Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion is essential for success and capability strengthening, writes Stella Fowler, Policy and Research Director at the Engineering Professors’ Council, and Karen Grayson, Senior Manager at the Royal Academy of Engineering.
This guest blog explores why inclusive engineering outcomes are central to building a more innovative, ethical and representative engineering profession.
30th April 2026 – Subgroups of the Expert Working Group have been formed to help define the focus, structure, and quality expectations for the Call for Contributions.
24th April 2026 – The second meeting of the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Leadership Team takes place.
April 2026 – Membership of the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Expert Working Group is confirmed. The Expert Working Group comprises subject experts from academia and industry who will manage the development of the 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, curating valuable and practical resources and tools, that help educators embed inclusive principles in their teaching and equip students to become ethical, collaborative, and globally aware engineers.
Its development is guided by an Expert Working Group comprised of academic, industry, and professional organisation experts.
Register your interest
Please register your interest in developing a resource bycompleting this form by 11th July 2026.
If you would like to become a reviewer for the toolkit (with structured review cycles running from late July to September 2026, and light input into October where needed), please complete this form (and tick ”Inclusive Engineering Toolkit”). We will take a flexible and iterative approach where possible. Where submissions are received earlier and reviewer capacity allows, review activity may begin ahead of the formal window to support workload distribution across the summer period.
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Working Group seeks contributors to develop resources for inclusion in the toolkit
These resources will fit into three categories:
Knowledge articles: Knowledge articles help build understanding of inclusion in engineering education and practice. These resources focus on what equity, diversity and inclusion is, why it matters, and how it relates to engineering contexts, professional practice, and outcomes. They may include: conceptual explanations of inclusion in engineering; discussions of why inclusion matters for engineering practice and outcomes; perspectives and lived experience grounded in practice or education; and introductory frameworks and concepts that support understanding (e.g., diversity, equity, accessibility, participation). In short, knowledge articles focus on how inclusion is understood in engineering contexts and why it matters in engineering practice and outcomes. These resources help build a shared understanding of inclusion as a foundation for improving engineering practice, decision-making, and outcomes.
Guidance articles: Guidance articles support educators in applying inclusive approaches in engineering teaching and learning. These resources focus on how to embed, teach, assess, or facilitate inclusion in practice. They may include practical approaches to inclusive teaching and facilitation; guidance on embedding inclusion in curricula, modules, or programmes; approaches to assessing and evaluating inclusive practice and teamwork; and strategies for creating inclusive learning environments and participation. In short, guidance articles focus on “how to do it.” These resources support educators in translating inclusive practice into teaching approaches that improve learning experiences, teamwork, and engineering outcomes.
Teaching activities: Teaching activities provide ready-to-use or adaptable materials that embed inclusion directly into engineering learning environments. These resources focus on what educators can use in teaching to support inclusive learning and practice. They may include: case studies of inclusive or exclusionary engineering practice in real-world contexts, classroom activities, exercises, and project or assessment briefs, simulations, interactive tools, or gamified learning approaches, and teamwork and collaboration activities that support inclusive participation and practice. These resources should be directly usable or easily adaptable in teaching contexts, supporting students to engage with inclusive engineering practice in action. In short, teaching activities focus on “what to use in teaching and learning.”These resources help shape how students learn to apply inclusive approaches, contributing to more inclusive engineering outcomes in practice.
Design expectations for all contributions
To ensure accessibility and inclusivity in practice, contributors should also consider:
Diverse classroom contexts, including large cohorts and limited-resource environments
Accessibility for different learner needs
Practical usability in real teaching environments without specialist infrastructure
How inclusion is embedded in design, structure and interaction (not only reflective content)
Clear connection to practice, systems, or real-world outcomes
We recommend allowing around 15–20 minutes to review the Call for Contributions guidance and relevant brief(s) before preparing your submission. This will help ensure your contribution aligns with the toolkit aims and requirements.
Read more about the specific content we are looking for (click on the arrows to expand the sections):
Submit a knowledge article
Submit a Knowledge Article
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Working Group invites contributions that build understanding of inclusion in engineering education and practice.
