Articles
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 -Ā 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 isnāt about novelty ā itās 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 studentsā 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...
The engineering benchmark statement is invaluable, let's defend it well
The Quality Assurance Agency's (QAA) Subject benchmark statements show the minimum expectations of the knowledge and skills a student needs in order to graduate, subject-by-subject. Engineering is now up for...
QAA consultation on draft Engineering subject benchmark statement
The EPC response to this consultation can be found here. The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is inviting responses to the draft Engineering subject benchmark statement. The EPC will be submitting...
Bid to host EPC Congress in 2024
Proposals are invited from higher education Engineering departments to host theĀ Engineering Professorsā Council Annual Congress in 2024. The deadline for submissions is Monday, 31st October 2022. [su_quote cite="Catherine Hobbs, 2022...
Launching EPC Online
We're very excited to welcome you to the EPC's new digital platform. It's the culmination of more than three years of listening to members, planning and hard work. The aim...
Engineering inclusive outcomes is a question of ethics
In this blog, Prof Dawn Bonfield MBE explains how the decisions engineers make on a daily basis can have significant consequences for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups in society.
Engineering Ethics Toolkit case studies in action at TEDI-London
In this blog, Prof Mike Bramhall reflects on how and why he incorporated the EPC's engineering ethics case studies into his teaching at TEDI-London.
Contributions sought for the Engineering Ethics Toolkit
**Register of interest deadline now extended to the 12th September** The EPC's Engineering Ethics Toolkit advisory group seeks contributors to write guidance articles, create case enhancements and develop new case...
President's Prize announced: Dr. Hayaatun Sillem honoured by the engineering academic community
Press release The Engineering Professorsā Council (EPC), the representative body of UK engineering academics, has announced that its annual Presidentās Prize has been awarded to Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, for...
Tackling the engineering challenges of tomorrow
The priorities for research must shift to face up to the future. The EPSRC has released a landmark report to set a new agenda for funding and direction.Ā EPSRC's Dr Andy...
Applications invited for new SRHE research funds
The Society for Research into Higher EducationĀ (SRHE) has recently launched the 2022 SRHE Research and Scoping Awards. Funding up to Ā£10k is available.
EPC Congress 2022: Hammermen Student Prize ā Finalist posters and Longlisted posters
The Hammermen Awards an annual prize, presented in association withĀ the Hammermen of Glasgow, to celebrate engineering studentsā excellence. And this year you get to decide who wins. This yearās award...
Welcome to EPC Online
Welcome to the EPC's new digital home. This new website and integrated membership services platform will transform the way our members interact with the EPC, network with other Engineering academics...
DfE consultation on Higher Education Policy Statement and Reform
The Department for Education (DfE) ran this consultation from 24th February 2022 to 6 May 2022. The consultation sought to get the views on proposals for higher education reform in...
Jisc: Design of the UKās future research assessment system
This consultation ran from February to May 2022 by the Scottish Funding Council, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Research England, Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland who asked for...
Reflections on REF
REF 2021 is finally over, and the results are out. Whether we were involved as individual researchers, collating submissions for our institutions or involved directly in the assessment panels and...
Why communication is a critical tool for any engineer
People rarely choose engineering because of their communication skills, but that doesn't mean they're not a vital part of the tool box. Prof Lucy Rogers explains.
Levelling up
The āLevelling-upā white paper published in February sets out how the government is planning to tackle the issue of regional inequality in opportunityacross the UK, through a mixture of new...
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee Call for evidence: Delivering a UK Science & Technology Strategy
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee conducted an inquiry into the Governmentās plans to deliver a UK science and technology strategy. The inquiry considered what such a strategy...
EPC responses to OfS Consultations
The EPC has published its responses to twoĀ consultations from the Office for Students on proposed changes to Student Outcomes and TEF.
House of Commons Education Select Committee Call for evidence: Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
The Education Committee held an inquiry on the effectiveness of the careers advice given to students. This consultation ran until March 2022. The inquiry is a review of how well...
Office for Students consultation on the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
This consultationĀ set out proposals for theĀ futureĀ Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). This isĀ a national scheme whichĀ incentivisesĀ universities and collegesĀ forĀ excellence in learning, teaching andĀ theĀ outcomesĀ they provideĀ for their students.
Office for Students consultation on a new approach to regulating student outcomes (changes to B3 baseline)
The Office for Students OfS issued three related consultations in February 2022 with detailed proposals on their approach to regulating quality and standards in higher education.
