination, particularly affecting women and minority candidates. Diversity, however, remains a priority for the profession: 81% of engineers say it is an important factor when considering an employer, and 82% of female applicants cite the presence of role models as significant (Royal Academy of Engineering, 2024). 

 

Impact on Students 

Early classroom use of the Toolkit has shown positive results. Academics report that it helps students develop reflective practice, engage critically with employability resources, and recognise their personal responsibility in shaping career journeys. Students have also reported improvements in collaboration and group work: 

“It has improved me… [Previously] I didn’t even think about any steps [when completing coursework or group work]. I used to just jump straight into [it]… even in our group activity.” — Level 4 CCCU Student A 

“[The Toolkit’s game activity] built quite a lot of patience in me… I could give [peers in group work] more time, explain things in more detail, and help them instead of arguing over the work.” — Level 4 CCCU Student B 

“I’m still finding my feet [at university] with interacting in a group setting… I think a lot more about other people… I’m constantly conscious [of this] in group work.” — Level 4 CCCU Student C 

The Inclusive Employability Toolkit provides a practical framework to embed EDI into engineering education, helping students and educators alike to build more inclusive, equitable, and reflective learning and workplace environments. 

 

For further information, please contact: Contact: Johnny Rich Email: press@epc.ac.uk 

Phone: 07590 914666 

24 hours: 0781 1111 4292 

Website: epc.ac.uk/resources/toolkit/inclusive-employability-toolkit/

Twitter/X: @EngProfCouncil #InclusiveEmployabilityToolkit

ENDS 

 

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Explore how you can enhance your professional journey through our comprehensive University Career Services Library.

This curated resource brings together the full range of career services offered across all EPC member institutions, providing you with streamlined access to tailored support at your university.

Whether you’re seeking one-to-one career guidance, engaging in skills workshops, or exploring placement opportunities, this library equips you with the tools to make informed decisions and maximise the resources available to you.

If you wish to provide an updated link, please contact Crystal Nwagboso – c.nwagboso@epc.ac.uk

 

University Career Services

University name Services
Abertay University Abertay University – Careers Service
Arden University Arden University – Careers and Employability
Aston University Aston University – Careers and Placements
University of Bath University of Bath – Careers Service
University of Bedfordshire University of Bedfordshire – Careers & Employability Service
University of Birmingham University of Birmingham – Careers Network
Birmingham City University Birmingham City University – Careers+
Bournemouth University Bournemouth University – CareersBU
University of Bradford University of Bradford – Careers Service
University of Bristol University of Bristol – Careers Service
Brunel University London Brunel University London – Careers
Buckinghamshire New University Buckinghamshire New University – Career Success
University of Cambridge University of Cambridge – Careers Service
Canterbury Christ University Canterbury Christ Church University – Careers and Enterprise Service
Cardiff University Cardiff University – Careers and Employability
Cardiff Metropolitan University Cardiff Metropolitan University – Careers Service
University of Central Lancashire University of Central Lancashire – Careers Service
University of Chester University of Chester – Careers and Employability
City St George’s, University of London City, University of London (St George’s) – Careers Team
Coventry University Coventry University – Talent Team
Cranfield University Cranfield University – Careers and Employability Service
University of Derby University of Derby – Careers and Employability
Durham University Durham University – Careers & Enterprise Centre
Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology – Careers
University of East Anglia University of East Anglia – CareerCentral
University of East London University of East London – Your Career
University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh – Careers Service
Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh Napier University – Student Futures
University of Exeter University of Exeter – Career Zone
University of Glasgow University of Glasgow – Careers Service
Glasgow Caledonian University Glasgow Caledonian University – Careers Service
University of Greenwich University of Greenwich – Employability & Careers
Harper Adams University Harper Adams University – Careers and Placements
University of Hertfordshire University of Hertfordshire – Careers and Employment
University of Huddersfield University of Huddersfield – Careers and Employability Service
University of Hull University of Hull – Careers and Employability
University of Kent University of Kent – Careers and Employability Service
Kings College London University King’s College London – Careers & Employability
University of Lancaster Lancaster University – Careers Service
University of Leeds University of Leeds – Careers Centre
University of Lincoln University of Lincoln – Careers & Employability
London Metropolitan University London Metropolitan University – Careers and Employability
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) – Careers
London South Bank University London South Bank University – Careers Hub
Loughborough University Loughborough University – Careers Network
Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester Metropolitan University – Careers and Employability Service
Middlesex University Middlesex University – Employability Service
Newcastle University Newcastle University – Careers Service
University of Northampton University of Northampton – Careers and Employability
Northumbria University Northumbria University – Careers and Employment Service
University of Nottingham University of Nottingham – Careers and Employability Service
Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Trent University – Employability
University of Oxford University of Oxford – Careers Service
Oxford Brookes University Oxford Brookes University – Careers
University of Plymouth University of Plymouth – Careers Service
University of Portsmouth University of Portsmouth – Careers and Employability Service
Queen Mary University of London Queen Mary University of London – Careers and Enterprise
University of Reading University of Reading – Careers
University of Roehampton University of Roehampton – Careers
Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London – Careers Service
University of Salford University of Salford – Careers and Enterprise
University of Sheffield University of Sheffield – Careers Service
Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Hallam University – Careers & Employability
SOAS University of London SOAS University of London – SOAS Careers
University of Southampton University of Southampton – Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise
Solent University Solent University – Careers and Employability
University of St Andrews University of St Andrews – Careers Centre
St George’s, University of London St George’s, University of London – Careers Service
University of Stirling University of Stirling – Careers Service
University of Strathclyde University of Strathclyde – Careers and Employability Service
University of Sunderland University of Sunderland – Careers and Employability Service
University of Surrey University of Surrey – Employability and Careers
University of Sussex University of Sussex – Careers and Employability Centre
Swansea University Swansea University – Swansea Employability Academy
Teesside University Teesside University – Careers Service
University of the Arts London University of the Arts London – Careers and Employability
University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) – Career Development
University of Warwick University of Warwick – Student Opportunity
University of West London University of West London – Careers and Employment Service
University of Westminster University of Westminster – Careers and Employability Service
University of Winchester University of Winchester – Careers Service

