Articles
Latest news from the world of engineering
30th October 2024: Call for committee members from the devolved nations The EPC has three standing committees, covering: Recruitment & Admissions (RAC); Education, Employability & Skills (EES); and Research, Innovation...
Spotlight on Ethics: The Ethics Explorer
An interactive tool to help you navigate the landscape.
Navigating complexity: Strategic foresight for Engineering education
A guest blog from Dr Gert Jan Scheurwater, Director of Strategy and Foresight at Delft University of Technology, Netherlands [caption id="attachment_133461" align="alignleft" width="250"] Dr Gert Jan Scheuerwater, TU Delft[/caption] For...
Spotlight on ethics: Methods for assessing and evaluating ethics learning in engineering education
How to assess ethics learning
Engineering enrolments survey 2024-25
We are excited to launch the EPC engineering enrolment survey 2024/5. The survey will be open throughout October and we encourage each engineering department to respond. If you have completed...
Spotlight on ethics: Developing an internet constellation
Who should make decisions about projects that affect nature on a global scale?
Sustainability Toolkit in the spotlight
Where are you talking about the Sustainability Toolkit?
Spotlight on ethics: Solar panels in a desert oil field
Is it bribery? Should you take it?
Blog: Building a Future of Inclusion - Deaf Awareness in Engineering
Inclusivity should be embedded into the heart of engineering education.
Spotlight on ethics: Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion into a professional engineer’s lifestyle
"There is a great need to advocate for fellow engineers providing places to belong and empowering them to thrive in their chosen profession and career pathways. This includes people who...
Engineering Ethics: How to promote it within your institution
A few ideas to get you started.
Spotlight on ethics: Business growth models in engineering industries within an economic system
We have provided an expansion in the form of a Case enhancement: defending a profit-driven business versus a non-profit-driven business.
Bid to host EPC Congress in 2026
Each year, Congress is hosted by a different institution, which, for those three days, becomes the epicentre of the UK's academic engineering world. Proposals are invited from higher education Engineering...
Spotlight on ethics: What is ethics?
"There are three lenses that we can use when thinking about ethics within Engineering: Professional, Theoretical, and Practical." If you'd like to improve your own ethics learning, then our guidance...
Spotlight on ethics: Aid vs trade
You're a newly appointed engineer. You're being asked to sell equipment that you believe is entirely unsuitable to a developing country. What do you do?
Spotlight on ethics: Engineers and public protest
As an engineer, you have a duty to ”maximise the public good and minimise both actual and potential adverse effects for their own and succeeding generations”. Should you break the law...
Spotlight on ethics: Microplastics in cosmetics
You're an engineering student on an industrial placement year at a company that manufactures cosmetics. You notice that a batch of products might have been contaminated with microplastics. What do...
Spotlight on ethics: Choosing to install a smart meter
Our original case study Choosing to install a smart meter is an example of ‘everyday ethics’. Now we have provided an expansion in the form of a Case enhancement: a technical...
Spotlight on ethics: How to integrate ethics into a module or course
If you’d like to improve your own ethics learning, then our guidance article How to integrate ethics into a module or course is a great place to start.
Spotlight on sustainability: Peace Engineering Dashboard on water, air quality, health, and finance
How can engineers help the public understand sustainability concerns?
Spotlight on ethics: Balancing risk and benefits when working with offshore contractors
Your contractor might be using forced labour in its workforce. What do you do?
All in for Engineering: co-designing a neuro-inclusive future
The EPC believes that an inclusive and positive university experience for neurodiverse engineering students is fair, healthy, and what the engineering profession – and society – needs. Universities and engineering...
Spotlight on sustainability: Integrating sustainability into robotics higher education courses
Creating a robot? How can the SDGs be considered throughout the process?
Spotlight on ethics: Tackling tough topics in discussion
How to make discussing ethical issues less daunting.
Three ways to influence REF 2029
While the assessment itself is still some way in the future, there are three things you can do now to influence the 2029 exercise. 1. Apply to be REF Panel...
