You can now view the recording of the official launch webinar for the EPC’s new Complex Systems Toolkit, supported by Quanser. The webinar was live on Tuesday 9th December 2025, 3pm-4.30pm GMT.

For more about the webinar, including the event programme, speaker bios, and links to resources, go to https://epc.ac.uk/event/complex-systems-toolkit-launch-webinar/

To enable closed captions on Vimeo, click the CC button in the video player.

 

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.  

 

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The EPC’s Complex Systems Toolkit, supported by Quanser, is an open-access online resource to help engineering educators build complex systems concepts directly into their teaching and prepare future engineers for tomorrow’s challenges.

We would like to ensure that all universities with Engineering departments are aware of the toolkit and able to make use of it. To this end, we’ve produced a pack of resources that can be distributed to relevant departments and staff members such as Engineering department heads, staff and administrators, as well as Vice-Chancellors, Deans, and anyone else who may find our resource useful in teaching or curriculum development.

We would be very grateful if you could share these resources, and encourage you to explore and use them in your teaching.

Our pack of resources to help you present and promote the Complex Systems Toolkit contains the following files, and can be downloaded individually below, or as a pack from here.

 

Information on the toolkit (PDF)

 

Sample resources (PDF)

 

Promotional (PDF)

 

Images (JPG/PNG)

 

PowerPoint slides (pptx)

 

If you have any questions or comments about this resource, please contact Wendy Attwell.

 

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.

Media release 

Release date: 1st December 2025

New toolkit helps tomorrow’s engineers understand complex systems

A new, free resource, launched today by the Engineering Professors’ Council, will provide an open-access online toolkit to help engineering educators build complex systems concepts directly into their teaching and prepare future engineers for tomorrow’s challenges.

The Complex Systems Toolkit, created by the Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC) in partnership with Quanser, helps engineers to learn to tackle an increasing range of factors that interact in unpredictable ways. This fills a critical gap in traditional engineering education, where students tended to learn subjects in controlled and isolated conditions.

The new toolkit gives educators a set of resources to teach students to understand and design systems that are not only technically sound, but also resilient, trustworthy, and ethically robust. This involves learning to analyse, model and navigate complexity, to collaborate across disciplines, and to manage complex technical and sociotechnical systems.

It is not just students who benefit. Learning how to integrate complex systems in engineering also supports educators in their own professional development, since many may themselves never have been taught the necessary knowledge, skills, and mindsets that they are now expected to teach.

The Complex Systems Toolkit solves these challenges with a suite of guidance articles, teaching materials and case studies helping to build essential competencies for future engineers, in order to ensure a safer and more equitable world.

Integrating complex systems into engineering teaching aligns with professional standards and accreditation requirements, and also complements institutional goals around interdisciplinarity, sustainability and EDI, allowing the UK to position itself as a leader in engineering education that enables people and the planet to thrive.

The development of the Toolkit was guided by a Working Group comprised of experts from academia, industry and professional bodies. They have worked to produce a toolkit, rooted in educational best practice, that is aligned with the UK Engineering Council’s Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes (AHEP) criteria (the conditions for courses to receive professional accreditation) as well as addressing competencies outlined by the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE).

The Toolkit features advice to educators who want to teach complex systems but are not sure where to begin, as well as ready-to-use classroom resources including case studies and activities that highlight current and emerging real-world issues and can be used and adapted by anyone.

Dr. Nikita Hari, Head of the Teaching and Research Design Support Group at the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, and Working Group Co-Chair comments: “Engineering graduates of today are expected to design climate-resilient cities, ethically deploy AI, and weave circular-economy thinking into supply chains – and all this lives squarely in the messy realm of complex systems. Yet most engineering curricula still treat complexity as an afterthought or a niche elective. This is often misunderstood, misrepresented, or purely ignored, relegating complexity to a footnote.

“The Engineering Professors’ Council’s Complex Systems Toolkit is our academic response, aiming to bridge this gap: a freely accessible, peer-reviewed, resource hub where academics can find, curate and share ready-to-teach resources, assessment blueprints and real-world case studies mapped to AHEP learning outcomes.”