Constructing student outcome and experience indicators for use in OfS regulation
The OfS proposals for regulating student outcomes and the TEF involve using detailed data and analytical evidence to inform their regulatory judgements. The focus of this consultation is on the...
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
The Office for Students OfS issued three related consultations in February 2022 with detailed proposals on their approach to regulating quality and standards in higher education. Read on to find...
Regulating student outcomes (changes to B3 baseline)
The regulating student outcomes consultation outlines a new approach to setting āminimum requirementsā for positive HE outcomes in England. The continuing narrative is the threat of ālow performing providersā to...
Welcome to the Engineering Ethics Toolkit
An ambitious new initiative to ensure engineering education is a force for good.
House of Commons Education Select Committee: Inquiry into the future of post-16 qualifications
The Education Committee held an inquiry examining how effectively post-16, level 3 education and qualifications (such as A Levels, T Levels, BTECs and apprenticeships) prepare young people for the world...
EPC Engineering Enrolments Survey Results 2021/22
The results of the 2021 EPC Engineering Enrolments Survey are now available.
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) consultation on revision of external quality assurance review requirements
This consultation ran from October to December 2021. This is a consultation on changes to the requirements for external quality assurance review, which regulated institutions are required to undergo at...
APPG Youth Employment call for evidence
The EPC responded to the call for evidence on 15th December 2021, the final report was published on 15th March 2022. On the 15th March 2022, the AllāParty Parliamentary Group...
Office for Students Strategy for 2022-25
This consultation ran from November 2021 to January 2022. OfS sought to get views on their proposed strategy for 2022-25. The consultation proposes a plan of action that will guide...
Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Degree Apprenticeships Consultation
This consultation ran from September 2021 to December 2021. The Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education looked to change its existing policies that affected the development, approval, and operation of...
Inspiring tomorrowās engineers
Itās our ambition at EngineeringUK to inform and inspire young people and grow the number and diversity of tomorrowās engineers to meet the needs of the UK now and in...
OfS Consultation on quality and standards conditions
This consultation ran from July to September 2021. OfS undertook a preliminary consultation on a range of quality and standards issues during the winter of 2020-21. The consultation brought forward...
President's Report 2021
Prof Colin Turner, EPC President during the 2020-21 academic year summarises this unprecedented year and how the EPC helped its members overcome the challenges they faced during this time... Last...
āEngineering Engineering: A Provocationā Webcast Summary
A new paperĀ which seeking to challenge assumptions and practice around Engineering higher education and the talent pipeline.
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS: The Crucible Project ā Advancing the Industry-Academia Agenda
During the course of the 2020 Annual Congress,Ā Industry & Academia: Supercharging the Crucible,Ā members explored the interface between industry and academia and some of the challenges to developing the relationship between...
Engineering Professorsā Council welcomes Professor Mike Sutcliffe as new President
Professor Mike Sutcliffe is the new President of the Engineering Professorsā Council, the representative organisation of UK engineering academics.
Prof Helen Atkinson, former EPC President, awarded a Damehood
We are delighted and proud that Professor Helen Atkinson CBE, FREng, President of the Engineering Professorsā Council 2011-13, has been made a Dame in the Queenās Birthday Honours 2021.
Chi Onwurah MP Webinar Summary
In case you missed it, here is a short summary of Chi Onwurah MPās speech from the EPCās Congress 2021 webinar series.
Chris Skidmore MP Webinar Summary
In case you missed it, here is a short summary of Chris Skidmore MPās speech from the EPCās Congress 2021 webinar series. A recording of the event is available atĀ Recent...
Compensation and Condonement: Feedback to proposed accreditation regulations
In May 2020, the Engineering Council updated its policy on compensation and condonement, which resulted in new rules being put in place for new cohorts on accredited programmes starting from...
Funding research for a better world
The EPC was honoured to welcome former Universities Minister the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore to delivered a speech as part of our 2021/22 Annual Congress on the theme of āA...
Engineering opportunity: letting down the drawbridge
A summary of the EPC's report on the contribution to social mobility made by studying Engineering.
MEDIA RELEASE: Studying Engineering gives āturbo boostā to social mobility, reveals new EPC research
A new study, published today by the Engineering Professorsā Council (EPC), reveals that studying an Engineering degree gives a greater boost to social mobility when compared to other subjects.