Spotlight on sustainability: Using a factory fitness model to improve sustainability
How can sustainability be improved in manufacturing?
Spotlight on ethics: Debating the adoption of nuclear energy
This case study asks students to identify and define an open-ended problem in engineering
Spotlight on sustainability: Integrating sustainable development goals into computing projects
Can the SDGs be embedded in computing projects?
Spotlight on ethics: Why integrate ethics in engineering?
If you’d like to improve your own ethics learning, then our guidance article Why integrate ethics in engineering? is a great place to start.
Spotlight on sustainability: Collaboration resources
Eager to work with and learn from others working in sustainability in engineering education?
Sustainability Toolkit: Call for testimonials
Help us to understand its impact.
Spotlight on ethics: Feasibility of installing heat pumps at scale to reach net zero
You are an engineering consultant working for a commercial heat pump company. The company handles both the manufacture and installation of heat pumps. You have been called in by a...
Spotlight on sustainability: Do passive houses need passive people? Adapting to low carbon housing
Will people choose to live in low carbon housing?
Spotlight on sustainability: Evidencing sustainability competencies in assessment
How to assess student learning around sustainability competencies.
Spotlight on ethics: Universal and inclusive co-design of the built environment and the transportation systems
"Universal and inclusive co-design of the built environment and transportation systems must be seen as an ethical act in engineering."
Spotlight on sustainability: Navigating trade-offs for embodied carbon in construction
Is net zero construction possible?
Spotlight on ethics: Protecting data in an auto parts production facility
"What are the legal issues relating to machine condition monitoring? What ethical codes relate to data security and privacy? What responsibilities do engineers have in developing these technologies?" These are some...
Spotlight on sustainability: Assessing the feasibility of hydrogen fuel for net zero aviation
Can engineers achieve carbon neutral aviation?
Spotlight on ethics: Developing a decarbonisation roadmap
You are given the task of creating a comprehensive decarbonisation roadmap and presenting it at a stakeholder meeting. How do you go about this?
Spotlight on sustainability: Providing affordable housing that supports net zero
Are there sustainable solutions to the housing crisis?
Spotlight on ethics: Integrating a technical feasibility debate – a new approach to engaging students in ethics in engineering
Encouraging students to engage with the ethical, moral and environmental aspects of engineering in any meaningful way can be a challenge.
Spotlight on sustainability: Flood warning system project brief
How can engineers design systems that communicate risks related to sustainability?
Spotlight on ethics: Neuroethics of brain-computer interfaces
What are the physical, ethical, and social difficulties that could result from the use of devices that have the ability to directly access the brain and decipher some of its...
Spotlight on sustainability: Using projects for integrating sustainability into engineering education
How to write project briefs to embed sustainability.
The Ethics Toolkit goes on tour
It's conference season!
Spotlight on sustainability: Workflow for embedding the SDGs across engineering programmes and modules
A tool to help you plan the integration of sustainability.
Spotlight on ethics: Balancing safety, costs, and the environment in the inspection of wind turbine blades
What health and safety, environmental, and legal policies affect offshore wind farms?
Spotlight on sustainability: Integrating Engineering for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Engineering Education
Why integrate sustainability in engineering education - and how?
Spotlight on ethics: Facial recognition for access and monitoring
This case involves an engineer hired to manage the development and installation of a facial recognition project.
Spotlight on ethics: Glass safety in a heritage building conversion
Do engineers have a responsibility to warn the public if there is a chance of risk?
Spotlight on ethics: Industrial pollution from an ageing pipeline and its impact on local communities
Does an engineer have a responsibility to do anything about potential groundwater pollution?
Spotlight on ethics: Implementing the use of homegrown mass timber for residential housing
How important is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Construction?
What's in the Sustainability Toolkit?
The EPC’s Sustainability Toolkit (supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Siemens) contains resources designed to help engineering educators integrate sustainability-related content into teaching. Toolkit content is divided into:...