Paul Gilbert, CEO of Quanser, adds: “At Quanser, our mission has always been to help educators bring authentic, system-level engineering experiences to their students. Partnering with the EPC on the Complex Systems Toolkit is a unique opportunity to extend that mission in a way that truly scales. This Toolkit brings academic insight and practical, real-world systems thinking together in a way that empowers educators everywhere. I’m proud of what we’ve created together, and even more excited for how it will help shape the next generation of engineers to thrive in a world defined by complexity.”

An online launch of the Toolkit will take place on 9th December at a free webinar, during which attendees will be given a tour of its contents. To attend, register at https://epc.ac.uk/event/complex-systems-toolkit-launch-webinar/

The Complex Systems Toolkit is an open access and free to use suite of resources, available at http://epc.ac.uk/complex-systems-toolkit

A full press pack can be downloaded from: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/cyqsu43psebige4s9ym0z/APr2oJC_8A0xGnumvCPkUX0?rlkey=e6zyq6b5ab8v6jh3423l6oj0h&st=div86irp&dl=0

Ends 

 

Notes to editors 

 

Contact 

Contact: Johnny Rich

Email: press@epc.ac.uk

Phone: 0781 111 4292

Website: https://epc.ac.uk/resources/toolkit/complex-systems-toolkit/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/engineering-professors’%E2%80%8B-council

Tags: #ComplexSystems #ComplexSystemsToolkit

 

 

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With over 22,000 views to date (as of September 2025), it’s not surprising that awareness of the Sustainability Toolkit is growing. This has also been boosted by academics and advocates including the Toolkit in their events and talks.

In the last few months, the Sustainability Toolkit has been featured at recent events both home and abroad:

We want to know about where you’re talking about the Sustainability Toolkit! Have you featured a resource in a conference presentation or meeting? Tell us about how the resources have helped you over the past year – we’d love to feature your story.

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We’ll keep you updated on the latest events associated with the Complex Systems Toolkit.

2025

Two weeks ago, we hosted an inspiring webinar to launch our Inclusive Employability Toolkit and DEI Community of Special Interest, bringing together educators, researchers, policy experts, and professionals committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in engineering. Here are five highlights:

1. Launch of the EPC’s DEI Community of Special Interest

2. Neurodiversity: All in for Engineering

3. The Inclusive Employability Toolkit

4. Updates from the The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Diversity Impact Programme (DIP)

5. What’s Next for the DEI Community?

What’s your key takeaway from the webinar? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and continue the conversation on our Discussions page.

 

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We are seeking academics and other engineering professionals to review resources that are submitted to us for publication within the our educational Toolkits.

Currently we are specifically keen to find reviewers for our Sustainability Toolkit and Complex Systems Toolkit, although you are welcome to sign up to review for multiple toolkits.

What you can expect as an EPC Toolkits content reviewer:

What we expect from you:

We are also seeking Content Review Coordinators for several of our toolkits. The Content Review Coordinator manages the admin and review process for new contributions to their assigned toolkits, ensuring quality control prior to publication.

To become a volunteer Reviewer or Content Review Coordinator for one of our Toolkits, please complete this application form.

 

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Join us for the official launch of two of our key EDI-focused initiatives: the Inclusive Employability Toolkit and the EPC’s DEI Community of Special Interest on Wednesday 3 September 2025, 13:00 – 14:30.

To register, and find out more about the programme and speakers, click here.

Find out more and register here: https://epc.ac.uk/event/webinar-introducing-the-inclusive-employability-toolkit-and-launching-the-epcs-dei-community-of-special-interest/ 

With over 60,000 views to date (as of April 2025), it’s not surprising that awareness of the Ethics Toolkit is growing. This has also been boosted by academics and advocates including the Toolkit in their events and talks.

In the last few months, the Ethics Toolkit has been featured at recent events both home and abroad:

July 2025

June 2025

December 2024

November 2024

October 2024

July 2024

As academics know, it’s been “conference season” recently, with the usual rush of meetings and symposia and events that mark the beginning of summer. We’re pleased that the Engineering Ethics Toolkit has been featured at several of these, both home and abroad:

September 2023

Between February 2022 and April 2025 the Ethics Toolkit has had over 60,000 views, so we know you’re looking at it, but we also want to know where you’re talking about the Ethics Toolkit! Have you featured a resource in a conference presentation or meeting? Tell us about how the resources have helped you over the past year—we’d love to feature your story.