HE Commission Public Call for Evidence: University Research and Regional Levelling Up Inquiry
The Higher Education Commissionās inquiry invited stakeholders to respond to its public call for evidence. This consultation ran from May to June 2021 To achieve its ambitions of levelling-up regional...
DfE proposed changes: Post-qualifications admissions in Higher Education
This consultation ran from January 2012 to May 2021. The consultation sought to attain views on whether to change the current system of higher education admissions and move to a...
OfS Consultation on Recurrent Funding for 2021-22
This consultation ran from March to May 2021. The government sent a statutory guidance letter to the Office for Students (OfS), which set out the funds available for financial year...
Brexit impact on UKās engineering education sector
We are pleased to announce the publication of the EPCās joint study with UCLās Centre for Engineering Education on the experiences and perceptions of European (EU) engineering students and academic...
Whatās going on with UK Research Funding?
The government has a stated goal of achieving 2.4% of the UKās GDP to be spent annually on research and development (R&D) by 2027. This would be an increase of...
What is Engineering? Subject coding: HECoS, JACS and engineering, an unofficial guide
If you follow the HE data environment, or even just the policy headlines, youāll probably have noticed that a new subject coding system - the Higher Education Classification of Subjects...
Data Blog: Become an expert in UCAS engineering data in ten steps
Spoiler: there is no data in this data blog! Instead, we bring you a mixed media UCAS engineering data masterclass to share what weāve learned about the tools available this...
Policy summary, February 2021
It has been a busy start to the year for HE policy and politics, despite the roll-out of a third UK lockdown at the start of the year ā significantly...
Professional recognition post-Brexit
Is my professional title still valid in the EU? Will my combination of academic qualifications and professional experience still count post Brexit? What does the information on recognition of professional...
Trusted Research: How safe is your research?
This was a discussion on the security precautions that academic institutions should take to prevent intellectual property being leaked to competitors or foreign governments. With the aim of preventing research...
Emerging Stronger: Lasting impact from crisis innovation
What have we learned about learning under lockdown? How can we use the experience of trying to deliver high-quality engineering degree programmes to strengthen our teaching in future? This live...
OfS Consultation on Regulating Quality and Standards in HE
This consultation ran from November 2020 to January 2021. The Office for Students consulted on its approach to regulating quality and standards in higher education. Since 2018, OfS' focus has...
Guest blog: EPC Hammermen student prize
Congratulations to Rachel Beel, Glasgow Caledonian University, and to Dan Hicks, University of Brighton, joint winners of the 2020 EPC Hammermen Student Award.
Are the OfS proposals on quality and standards good for the sector?
EPC Chief Executive Johnny Rich provides a critical commentary on the proposals outlined in the latest Office for Student consultation. These are his personal opinions and they do not necessarily...
The OfS consultation on quality and standards in a nutshell
The Office for Students has just launched a consultation on one of the most important changes to its practice since its inception. What does it say? We've summarised the key...
The Great Grading Scandal Engineering Challenge
This guest blog has been kindly provided by Dr Dennis Sherwood of Silver Bullet machine, an intelligent innovation consultancy, who was a speaker at the first of this year's Recruitment...
EPC Recruitment and Admissions Forum 2020 Series Posters
Click on the thumbnails below to view the posters. UK engineering students' maths entry qualifications: grades and non-progression Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Tim Bullough, University of Liverpool NMITE...
Digital teaching and learning during the coronavirus pandemic: Call for evidence
This call for evidence ran from September to October 2020. This call for evidence sought a wide breadth of sector input and experience to understand the challenges faced, and lessons...
Guest Blog: To trust or not to trust?
Imagine the situation, you have worked tirelessly to make a discovery which is important, potentially revolutionary, or worked long days and nights and sacrificed everything in order to bring that...
Guest Blog: Engineering Council on Revised Standards
The fourth edition of Accreditation of Higher Education Programmes (AHEP) has been published, ahead of the 2020-2021 academic year. There will be a transition period, from publication until the start...
EPC Congress 2020: Hammermen Student Prize - Longlisted posters, Finalist multimedia pitches and Finalist posters
The level of talent this year was outstanding! Please do take a look at the longlisted posters, finalist multimedia pitches and finalist posters all created by the students. We were...
Emerging Stronger: Lasting Impact from Crisis Innovation ā a new publication
At the start of 2020, no-one could have known what major changes lay just three months ahead for HE. Yet, here we are living through a pandemic, and in the...
Engineering admissions: share your insights and help us make engineering's voice heard in the national admissions debate.