Spotlight on ethics: Power-to-food technologies
Could the shift of food production from soil to chemical industries concentrate power in the hands of a few?
Engineers 2030: EPC and EWBUK community response
Engineers Without Borders UK and the Engineering Professors Council are in strong support of the National Engineering Policy Centre's Engineers 2030 project. Its ambition to act as a catalyst for...
Spotlight on ethics: Pedagogical approaches to integrating ethics in engineering
Issues for educators to consider.
Spotlight on ethics: Choosing a career in climate change geoengineering
Which job offer should you accept? Why?
What's in the Curriculum Development and Teaching Innovation Toolkit?
Check out our resources.
President’s Prize announced: Mary Curnock Cook CBE honoured by the engineering academic community
The Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC), the representative body of UK engineering academics, has announced that its annual President’s Prize has been awarded to Mary Curnock Cook CBE, for her exemplary...
Spotlight on ethics: Guidance for ethical decision-making rooted in research and practice
What do engineers need to consider?
Hammermen David K. Harrison Award - Congratulations to winner Lucy Guitton
The Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC), the representative body for engineering academics in UK universities, has announced the winner of the 2024 Hammermen David K. Harrison Student Prize. . Awarded in...
What's in the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Toolkit?
Published in 2016, the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Toolkit looks at the internal validation process and the Quality Assurance Agency’s benchmarks that you'll need to consider when launching new programmes...
Spotlight on ethics: Smart homes for older people with disabilities
There's a data breach. What do you do?
Spotlight on ethics: Financially and politically motivated misinformation about STEM research
Who should be responsible for the messaging and processes for public health decisions?
Blog: How Knovel can support information literacy
Navigating the digital landscape.
Spotlight on ethics: Developing a school chatbot for student support services
Developing a school chatbot for student support services, addresses the ethical issues of bias, social responsibility, risk and privacy.
Engineers and educators recognised in Birthday Honours
The EPC would like to congratulate all the EPC members and friends who have been recognised in 2024's King's Birthday Honours list, including: Prof Karen Halford FREng CBE, Vice Chancellor...
DfE Advanced British Standard consultation
The Department for Education (DfE) has proposed far reaching reform of A levels and T levels and a cull of other level 3 qualifications. A proposed Baccalaureate-style qualification framework for...
What can you find in our Placements Toolkits?
Resources for HEIs, employers & students.
What's in the EPC Degree Apprenticeships Toolkit?
Find just what you need!
Engineers 2030 consultation
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. The Engineering Professors' Council, in collaboration with our Engineers Without Borders UK partners, invites you to contribute to the National...
Guest blog: AI and professional registration
Catherine Elliott, Education and Skills Manager, Engineering Council Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not new, recent technological advances mean that it is more readily accessible than ever before. The DfE...
Congress 2024 early career staff offer
This offer has already been snapped up. Please book using the incredible value Early career staff rate via Register, below. We are delighted to be able to offer 5 early...
Policy Update: May 2024
At our recent series of support webinars for EPC Reps in member institutions, Chief Executive Johnny Rich gave the following run-down of what's going on in higher education, politics and...
What's in the Intellectual Property Toolkit?
Resources created by the Intellectual Property Office.
LAST CHANCE TO BOOK: Three panels and three presentation series at EAN Congress
The Engineering Academics Network Annual Congress is the flagship event of the EPC each year and in 2024, our theme is ‘Engineers for the Future’. We will be exploring the...
'Engineering Accreditation Board' under review
When an engineering programme is to be accredited by more than one of the professional engineering institutions (PEIs), joint visits have for a number of years been managed through the...
What's in the Enterprise Collaboration Toolkit?
Finding just what you need in the toolkit is now easier than ever.
What are the top ethical issues in engineering today?
What are the top ethical issues in engineering today, and how can you incorporate these in your teaching?
Four keynotes you can’t afford to miss at EAN Congress in less than four weeks' time
The Engineering Academics Network Annual Congress is the flagship event of the EPC each year and in 2024, our theme is ‘Engineers for the Future’. We will be exploring the...