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.

Please note: Discussions around discrimination, prejudice and bias are highly complex and part of a much wider national and international debate, including contested histories. As such, we have limited the scope of our resources to educating and supporting students.

The resources that the EPC and its partners are producing in this area will continue to expand and, if you feel there is an issue that is currently underrepresented in our content, we would be delighted to work with you to create more. Please get in touch.

The University Career Services Library was produced by Crystal Nwagboso (Engineering Professors Council).

This post is also available here.

The EPC’s Inclusive Employability Toolkit is supported by Canterbury Christ Church University, Equal Engineers, The Royal Academy of Engineering, and Wrexham University. This resource is designed to help engineering educators integrate EDI principles and practices in engineering, computing, design and technology – across education, employer engagement, career preparation, and progression into the workplace.

 

Introduction 

This resource was formerly known as the EDGE Toolkit, and was developed in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, Wrexham University, Equal Engineers and The Royal Academy of Engineering. The two Universities have now joined forces with the Engineering Professors Council to launch the newly renamed Inclusive Employability Toolkit, working together to improve usability and ensure broader access to this valuable resource. 

The Inclusive Employability Toolkit supports inclusive employment in engineering, computing, design, and technology, enhancing diversity and authentic voices in the workplace. 

Our commitment to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered has led us to develop the Inclusive Employability Toolkit. This comprehensive toolkit is designed to guide students, faculty, and staff in understanding and practicing EDI principles, ensuring that our campus is a place where diversity thrives and every voice is heard. 

The Inclusive Employability Toolkit is more than just a set of resources – it’s a commitment to continuous learning, understanding, and action. We invite you to explore the toolkit, participate in the activities, and engage with the wealth of available resources. Together, we can build an engineering community that truly reflects the world’s diversity, united in our pursuit of equity and inclusion. 

Begin by exploring this page; it provides a comprehensive background on the importance of EDI in the world of engineering and sets the stage for your learning journey. 

 

Welcome 

The world is incredibly diverse, but navigating the complexities of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) can be challenging, especially for minority groups who face significant hurdles. In the video below, Professor Anne Nortcliffe invites you to explore the Inclusive Employability Toolkit, offering guidance on how to make the most of its features and resources. 

 

The Inclusive Employability Toolkit aims to

 

Contents 

How to use this toolkit effectively:  

Embarking on your journey through Inclusive Employability Toolkit is a step towards fostering an inclusive and diverse environment within the engineering community. This guide will help you navigate the toolkit, ensuring you make the most of the resources, challenges, and learning opportunities it offers. 