These articles should help explain how inclusion is understood in engineering contexts, why it matters, and how it influences engineering practice, professional behaviour, decision-making, and outcomes.
We welcome articles that explore:
1. Inclusion in engineering contexts
How inclusion is understood in engineering education and practice, and how it influences design, decision-making, systems, teamwork, and professional environments.
For example: explanations of inclusive engineering practice in design teams or accessibility considerations in engineering solutions.
2. Why inclusion matters for engineering
How inclusion and exclusion affect engineering outcomes, including products, systems, services, and solutions.
For example: reflections on how diverse teams improve engineering decision-making or reduce design risk.
3. Evidence-informed perspectives and lived experience
Evidence-informed reflections from students, educators, or practitioners, including lived experience of inclusion or exclusion in engineering contexts.
For example: practitioner or student reflections on barriers to participation or inclusive team experiences.
Contributions in this area should be reflective or explanatory in nature, and grounded in evidence, practice, or experience, with clear relevance to teaching, learning, or engineering contexts.
4. Concepts and frameworks that support understanding
Introductory explanations of inclusion-related concepts and tools (e.g. diversity, equity, accessibility, participation frameworks).
For example: diversity wheels or other inclusion frameworks applied to engineering contexts.
These articles will help build a shared foundation for understanding how inclusion operates in engineering practice and its role in shaping engineering decisions, systems, and outcomes.
Step 1: Read the guidance for submitting a knowledge article
Guidance #1: Cross-cutting expectations (apply to all resource types)Guidance #2: Research Guidance #3: Overview Guidance #4: Purpose Guidance #5: Format Guidance #6: References and resources
Cross-cutting expectations:
All resources should:
Be usable in diverse teaching contexts, including large or overcrowded classrooms.
Be accessible to learners with different needs
Be adaptable for low-resource environments (limited software, devices, or classroom infrastructure)
Clearly connect inclusion to engineering practice, systems, products, or decision-making outcomes
Embed inclusion in the design of the activity or resource, not only as a reflective add-on
Research:
Knowledge resources help build understanding of inclusion in engineering education and practice.
These resources focus on how inclusion appears in engineering contexts, why it matters, and how it influences engineering practice, decision-making, systems, and outcomes.
They should provide accessible, standalone explanations suitable for engineering educators and students new to inclusive engineering.
They may include:
conceptual explanations of inclusion as it appears in engineering contexts and practice
discussion of why inclusion matters for engineering practice, decision-making, systems, and outcomes
evidence-informed reflections from students, educators, or practitioners
introductory frameworks and concepts (e.g. diversity, equity, accessibility, participation) applied in engineering contexts
These resources should provide a baseline understanding and signpost further reading where appropriate.
They should be approximately 500-1000 words (although they can be more in depth if necessary) and reference relevant online open-source resources.
Overview:
Knowledge resources should be able to stand alone while also contributing to a coherent body of toolkit content that collectively builds understanding of inclusive engineering practice.
Purpose:
Each resource should explain inclusion in a way that is clear, accessible, and relevant to engineering education and practice, supporting understanding of how inclusion influences engineering thinking, behaviour, decision-making, systems, and outcomes.
Format:
Knowledge resources should include:
Premise
Main body (structured with headings as appropriate)
Further resources (open and accessible where possible)
References and resources:
Where additional explanation could be given, it might point to other resources, and where information is presented from another source, it needs to be properly referenced using Harvard referencing.
Step 2: Before you submit, review this checklist
Is the resource clear, accessible, and understandable to someone new to inclusive engineering?
Does it explain how inclusion appears in engineering contexts and why it matters in engineering practice, systems, and outcomes?
Is the content logically structured and well explained?
Are claims supported with appropriate references?
Are additional open resources or reading suggestions included?
Does it contribute to a coherent set of toolkit knowledge resources?
Knowledge articles should be submitted in Word file format (.doc or .docx). Any corresponding images should be submitted in either .jpeg, .jpg or .png format.
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made.
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Working Group invites contributions that support educators in applying inclusive approaches in engineering teaching and learning.
These articles should focus on the practical application (“how”) of inclusive engineering principles in educational settings.
We welcome articles that support:
1. Teaching and facilitating inclusion
Practical approaches to introducing and discussing inclusion in engineering education.