Fewer than five weeks until Congress - grab one of five remaining free early career staff spaces
These spaces have now been snapped up. You can still book at the heavily discounted ECS rate though. With fewer than five weeks until Engineering Academics Network Congress 2024, we...
Embedding ethics in engineering education through wide use of deaf awareness: a gateway to a more inclusive practice
Wide use of deaf awareness: a gateway to a more inclusive practice.
IfATE Lifelong Learning Entitlement Consultation response
The Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education consulted on how the employer stamp of approval should be granted to qualifications funded through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), seeking input on...
Engineering Ethics Toolkit in the news
The #EngineeringEthicsToolkit as featured in external news articles, blogs, podcasts etc.
EPC engineering enrolments survey: your views are important to us
Every autumn, the EPC conducts a survey of our member universities to determine an indicative snapshot of engineering undergraduate and postgraduate enrolments across the sector. We are grateful to our...
Blog: There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.
Mike Murray, [Senior Teaching Fellow in Construction Management], discusses how he developed and implemented a teaching resource in the Sustainability Toolkit, and what he’s learned from integrating it into his...
Why did you decide to be an engineer?
The inspiring keynote from 3rd year Chemical Engineering student Kayley Thacker that took the Royal Academy of Engineering by storm at the launch of Engineers 2030 and the EPC's own...
Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering: A path to better understanding
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, today's guest blog visits what we know and what we don't know about neurodiversity in HE engineering. Prof Beverley Gibbs PhD CEng FIET is Director...
Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering: A path to professional registration
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we share details of the Engineering Council's 'Guidance Note on supporting neurodivergent applicants for registration' Ben Jones is Product Manager at the Engineering Council. Carolyn...
Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering: A path to a neuro-inclusive future
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, our own EPC student data fellow makes a compelling case for a neurodiversity-affirming approach in engineering HE. Zoe McCready is a final year Politics and...
Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering: A path to success through lived experience
For Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we hear from an experienced professional in ground engineering a who is neurodivergent (autistic, dyslexic, and dyspraxic) and visually impaired. Martin Griffin (CEng, FIMMM, CGeol,...
Media Release: Engineering Professors’ Council launches major new resource to transform sustainability in engineering education
Media release 18th March 2024 As part of a major initiative to ensure the engineers of tomorrow can rise to the challenges of the climate emergency, the Engineering Professors’ Council...
Embracing Neurodiversity in Engineering: A path to sustainable development
To kick off Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we bring you the first of a series of guest blogs... Prof Amanda Kirby, Neurodiversity expert and founder and CEO of Do-IT Solutions...
Blog: Welcome to the EPC's new Sustainability Toolkit
The EPC has introduced a major new initiative to ensure the engineers of tomorrow can rise to the challenges of the climate emergency: The Sustainability Toolkit, produced with support from...
IfATE Lifelong Learning Entitlement Consultation
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. The Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education is consulting on how the employer stamp of approval should be granted to...
Lifelong Learning Entitlement
By Joshua Mitchell, EPC Data Fellow What is the Lifelong Learning Entitlement The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) is a scheme designed to change access to and the whole overarching purpose...
Guest blog: International women’s day: let’s tackle the sexism in engineering
Jessica Upton You don’t need to look beyond the gender imbalance in engineering to realise that the sector has a problem. This International Women’s Day, I’d like to celebrate those...
In memoriam: Dr Thurai Rahulan
This tribute to Thurai Rahulan, a much-loved and admired member of the EPC Board for many years, has been kindly written by Dr. Andreea Koreanschi, his long-standing colleague in Aeronautical...
DfE call for evidence on Generative AI in education consultation response
The final report has now been published by the Department for Education (DfE) and can be found here. The EPC's Education, Employability and Skills Committee responded to The Department for...
DfE Advanced British Standard consultation
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking to introduce a new Baccalaureate-style qualification framework for 16 to 19 year-olds, the...