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Latest news from the world of engineering
29th September 2023 – RAEng Invitation to Tender: Calibrating Future Curricula As part of its policy project Engineer 2030, which is exploring engineering skills needs and whether we're able to...
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?
OfS call for evidence on positive outcomes for students studying on a modular basis
The Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) will be introduced for the 2025-26 academic year enabling student loan support for individual modules. In preparation for this change, the OfS has called for...
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 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...
Engineering Ethics Toolkit - Educators' pack
A pack of resources to help you present and promote the Engineering Ethics Toolkit.
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: 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: 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...
OfS invitation to feedback on the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register
The OfS’ invites feedback on the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register. This is an unstructured call with no official deadline The EPC has previously warned the OfS that the EORR...
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?
President's report 2023
For the full year (and more) in review, visit Our activities campaign It’s been another very busy year for the EPC in what continues to be a challenging and evolving...
A focus on...Celebrations
See some of our celebration highlights from the last couple of years, including the EPC President's Prize and more
Contributions sought for the Sustainability Toolkit
[Deadline extended] Deadline for first drafts has been extended to 20th October 2023. The Sustainability Steering Group seeks contributors to develop resources for inclusion in the toolkit.
A focus on...Resources
Within the EPC family, our members have continued to face enormous challenges and the EPC offers thoughtful leadership and representation to ensure we can best support our members in meeting...
A focus on...Blogs
We keep you informed about the latest policy changes, news and events through regular email Bulletins, our website and guest blogs, as well as through access to the exclusive members'...
A focus on...Networking
EPC Online is more than just a our website; it’s a complete overhaul in the way that we communicate with members, upon which many of the key elements on the...
A focus on...Events
Our extensive events programme saw many hundreds of our members access a plethora of free online webcasts and jam-packed in-person events. Click on each of the tabs below to see...
A focus on...Campaigns
Many of our initiatives combine all of our workstreams, informing and supporting our members while also providing a springboard for networking events and guiding our representations to decision makers on...
A focus on...Consultations
The need for EPC to represent the views of the entire engineering community within HE has never been more crucial. One way we do this is through consultation responses to...
Spotlight on ethics: Solar panels in a desert oil field
Is it bribery? Should you take it?
Spotlight on ethics: Methods for assessing and evaluating ethics learning in engineering education
How to assess ethics learning
OfS consultation on inclusion of Higher Technical Qualifications in student outcome measures
The Office for Students (OfS) is consulting on the introduction of a separate “split indicator” for higher technical qualifications (HTQs) to enable the regulation of student outcomes. HTQs are L4...
Spotlight on ethics: Smart homes for older people with disabilities
There's a data breach. What do you do?
Spotlight on ethics: Guidance for ethical decision-making rooted in research and practice
What do engineers need to consider?
Spotlight on ethics: Choosing a career in climate change geoengineering
Which job offer should you accept? Why?
Spotlight on ethics: Pedagogical approaches to integrating ethics in engineering
Issues for educators to consider.
Spotlight on ethics: Water wars: managing competing water rights
What responsibilities do engineers have to fellow employees, the community, and the environment?
Engineering Ethics Toolkit in the news
Seen #EngineeringEthicsToolkit featured elsewhere? Let us know!
Spotlight on ethics: Developing an internet constellation
Who should make decisions about projects that affect nature on a global scale?
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?
Spotlight on ethics: Implementing the use of homegrown mass timber for residential housing
How important is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Construction?
Siemens Blog: Siemens Skills for Sustainability Network supporting the development of new Sustainability Toolkit
Earlier this month, we provided updates on our Sustainability Toolkit at The Siemens Skills for Sustainability Network Global Online Gathering. A blog post about the event has been published by...
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: Financially and politically motivated misinformation about STEM research
Who should be responsible for the messaging and processes for public health decisions?
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: Recycled materials and the circular economy
What is circularity, and how does it relate to climate goals or environmental practice?
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.
Hammermen David K. Harrison Award - Congratulations to winner Charlie Wilson
The EPC has announced the winner of the 2023 Hammermen Student Prize
Research Excellence Framework 2028
In June 2023, the four UK higher education funding bodies published key decisions on the high-level design of the next research assessment exercise. The EPC's Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer...
DfE call for evidence on Generative AI in education
The Department for Education (DfE) published a position on generative AI in education in March and have now issued a call for evidence. The EPC's Education, Employability and Skills Committee...
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 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.
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 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.
Imagine an engineer...