For example: guidance on running inclusive classroom discussions or explaining inclusion concepts to students.
2. Embedding inclusion in curricula and learning design
Approaches for integrating inclusion across modules, programmes, and learning outcomes.
For example: mapping inclusion-related learning outcomes to engineering curricula or professional standards.
3. Progression and development of inclusive learning
Ways inclusion can be supported across different stages of study and levels of learning.
For example: scaffolding inclusive teamwork skills from early to later-year engineering modules.
4. Assessment and evaluation approaches
Examples of assessment approaches, criteria, or frameworks that support inclusive teamwork, participation, and professional skills development.
For example: rubrics for assessing teamwork, participation, or inclusive behaviours in group projects.
5. Creating inclusive learning environments
Practical strategies and tools that support equitable participation, accessibility, and inclusive classroom or project-based learning.
For example: techniques to support balanced participation in group work or psychologically safe learning environments.
These articles will translate inclusive engineering principles into practical approaches that support teaching practice and learning design.
Step 1: Read the guidance for submitting a guidance article
Guidance #1: Cross-cutting expectations (apply to all resource types)Guidance #2: Research Guidance #3: Overview Guidance #4: Purpose Guidance #5: Format Guidance #6: References and resources
Cross-cutting expectations:
All resources should:
Be usable in diverse teaching contexts, including large or overcrowded classrooms.
Be accessible to learners with different needs
Be adaptable for low-resource environments (limited software, devices, or classroom infrastructure)
Clearly connect inclusion to engineering practice, systems, products, or decision-making outcomes
Embed inclusion in the design of the activity or resource, not only as a reflective add-on
Research:
Guidance resources support educators in applying inclusive approaches in engineering teaching and learning.
These resources focus on the practical application of inclusion in teaching, learning design, assessment, and curriculum development.
They help translate inclusive engineering principles into actionable approaches.
They may include:
approaches to inclusive teaching and facilitation
embedding inclusion in curricula and learning design
assessment approaches for inclusive teamwork and participation
strategies for creating inclusive learning environments
They should be approximately 500-1000 words (although they can be more in depth if necessary) and reference relevant online open-source resources.
Overview:
Guidance resources should stand alone while also forming part of a coherent set of tools supporting inclusive engineering education practice.
Purpose:
Each resource should provide practical, structured guidance that helps educators embed inclusion into teaching, learning, and assessment in engineering contexts.
Format:
Guidance resources should include:
Premise
Structured sections with headings
Practical guidance and examples
References (Harvard style)
Further resources (open and accessible where possible)
References and resources:
Where additional explanation could be given, it might point to other resources, and where information is presented from another source, it needs to be properly referenced using Harvard referencing.
Step 2: Before you submit, review this checklist
Is the guidance practical, clear, and easy to apply?
Does it explain how to embed inclusion in teaching or curriculum practice?
Is the content logically structured and usable by educators new to inclusive engineering?
Are references appropriately cited?
Does it provide actionable approaches or frameworks?
Guidance articles should be submitted in Word file format (.doc or .docx). Any corresponding images should be submitted in either .jpeg, .jpg or .png format.
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made.
The Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Working Group invites contributions that embed inclusion directly into engineering teaching and learning activities.
These resources should be ready-to-use or easily adaptable in teaching environments.
We welcome contributions including:
1. Inclusive engineering case studies
Real-world or applied engineering scenarios that illustrate inclusion, exclusion, or their impact on engineering outcomes and decision-making.
For example: engineering team case studies showing the impact of inclusive or non-inclusive design processes.
2. Teaching and learning activities
Classroom exercises, project briefs, or learning activities that embed inclusive practice within engineering learning.
For example: group design tasks that require equitable role allocation or inclusive problem-solving approaches.
3. Applied learning tools and simulations
Interactive or structured learning activities such as simulations, digital tools, or gamified approaches that support understanding of inclusion in engineering contexts.
For example: simulation-based activities exploring the impact of design decisions on different user groups.
4. Teamwork and collaboration activities
Activities that support inclusive participation, equitable collaboration, and reflective team practice in engineering learning environments. These may include structured approaches or tools that support how students participate, collaborate, and share responsibility within teams.