 

Goals

🌍 Diversity matters: The toolkit emphasizes that diverse voices enrich the workplace, offering unique perspectives that drive innovation and creativity.
💪 Empowering students: By focusing on technical students, the toolkit equips them with the skills and confidence to navigate their career paths successfully.
🎤 Encouraging authenticity: Bringing your authentic voice to work fosters an environment of trust and openness, leading to stronger team dynamics.
🤝 Role of allies: Supporting individuals from minority backgrounds (female, LGBTQ, disabled, mature, low socio-economic status, global majority) not only aids their success but enriches the workplace culture for everyone involved.
📈 Business impact: Companies that prioritise equity and inclusion see improved employee retention and higher morale, translating into better performance metrics.
🛠️ Better solutions: Diverse teams in engineering and technology are proven to develop more effective solutions, addressing a wider range of needs and challenges.
🏛️ Societal benefits: Promoting equity and inclusion not only benefits organisations but also contributes to a more just and equitable society overall. 

 

Licensing

To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the toolkit in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, most of this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence you are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that you must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made.

 

Further details

CommitmentOur roleWhat we knowChallenges in the industryIndustry EmployersStudent feedback

To leading the charge in creating new opportunities for diversity and inclusion of engineering, technology and design to address regional skills gap. Our vision for all engineering, technology and design students regardless of their background have opportunity to thrive in engineering, technology and design industry.


As game changers we have researched and developed the Inclusive Employability Toolkit to empower students and employers in building bridges between academia, students, and industry to enable gainful graduate employment and more inclusive, dynamic, and diverse opportunities in engineering, technology and design.

A higher proportion of Global Majority and low socioeconomic students’ study at Post-92 universities, and yet, employment outcomes for graduates from these universities often lag behind their Russell Group peers.

Ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic factors continue to shape the employability landscape However more inclusive engineering, technology and design teams create better solutions to problems for all of society.

Gain insights from industry employers as they discuss the toolkit and its impact.


Gain insights from students as they reflect on the usefulness and impact of the toolkit.


Please note: Discussions around discrimination, prejudice and bias are highly complex and part of a much wider national and international debate, including contested histories. As such, we have limited the scope of our resources to educating and supporting students.

The resources that the EPC and its partners are producing in this area will continue to expand and, if you feel there is an issue that is currently underrepresented in our content, we would be delighted to work with you to create more. Please get in touch.   

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.

This month marked a milestone for the engineering education community, as the EPC and E-DAP launched their practical, step-by-step Deaf Awareness Toolkit* to a wider audience for the first time.

Designed for engineers at all career stages, the toolkit offers practical training to build inclusive skills, implement meaningful measures, and encourage open participation, ultimately improving engineering outcomes through greater accessibility and communication.

 

Breaking new ground in Engineering inclusion

Hosted by EPC CEO Johnny Rich, the toolkit’s accompanying webinar ‘Being heard: How everyone benefits from deaf awareness’ (available to watch here) brought together over 50 attendees from more than 29 institutions. It marked the first time the UK engineering community has come together in this way to explore how deaf awareness can unlock stronger communication, collaboration and innovation across the sector.

The panel featured voices from RNID, the EPC, E-DAP and professionals with lived experience, offering engineers practical, experience-led guidance grounded in real-world insight—not just theory.

 

Closed captions: a simple shift, a big impact

One key takeaway is that closed captions do more than support communication. They encourage presenters to structure content more clearly, making complex ideas easier to follow. This is especially important in engineering, where technical information needs to be communicated accurately across classrooms, meetings, and fast paced R&D environments.

Lucia Capogna (E-DAP) showed just how simple this can be in practice, giving a live demonstration of how to activate captions in PowerPoint. It is a small shift that can make a big difference, and it is easier to implement than many people realise.

 

Key messages from the panel

Frankie Garforth (RNID)
Frankie addressed widespread misconceptions around deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus, reminding us that over 18 million people in the UK are affected. “You’ll know people living with this,” she said. “It’s good to support them.” She highlighted how deaf-aware technologies like closed captions can significantly improve communication – often in ways people don’t realise until they experience it first hand.

Dr. Sarah Jayne Hitt (EPC)
Sarah Jayne emphasised that some of the most impactful accessibility technologies are already freely available. Many were showcased earlier in the webinar, and others can be explored via the EPC website. These tools, she explained, complement the learning that happens through real human connection – like her own journey learning ASL from a school teacher and later embedding deaf awareness in everyday university life.