For engineering to focus on meeting future challenges, we will continue to need the traditional engineering scientists, but we will also need to expand our legions of design engineers to...
Innovation: New ideas and new people
On Monday 12th June 2023, the EPC was honoured that Prof Dame Athene Donald DBE, FRS HonFInstP delivered a public lecture as part of the Engineering Academics Network Annual Congress...
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?
Guidance issued by the Engineering Council: University strikes and marking boycott
Industrial action affecting recognised programmes: interruption to recognised programme delivery and/or assessment. Guidance for professional engineering institutions, education providers, and awarding organisations. The Engineering Council and Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs)...
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...
Media release: Engineering Professors’ Council launches new educational resource
An online resource that helps educators to build ethics directly into their engineering teaching.
Enjoyed annual Congress this year? Bid now for the 2025 Congress to come to you.
Proposals are invited from higher education Engineering departments to host the Engineering Professors’ Council Annual Congress in 2025. The deadline for submissions is Monday, 31st October 2023.
Spotlight on Ethics: Introducing the Ethics Explorer
The Ethics Explorer is an interactive tool that was built to help engineering educators navigate the landscape of engineering ethics education. It is the newest resource in the Engineering Ethics...
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.
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."
Help! I’m teaching Engineering Ethics for the first time!
Dr. Jude Bramton of the University of Bristol discusses her first-hand experience of using the Engineering Ethics Toolkit.
EPC consultations policy
The EPC will follow one of four pathways to prepare consultation responses: Full consultation Representative consultation Executive consultation No collective response The EPC Executive will decide which pathway to use...
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...
We want you! Become an Ethics Ambassador
Join our new Ethics Ambassadors community!
How to get more from your EPC membership
Every EPC member has their very own My EPC page, which can be customised for better benefits. Please take two minutes to go to My EPC and update your profile.
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...
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 ethics: Debating the adoption of nuclear energy
This case study asks students to identify and define an open-ended problem in engineering
Add your experience to EPC's fun snap survey ahead of our New models showcase in June
With the event in the engineering academic calendar fewer than three weeks away, we are keen to gauge the network’s temperature around New models, this year’s EAN Congress theme. The...
Spotlight on ethics: Tackling tough topics in discussion
How to make discussing ethical issues less daunting.
Four Hereford hotspots you’ll want to visit at EAN Congress in under four weeks' time
New kid on the block NMITE welcomes us to Hereford for Congress 2023: New models. We introduce four of Hereford’s best venues, on offer to all EAN members during Congress....
Five panels you can't afford to miss at EAN Congress in under five weeks
The Engineering Academics Network Annual Congress is the flagship event of the EPC each year and in 2023, our theme is 'New Models’. We will be exploring some of the...
Six reasons why you should be at Congress: new models in six weeks time
Every year, the Engineering Professors' Council flagship Congress meeting defines what's hot in engineering academia. Competitively hosted by EPC members themselves on a UK touring model, in 2023 we are...
UCAS: Future of undergraduate admissions (personal statements)
Earlier this year, UCAS shared plans to reform the personal statement to a series of questions. You can read UCAS’ Future of Undergraduate Admissions report here. It was clear from...
Call for participation: Innovative and inclusive assessments
Assessment change in the current climate cannot be mentioned without mentioning the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). So, if you think you have something to share on JEDI assessment design changes...
In development: Sustainability Toolkit
We are excited to inform you that we are starting work on a Sustainability Toolkit, to be launched around the beginning of 2024. We are grateful to receive support and...
House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee Inquiry into the Office for Students (OfS)
The EPC has responded to the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee inquiry into the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of the higher education sector in England. The...
Sustainability Toolkit Steering Group Questionnaire
This questionnaire is for members of the Sustainability Toolkit Steering Group.
Call for papers: UK and Ireland Engineering Education Research Network Annual Symposium
The UK & Ireland EERN is pleased to announce that their Annual Symposium is back ‘live and in person’ following their virtual events of recent times. Building on the success...
Engineering Ethics Toolkit - Letting students flex their ethical muscles
Dr Matthew Studley looks at using case studies from the Engineering Ethics Toolkit to engage students.
Introducing the EAN Briefing
We are thrilled to announce EPC’s new, dynamic Engineering Academics Network Briefing, our members' Bulletin service within the EPC Online – our new website and integrated membership services platform. This is...
House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee Inquiry into the Office for Students (OfS)
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee is launching an inquiry into the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator...