For example: structured peer feedback or team role rotation exercises to support inclusive participation.
5. Psychological safety and inclusive teamwork resources
Tools or structured activities that support safe, equitable, and inclusive team environments.
For example: reflective exercises on team dynamics or tools to support inclusive group behaviour.
These resources will support educators in embedding inclusive engineering practice directly into learning experiences that shape student collaboration and engineering outcomes.
Select the relevant teaching resource type and view the specific guidance. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided for that resource type to complete your submission.
Step 1: Guidance for Submitting an Inclusive Engineering Case Study
Guidance #1: Cross-cutting expectations (apply to all resource types)Guidance #2: Research Guidance #3: Overview Guidance #3: Purpose Guidance #4: ContentGuidance #5: Activities, resources & referencingGuidance #5: Format
Cross-cutting expectations:
All resources should:
Be usable in diverse teaching contexts, including large or overcrowded classrooms.
Be accessible to learners with different needs
Be adaptable for low-resource environments (limited software, devices, or classroom infrastructure)
Clearly connect inclusion to engineering practice, systems, products, or decision-making outcomes
Embed inclusion in the design of the activity or resource, not only as a reflective add-on
Research
Case studies are teaching resources that present realistic engineering scenarios where inclusion or exclusion affects engineering practice, decisions, and outcomes.
Before submitting, you should review case studies from existing engineering education toolkits (e.g. Ethics and Sustainability Toolkits) to ensure consistency in tone, structure, and pedagogical approach.
Case studies should be grounded in engineering contexts and should enable learners to explore how inclusive or non-inclusive practices influence engineering systems, teams, or solutions.
They should be designed for educators to use directly in teaching and may include prompts, discussion questions, or structured learning activities.
Case studies will vary in length depending on scope and resource, but many are around 1500-2000 words. They should reference relevant online open-source resources.
Please see the current research on good practice in writing case studies, which you may find helpful as you write, as well as our article about a recipe for writing a case study. This ‘recipe’ can guide you as you write to include or develop other aspects of the case. Both articles are from our Engineering Ethics Toolkit, but the guidance given can be adapted for Inclusive Engineering cases.
Overview
Case studies should present a coherent narrative centred on an engineering context where inclusion is relevant.
They should:
Describe a realistic engineering scenario
Include multiple stakeholders or perspectives where appropriate
Present a clear inclusion-related challenge, decision point, or tension
Support discussion, reflection, or analysis in teaching contexts
Case studies should function as standalone teaching resources but also contribute to a broader collection of related materials.
Purpose
Case studies should help learners understand how inclusion influences engineering practice, decision-making, teamwork, and outcomes.
They should enable educators to support discussion of real-world engineering challenges through an inclusion lens.
Case studies may also be designed to support structured pedagogical use, including role play, decision pathways, and assessment integration where appropriate.
Content
Content should be clear, structured, and narrative-led.
Case studies may include:
Engineering context and background
Key stakeholders and roles
Description of the inclusion-related issue or challenge
Decision points or consequences
Teaching prompts or reflection questions
Structured role-play scenarios where learners take on engineering stakeholder roles
Branching or episodic case structures where decisions influence subsequent outcomes
Optional pedagogical guidance for classroom delivery and adaptation
Optional assessment guidance (e.g. rubric or evaluation matrix) linked to case use
Activities, resources & referencing
Case studies should include:
Discussion questions
Classroom or group activities
Suggested teaching approaches
Links to relevant open-source resources
All sources must be appropriately referenced using Harvard referencing.
Format
Case studies should include:
Teaching notes (context, aims, suggested use)
Narrative of the case
Discussion questions or activities
Optional extension or reflection section
References and resources
Step 1B: Before you submit, review this checklist
Before submitting, please check:
Does the case present a clear and realistic engineering context?
Is inclusion (or exclusion) clearly relevant to the engineering scenario?
Does the case involve decision-making, trade-offs, or engineering practice?
Are multiple perspectives (e.g. stakeholders, users, engineers) included where appropriate?
Is the narrative structured so it can be used directly in teaching?
Are there clear discussion prompts or learning activities included?