Ellie Haywood (E-DAP)
Ellie shared how she took personal responsibility to embed deaf awareness into her workplace a few years ago. Her goal: to make accessibility part of the default way her team operated, so no one would need to ask for special measures. The impact was immediate – improving team efficiency and communication well beyond the deaf community. This inclusive approach proved particularly effective in high-tech R&D projects.

 

Pilot and student feedback

E-DAP piloted the Deaf Awareness Toolkit with nearly 500 first-year students across civil, mechanical and other engineering disciplines. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, particularly among non-native English speakers, who reported being better able to follow lectures and understand the content.

One simple innovation, using a blank PowerPoint slide during Q&A, made a big difference in helping students catch questions that might otherwise be lost in the noise of a busy classroom.

Survey responses showed nearly two-thirds of students felt neutral to strongly positive about captions and wanted to see them used more widely.

 

Resources and tools available now

The Deaf Awareness Toolkit is designed to help educators and engineers improve everyday communication and inclusion. It includes:

 

Beyond communication: safety, inclusion and culture

Deaf awareness goes beyond communication. In engineering environments, visual alarms and clear auditory cues support safety. Inclusive meeting behaviours, accessible research environments, and awareness of hearing health can all contribute to a more inclusive and effective working culture. Clear communication isn’t just a benefit for deaf individuals, it supports better outcomes for everyone.

 

The vision: One Million Engineers

This is just the beginning. Our goal is to engage one million engineers with accessibility.

With the EPC platform reaching 7,500 engineering academics across 82 institutions, and 179,000 students enrolled in those institutions, we are taking our first steps towards that vision.

Accessibility isn’t an optional extra. It’s a core part of engineering education and inclusion that we want to instil in future engineers.

 

What’s next

E-DAP and the EPC are now working together to embed deaf awareness more deeply into engineering practice and culture. Future activities will include:

 

*E-DAP’s Role as an Ally

E-DAP is an active ally to the Deaf and deaf communities. We do not speak for them, but work in partnership with experts, advocates, and individuals with lived experience to improve awareness and inclusion in engineering and education.

We collaborate with the community to learn and co-create. Our goal is to support engineering innovation by enabling better communication for everyone, and to implement inclusion in engineering through technology, tools, learning, and partnerships that embed inclusive practices and create lasting change.

A Note on Language

Language matters. Whether someone identifies as Deaf, deaf, has hearing loss or tinnitus, they are all individuals, and respectful language helps create more inclusive spaces. If you’re unsure how to phrase something, ask. It’s always better to check than assume. Helpful guidance on terminology is available from the RNID.  

 

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.

Authors: Dr. Kieran Higgins(Ulster University); Dr. Alison Calvert (Queen’s University Belfast).

Topic: Integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into higher education curricula.

Type: Guidance

Relevant disciplines: Any.

Keywords: Curriculum design; Global responsibility; Sustainability; SDGs; Course design; Higher education; Pedagogy;

Sustainability competency: Anticipatory; Integrated problem-solving; Strategic; Systems thinking.

Related SDGs: SDG 4 (Quality education); SDG 13 (Climate action).

Reimagined Degree Map Intervention: Adapt and repurpose learning outcomes; Authentic assessment; Active pedagogies and mindset development.

Who is this article for?:  This article should be read by educators at all levels of higher education looking to embed and integrate ESD into curriculum, module, and / or programme design.

Link to resource: AdvanceHE’s Education for Sustainable Development Curriculum Design Toolkit

 

Learning and Teaching Notes:
Supported by AdvanceHE, this Toolkit provides a structured approach to integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into higher education curricula. It uses the CRAFTS methodology and empowers educators to enhance their modules and programs with sustainability competencies aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Key Features:
• Five-Phase Process: Analyse stakeholder needs, map current provision, reflect on opportunities for development, redesign with an ESD focus, and create an action plan for continuous enhancement.
• Practical Tools: Includes templates for stakeholder analysis, module planning, active learning activities, and evaluation.
• Flexible Implementation: Designed for use at both module and programme level.
• Competency-Based: Focuses on developing authentic learning experiences across cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioural domains.