Engineering UK Inquiry call for evidence – Fit for the future: Growing and sustaining engineering and technology apprenticeships for young people
The EPC has responded to the Engineering UK Inquiry call for evidence – Fit for the future: Growing and sustaining engineering and technology apprenticeships for young people. The aims of...
The EPC Hammermen Student Awards: get involved
Help your students celebrate their success through the coveted EPC Hammermen Student Prize. There is a cash award of up to £500 and FIVE totally free places at the 2023...
From engineering graduate to physics teacher: Georgina shares her story
In the face of the critical shortage of Physics teachers, some Engineering graduates are pursuing the chance to teach and inspire the next generation. Read Georgina Smith's journey of becoming a...
RAEng Visiting Professors Scheme 2023: applications open
Each year the Royal Academy of Engineering provides funding to universities for visiting professors from the engineering sector to support the learning of the next generation of engineers. If you've...
UCAS: Future of undergraduate admissions (personal statements)
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here.UCAS has recently shared plans to reform the personal statement to a series of questions. You can read UCAS’ Future of...
EPC Data explorer showcased by Jisc
We're pleased to share that the EPC's new member-only Data explorer has been selected by Jisc to feature on their site. Jisc shares member stories to showcase innovative use of...
Engineering UK Inquiry call for evidence - Fit for the future: Growing and sustaining engineering and technology apprenticeships for young people
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. A new inquiry - led by Lord Willetts (Conservative) and Lord Knight (Labour) in partnership with EngineeringUK - has been launched to...
Stemming the shortage
The shortage in STEM teachers – particularly in Physics – has reached a crisis and it threatens to undermine Engineering departments, the engineering sector and the nation's prosperity. Crystal Nwagboso and Johnny...
The experience of disabled doctoral students: survey
Survey participation request: The experience of disabled doctoral students The experience of disabled doctoral students (including neurodiverse students and students with chronic illness) is under-researched. Disabled Students UK is co-producing...
EPC Engineering Enrolments Survey Results 2022/23
The results of the 2022 EPC Engineering Enrolments Survey are now available. Deep dive the results through our members-only Data explorer, view the slide-deck, or read the summary blog. To start,...
Opportunity: Help shape BTEC qualifications
You are invited to join the advisory panels supporting the future development of BTECs in Engineering and other disciplines.
Tributes to Prof David Harrison, Honorary Secretary of the EPC
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death yesterday of Prof David Harrison, the Honorary Secretary of the Engineering Professors' Council.
EPC staff member honoured
The EPC's Policy & Research Manager, Stella Fowler, has been granted the title Honorary Research Fellow by UCL
OfS consultation on a new approach to regulating equality of opportunity in English higher education
The EPC has responded to the Office for Students consultation on a new approach to regulating equality of opportunity in English higher education. As part of this consultation, OfS published...
Our patrons and previous presidents
Dates of previous presidents, Congress venues and President's Prize winners: Date President* Congress venue President's Prize Winner 2001-03 Prof Bill Banks 2001 - Strathclyde 2002 - Durham 2003-05 Prof Fred...
Data dive workshop: student enrolments
You may have noticed our beta Data explorer on EPC's new website. Student enrolments on the site is now fully formed and we were excited to recently bring members the...
Creativity isn’t about novelty – it’s about difference
We often talk about Engineers as problem-solvers, but what if there is no problem, you just want to make things better. Dennis Sherwood, author of a new book on creativity...
Siemens - Skills for Sustainability Student Survey
Siemens have partnered Petrus to launch an important student survey on sustainability skills and education. Please do share the below with your students, the results will of course be made...
EPC response to QAA Consultation on the revised Engineering Subject Benchmark Statement
The EPC responded to the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) draft Engineering subject benchmark statement consultation to highlight that the statement could do more to promote ethics and sustainability. The full...
Increasing students’ participation in Engineering higher education
The Royal Academy of Engineering's Siobhan Silas explains how you can support a major initiative to get more students into engineering.
EPC Engineering Enrolments Survey 2022
Don't forget to complete your EPC engineering enrolments survey by 31st October. The timetable, details and download template for the annual survey is now available and your enrolment survey contact...
President's Report 2022
Prof Mike Sutcliffe, the current EPC President, summarises his first year as President and explains how the EPC has helped its members during a time of uncertainty in the government...
OfS consultation on a new approach to regulating equality of opportunity in English higher education
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. The Office for Students is proposing to take a new approach to the regulation of equality of opportunity in English...