Is the case suitable for an engineering education setting (not generic commentary)?
Case studies should be submitted in Word file format (.doc or .docx). Any corresponding images should be submitted in either .jpeg, .jpg or .png format.
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made.
Step 1: Guidance for Submitting Teaching and Learning Activities
Guidance #1: Cross-cutting expectations (apply to all resource types)Guidance #2: Purpose and outcomes Guidance #3: Research Guidance #4: Purpose Guidance #5: Presentation & clarity Guidance #6: Resources, guidance & referencingGuidance #7: Format
Cross-cutting expectations:
All resources should:
Be usable in diverse teaching contexts, including large or overcrowded classrooms.
Be accessible to learners with different needs
Be adaptable for low-resource environments (limited software, devices, or classroom infrastructure)
Clearly connect inclusion to engineering practice, systems, products, or decision-making outcomes
Embed inclusion in the design of the activity or resource, not only as a reflective add-on
Purpose & outcomes:
Teaching and learning activities are practical resources that help educators embed inclusive engineering principles directly into teaching.
They should support learners in engaging with inclusion through structured tasks, exercises, or project-based learning.
Research:
Before submitting, you should review teaching activities from our other toolkits (e.g Sustainability Toolkit) to ensure consistency in structure, clarity, and pedagogical intent.
Activities should be practical, clearly explained, and suitable for direct classroom or project use.
Activities should be adaptable for delivery in varied teaching environments including large cohorts, limited-resource classrooms, and mixed-ability groups.
Purpose:
Activities should help educators implement inclusive engineering learning in practice.
They should support:
Active learning
Group or individual engagement
Reflection on inclusion in engineering contexts
Presentation & clarity:
Activities should be clearly structured so that educators can implement them with minimal adaptation.
They should include clear instructions for delivery and expected learner engagement.
Resources, guidance & referencing:
Where relevant, activities should include:
Supporting materials
Instructions for delivery
Suggested variations for different teaching contexts
Step 3: Submitting your teaching and learning activity
Deadline: 8th August 2026
Teaching activities should be submitted in Word file format (.doc or .docx). Any corresponding images should be submitted in either .jpeg, .jpg or .png format.
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made
Step 1: Guidance for Submitting Applied Tools and Simulations
Guidance #1: Cross-cutting expectations (apply to all resource types)Guidance #2: Purpose and outcomesGuidance #3: ResearchGuidance #4: PurposeGuidance #5: Presentation & clarity Guidance #6: Resources & guidanceGuidance #7: Format
Cross-cutting expectations:
All resources should:
Be usable in diverse teaching contexts, including large or overcrowded classrooms.
Be accessible to learners with different needs
Be adaptable for low-resource environments (limited software, devices, or classroom infrastructure)
Clearly connect inclusion to engineering practice, systems, products, or decision-making outcomes
Embed inclusion in the design of the activity or resource, not only as a reflective add-on
Purpose and outcomes:
Applied tools and simulations are interactive or structured resources that allow learners to explore inclusion in engineering systems, decisions, or environments.
They should support experiential learning and active engagement with inclusion concepts.
Research:
Tools should be reviewed for usability in educational contexts and should align with established engineering education practices.
They should be accessible to educators without requiring specialist technical expertise unless clearly supported.
Purpose:
Tools should help learners understand how engineering decisions and systems can have inclusive or exclusionary impacts.
They should support exploration of real-world engineering scenarios or simplified models of complex systems.
Presentation & clarity:
Tools should be clearly explained, including:
How they are used
What learners do
What outcomes are expected
How educators integrate them into teaching
Resources & guidance:
Where relevant, include:
User instructions
Supporting materials or datasets
Technical or pedagogical guidance
References to related resources
Format:
Tools should include:
Overview and purpose
Description of tool or simulation
Instructions for use
Required materials or setup
Teaching integration guidance
Optional reflection or assessment prompts
References and resources
Step 2: Before you submit, review this checklist
Before submitting, please check:
Does the tool clearly support learning about inclusion in engineering practice or teamwork?
Are the learning purpose and outcomes clearly stated?
Does it model engineering decision-making, systems, or user impact?
Are reflection or discussion prompts included?