Benefits
• Identify stakeholder sustainability needs
• Map existing ESD elements in your curriculum
• Reflect on opportunities to enhance ESD integration
• Redesign modules with active learning approaches of ESD
• Create actionable plans for implementation and evaluation

Click here to access the Toolkit.

Read more here.

 

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters. 

Authors: Dr. Kieran Higgins (Ulster University); Dr. Alison Calvert (Queen’s University Belfast).

Keywords: Curriculum design; Global responsibility; Sustainability; SDGs; Course design; Higher education; Pedagogy.

Who is this article for?: This article should be read by module coordinators, programme directors, and teaching teams in higher education who want to meaningfully integrate ESD into their curriculum design and delivery.

 

It’s always a struggle to get started on something new in the time- and resource-poor environment that is higher education. Sustainability can become just another box to tick rather than the world-changing priority it should be.

That’s why we have created the Education for Sustainable Development Curriculum Design Toolkit to build sustainability into the curriculum in a way that stimulates the critical reflection it needs to truly embed it within modules.

We knew there was more to ESD than simply labelling a module handbook with the SDG logos, especially when it was only SDG4 because it happens to mention education. There was a need to become familiar and comfortable with a deeper perspective on the SDGs and their related targets and indicators – without becoming intimidated by them. ESD should prepare students to tackle unforeseen challenges and navigate complex systems, rather than focusing on content alone. As higher education professionals, we recognised the inherent challenges of this.

As a result, we developed our CRAFTS (Co-Designing Reflective Approaches for the Teaching of Sustainability) model of curriculum design, based on an adaptation of Design Thinking, to provide a structured and usable, yet accessible, flexible, and not discipline-specific means of embedding and embodying ESD in the curriculum. We were then approached by AdvanceHE to develop this further into a practical, systematic resource that would empower educators to take genuine ownership of sustainability in their teaching and assessment.

The Toolkit helps tackle these issues in a straightforward way by breaking them down into five stages.

First, it shows how to analyse what stakeholders like students, employers and accrediting bodies want and need from a module when it comes to sustainability.

Then, it guides educators to map exactly what is being taught as the curriculum stands, aligning it to the SDGs and the ESD Competencies. This is a moment of real relief for many people, who discover that much of what they already do aligns perfectly with ESD.

After that, there’s a guided reflection to see where stronger integration might happen or where superficial coverage can be expanded into something more meaningful.

The redesign process helps to embed active learning and authentic assessments and finishes off with an action plan for moving forward and measuring impact for future evaluation.

We find it heartening to watch colleagues pivot from feeling like ESD is an add-on to realising it can enhance what they already do. Instead of worrying that they must become experts in every single SDG, the Toolkit reminds them that authentic engagement with a few well-chosen goals can lead to the deeper kind of learning we all aspire to provide.

This personal, reflective approach has helped academics overcome the sense that sustainability in the curriculum is an overwhelming requirement. They see it as a powerful lens through which students learn to handle uncertainty, become resilient critical thinkers and gain the confidence to tackle real-world problems.

We hope the Toolkit continues to spark conversations and encourage more creative approaches to ESD across disciplines. We don’t believe there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. It has been inspiring to see colleagues reclaim that sense of possibility and excitement, reassured that teaching for a sustainable future can be woven into what they’re already doing – just with an extra layer of intentionality and reflection.

If you’re looking for a way to bring ESD into your own classroom, we hope the Toolkit will be a reliable companion on that journey.

Dr Kieran Higgins (Lecturer in Higher Education Practice, Ulster University) and Dr Alison Calvert (Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast) have collaborated on Education for Sustainable Development projects for over 4 years, drawing on extensive and wide ranging experiences of higher education and sustainability. Their vision is of transformed global higher education curricula that empowers all graduates, regardless of discipline or career path, to become champions of a sustainable future.

 

This post is also available here.

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters. 

Overview

The Engineering Deaf Awareness Project (E-DAP) is a pioneering initiative dedicated to making deaf awareness a standard in engineering. E-DAP is a movement for meaningful, measurable change in the number of people who proactively use accessibility tech in their daily lives, supporting everyone around them. By embedding accessibility into the fabric of engineering, E-DAP is breaking down barriers, changing perceptions and creating a future where engineering truly works to make everyone’s lives more effective

Imagine a world where talented individuals and dynamic growth oriented companies are turbo charged by removing barriers in communication and understanding. In engineering—a field where communication is critical to innovation, being proactive and embedding accessibility at the norm is critical. At E-DAP, we believe technology for accessibility is the foundation for accessibility and increased performance and ground-breaking ideas. By fostering technology for accessibility and increased performance, we’re not just improving workplaces—we’re demonstrating how inclusivity fuels economic growth, creativity, collaboration and benefits everyone.