 

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We’re excited to announce that we’ve been working hard behind the scenes on our brand-new Inclusive Employability Toolkit, our resource 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.

We will be previewing the toolkit at our in-person event, EAN Congress 2025: Realising the vision, next week (Monday 9th June – Wednesday 11th June 2025), followed by the official launch on Wednesday 3rd September 2025, during our live webinar.

 

What is the Inclusive Employability Toolkit? 

The Inclusive Employability Toolkit, formerly known as the EDGE Toolkit, was originally developed in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, Wrexham University, and Equal Engineers. Following funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering, the two universities have now collaborated with the Engineering Professors Council to relaunch the resource under its new name. This newly relaunched version has been redesigned and enhanced to improve the toolkit’s usability and ensure wider accessibility for students, educators, and employers alike. 

This toolkit is more than a set of activities – it’s a strategic resource for students, graduates, academics, employers, and managers. It provides tools to develop the employability skills needed for graduate-level roles and long-term career progression in STEM fields. 

At the heart of the toolkit is a focus on inclusion, diversity, and the power of bringing your authentic voice – especially social minority experiences – into the world of work. 

  

What’s available now? 

While we continue to develop some of the toolkit’s additional features, we’re pleased to share that the core activities are ready to use now. These include a range of twelve interactive resources – including a game – labelled Activities A through L, that are ideal for embedding into session planning or curriculum development. Each activity has been thoughtfully designed to deepen your understanding and practical application of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) principles across a range of academic, professional, and social contexts.   

These activities are intended to challenge you to think critically, reflect on real-world scenarios, and consider your own experiences, assumptions, and behaviours through an EDI lens. Through engaging with these exercises, you will: 

We have also developed a new addition to the toolkit: a University Career Services Library, where you can find direct links to the career services of 96 EPC affiliated universities. This library serves as a valuable starting point for exploring career development support, including workshops, employment opportunities, internships, mentoring schemes, and other services available through your university. 

You can access the available activities and the University Career Services Library here.

Additionally, you can access the Inclusive Employability Toolkit homepage here.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore inclusive employability or looking to enhance your existing practices, these activities provide a strong foundation for understanding and applying EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) in your teaching or workplace environment. 

 

What’s coming next? 

We’re currently finalising the rest of the toolkit, which includes: 

This resource will be published in September, following our official webinar launch. 

 

Join us at the official launch 

Date: Wednesday 3rd September 2025 @ 1pm – 2.30pm  

Event: Webinar: Introducing the Inclusive Employability Toolkit and Launching the EPC’s DEI Community of Special Interest

At the webinar, you’ll experience a live demonstration of the Inclusive Employability Toolkit. We’ll walk through the toolkit’s design, showcase the new resources, and share insights from students and partners who helped shape it. It’s a great opportunity to learn more and ask questions. 

We’ll also introduce the DEI Community of Special Interest – a professional network committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching, research, institutional systems, and engineering culture. You’ll hear more about its aims, upcoming events, and how to get involved in shaping a more inclusive future in engineering and beyond.

Click here to register for the webinar.

  

Looking ahead 

The Inclusive Employability Toolkit marks the beginning of an exciting journey. Beyond September, we’ll be adding more materials, and creating opportunities for users to contribute, collaborate, and share feedback. 

If you’d like to stay informed or get involved, you can register your interest here. We’ll ensure you’re among the first to hear when we begin accepting resources and sharing new opportunities to engage with the toolkit. We’d love to have you on board as we continue working towards a more inclusive and equitable future in engineering and technology. 

  

A shared commitment to inclusion 

At its core, this toolkit reflects our shared belief that diversity is not just an asset – it’s essential to innovation and progress. By engaging with the Inclusive Employability Toolkit, you’re not just using a resource – you’re joining a community committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in engineering and beyond. 

We invite you to explore the activities, join our September launch, and be part of the movement. Let’s work together to build a profession – and a future – that values every voice. 

  

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.    

 

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