Are instructions clear, step-by-step, and suitable for educators?
Is it clear how it is used in a teaching context (including timing and setup)?
Can it be used or adapted without specialist technical support?
Are any required materials, software, or setup clearly stated?
This section defines how tools must be delivered and accessed to ensure usability in real teaching environments.
Resources should be submitted as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PDF, or clearly documented file formats
If digital, resources must be accessible via an existing external link (no new hosting required)
Submissions should not require new infrastructure, platform development, or hosted systems
Hosted platforms, subdomains, or custom-built web tools are not in scope for this phase
Tools must be accessible via an existing external institutional site, personal site, GitHub Pages, or other hosted location)
If a tool is downloadable, it must be fully self-contained and run without additional installation, setup or external dependencies unless explicitly documented.
Any required setup must be clearly explained in the submission document with step-by-step instructions.
Tools should be designed so they can be accessed and used by educators without requiring new infrastructure, hosting or platform development.
Where tools are hosted externally, they must be stable at the time of submission (no experimental or placeholder deployments).
Applied learning tools and simulations may be submitted as either:
A downloadable tool package (recommended format: .zip containing HTML/CSS/JS files or equivalent browser-based resource), or
A single-file browser tool (.html), or
An external link to a hosted tool (e.g. institutional website, personal site, GitHub Pages, or equivalent)
If you are submitting supporting documentation, it should be submitted separately as part of the submission and may include teaching guidance, instructions, reflection prompts, or assessment notes. These may be provided in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .pptx, or .xlsx format
Any images should be submitted in .jpeg, .jpg, or .png format
Tools must run directly in a browser or from the provided package without requiring installation, additional software, or hidden dependencies unless explicitly documented
Additional information:
Deadline: 8th August 2026
Licensing: To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made
Teamwork and collaboration activities should be submitted in Word file format (.doc or .docx). Any corresponding images should be submitted in either .jpeg, .jpg or .png format.
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made
Psychological safety and inclusive teamwork tools should be submitted in Word file format (.doc or .docx). Any corresponding images should be submitted in either .jpeg, .jpg or .png format.
To ensure that everyone can use and adapt the Toolkit resources in a way that best fits their teaching or purpose, this work will be licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Under this licence users are free to share and adapt this material, under terms that they must give appropriate credit and attribution to the original material and indicate if any changes are made.
We welcome suggestions of existing resources that support inclusive engineering education, practice and outcomes.
If you would like to suggest links to pages or online resources that we can add to the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Resource Library, please submit this through the resource suggestion route by emailing Crystal Nwagboso.
If you would like your existing resource to be considered as a featured contribution within the toolkit, please review the Call for Contributions briefs and submit it through the relevant contribution route.
Deadlines
Please register your interest in developing a resource bycompleting this form by 11th July 2026.
If you would like to become a reviewer for the toolkit (with structured review cycles running from late July to September 2026, and light input into October where needed), please complete this form (and tick ”Inclusive Engineering Toolkit”). We will take a flexible and iterative approach where possible. Where submissions are received earlier and reviewer capacity allows, review activity may begin ahead of the formal window to support workload distribution across the summer period.
Additional information
In undertaking this work, contributors will become part of the growing community of educators who are helping to ensure that tomorrow’s engineering professionals have the inclusive engineering knowledge and skills that they need to provide a better future for us all. Contributors will be fully credited for their work on any relevant Toolkit materials, and will be acknowledged as authors should the resources be published in any form. Developing these resources will provide the chance to work with a dynamic, diverse and passionate group of people leading the way in expanding engineering teaching resources, and may help in professional development, such as preparing for promotion or fellowship. We are unable to offer payment for contributions at this time. However, if you would otherwise be interested in developing a resource but would not currently be able to commit the required time, please let us know by emailing Crystal Nwagboso and we would be happy to keep in touch with you about opportunities in a future phase of the project.
As the Toolkit develops, further updates on additional resources and activities will be shared with the community.
Learn more about the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit
Those interested in contributing to future phases of the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit should fill out this formand we will be in touch.
Learn more about the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit,here.
Learn more about the members of the Inclusive Engineering Toolkit Expert Working Group, 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.
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 willcontinue 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.