EPC response to the Office for Students (OfS) consultation on the higher education admissions system in England. In response to both the pending consultation and the uncertainty around this yearās...
Does accreditation help or hinder innovation?
In advance of the EPC's forthcoming live webcast, one of the panellists, Prof Sean Wellington, considers whether the requirements of accreditation help foster new approaches to engineering higher education.
President's Prize announced: Professor John Perkins honoured by the engineering academic community.
The Engineering Professorsā Council (EPC), the representative body of engineering academics in UK universities, has announced that its biennial Presidentās Prize has been awarded to Prof John Perkins CBE FREng...
Media release: University engineers across the UK commit expertise and equipment to join coronavirus struggle
Media Release Tales are emerging of the many ways that universities across the UK have stepped up to beat coronavirus and Engineering departments in particular have been at the forefront,...
Engineering departments and the Covid-19 response
University engineers donate expertise and equipment in coronavirus struggle
How will the probable collapse in international student numbers as a result of coronavirus affect UK Engineering departments? Weāve crunched the numbers.
Weāve all seen the higher education and national media coverage on the uncertainty around this yearās university admissions following the cancellation of exams and the extended UK-wide lockdown. The worldwide...
REF 2021 timetable
This consultation ran from April to May 2020. The purpose of this consultation was to gather initial views on the REF timetable. Responses were invited from any organisation, group or...
EPC's continued response to Covid 19
Thank you to those members who responded to our latest Covid-19 initiative; a survey to gather details of the activities undertaken by engineering departments and academics in helping the national...
OfS Consultation on the integrity and stability of the English higher education sector
This consultation ran from 4th May 2020 to 26th May 2020. This consultation addresses issues that have arisen, and have the potential to arise, because of specific circumstances relating to...
GUEST BLOG: Engineers Without Borders UK
Engineers Without Borders UK kindly facilitated the recent EPC Board Retreat discussions on Ethics. Here they tell us about the twoĀ design challengesĀ they run at universities.
New approaches to Engineering Higher Education
Best Practice in Engineering Education The EPC has been working with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), academics and industry for over two years to encourage and support changes...
EPC Engineering Enrolments Survey 2019
Firstly, a huge thank you for your contributions to this year's EPC engineering enrolments survey. The survey gives us all an early temperature check of the health of HE undergraduate...
Migration Advisory Committeeās call for evidence on a salary threshold and points-based system
This consultation ran from September to November 2019. In June 2019, the government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to carry out an in depth analysis ofĀ potential future salary thresholds...
Compensation and Condonement: Response to proposed accreditation regulations
The Engineering Council proposed a policy on compensation and condonement, which will result in new rules being put in place for new cohorts on accredited programmes starting from September 2022....
Guest blog: Time to Reflect on the Wellbeing of our Engineers
Studentsā mental health is a deservedly hot topic in higher education. But is the conversation more difficult when it comes to engineering? Are the challenges greater?
Brexit impact on UKās engineering education sector: Exploring EU students and staff experiences
The Engineering Professorsā Council and the UCL Centre for Engineering Education are running a research project, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, that seeks to address and understand the...
Improving Higher Technical Education: Department for Education
This consultation ran from July to September 2019. Higher technical education is post-18 education aligned to technical routes, such as accounting, engineering, management or laboratory science. The DfE sought to...
Engineering Council Standards Review
The Engineering Council was in the process of undertaking its five-yearly review of its Standards, including those relevant to accreditation and approval. As part of this consultation, The Engineering Council...
Guest blog: āIf you were an engineer, what would you do?ā
If you are one of the 125,000+ passengers per day heading through Gatwick South this summer, you may just spot your universityās Leaders Award prototype on the huge hoarding showcase.
Research grants and contracts income
Research grants and contracts income tells us about the sources of research funding. In 2017ā18, 23.4% of UK research funding came from international sources. EU funding, which makes up more...
Degree classification
An established regular in university league tables, good honours degrees have, more recently,Ā been in the spotlight as the media and sector grapple with the notion of āgrade inflationā and the...
New! DATA BLOG: Grade inflation?
Earlier this month, the OfS published a new release of degree classification data, concluding that the growing proportion of the first and upper second class degrees awarded cannot be fully...
Blending arts and sciences: gimmick or necessity?
The two culture of arts and sciences are like oil and water, but, asks Prof Mehmet Karamanoglu, could they be mixed? Indeed, perhaps it's essential that we get them to...