The EPC has published E-DAP resources in a toolkit in solidarity with the Project’s aims.

 

Mission and Strategic Aims

E-DAP’s mission is to embed deaf awareness into the core of engineering practices, ensuring that the profession is accessible and for all . Our strategic aims include:

 

Challenges

The engineering sector has historically faced challenges in creating inclusive environments for deaf individuals, including:

 

Initiatives and Activities

To address these challenges, E-DAP is implementing several key initiatives:

 

Toolkit Content

 

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.

PowerPoint Subtitles Guidelines

 

1. Benefits of subtitles

 

2. Main steps

STEP 1: Activate the subtitles (See section 3)

STEP 2: Customise your settings (See section 4)

2.1. Select the language to be used
2.2. Select the subtitles position
2.3. Customise subtitles appearance (background, text size and colour)

STEP 3: Create your slide to leave room for the subtitles in line with your settings (avoid overlapping)

Note 1: You need to be connected to the internet for the subtitles to work.
Note 2: You need to change your security settings to authorise PowerPoint to access the microphone.
Note 3: You do not have to customise your settings for each presentation unless you wish to change something.

 

3. How do you activate the subtitles?

Open PowerPoint and on the main task bar select “Slide show” and tick “Always Use Subtitles” on the ribbon:

 

4. Subtitles settings

When activated, you can customise the subtitles:

 

Subtitles position

“Below slide” and “Above slide”

If one of the following options is selected

● Below slide
● Above slide

you do not have to worry about the subtitle background overlapping with slide content. However, the overall dimension of the projected slide will be reduced, so please check that it is still ok.

The examples below show the difference between “Bottom (Overlaid)” and “Below slide”.

Bottom (Overlaid)

 

Below slide

 

“Bottom (Overlaid)” and “Top (Overlaid)”

Important: If you select one of the following options

● Bottom (Overlaid)
● Top (Overlaid)

you will need to prepare your slides to leave room for the subtitles in line with your settings, and change the subtitle settings to improve visibility (see “Subtitles” > “More settings”).

The example below uses “Bottom (Overlaid)” and default settings for text and background.

On the above example we can see that the subtitles overlap with both the logo and the contents of the slide, making the visibility poor. In addition, the size of the subtitles text appears to be quite small.

The following example shows how the settings may provide better visibility of the subtitles and the contents of the slide.

More settings: Text size and colour, background colour and transparency

1) Change the settings to use a “Large Text” or “Extra Large Text” and colours that improve visibility (e.g. yellow on solid black)

2) If you cannot rework the master slides and move the logo, select a solid background to provide more visibility to the subtitles. (Although you will make the logo less visible, this should give a better experience to the people attending the presentation.)

 

Subtitles background colour

How can the slide background influence the colour of the subtitles background and text colour?

• What colour is the slide background?

If the slide background is white or a light colour, you should consider using a dark colour as subtitle background to create the right level of contrast and improve the visibility of the subtitles. Similarly, if the slide background is black or another dark colour, you should consider using a light colour as subtitle background.

The subtitles text colour should in turn be in contrast with the subtitles background colour.

• Where is the logo? Are the subtitles overlapping with the logo? Can you re-work the master slides and move it?

If you cannot move the logo, you may want to consider this:

The subtitle background is not a solid colour by default, but has a certain degree of transparency. This may still be ok if there are no other objects (like a logo) under the subtitles background. Otherwise, you may need to update this setting to have a solid colour as background.

 

5. Guidance scope and feedback

Thank you for reading this guide and for your interest in E-DAP. We hope that this guide will help you to implement deaf awareness practises.

If you’d like to be involved in any further E-DAP led events, training materials or to join the E-DAP mailing list, please complete the form via the link below or scan the QR code.

Your feedback is important to us, as it allows us to improve our events and materials for others. Please provide your feedback on this guideline and on the subtitles usage by completing the following form:

Link to form

 

Additionally, to find out more about E-DAP or to contact us, find us on LinkedIn.

You can also downloaded this guide here.

Also see How to add subtitles in PowerPoint: Demo video.

 

Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.

This content is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.

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