The EPC’s Complex Systems Toolkit provides accessible, practical resources for embedding complex systems into engineering education. The Complex Systems Toolkit is supported by Quanser.
The EPC’s Knowledge articles are resources that you can access to improve your knowledge or find more information. These are intended to provide theoretical and practical background on complex systems concepts and tools such as modelling or decision-making approaches. While guidance articles focus on “how”, knowledge articles focus on “what”.
| Resource | Topic | Keywords | Disciplines |
| Understanding emergence in complex engineering systems | Emergence in complex systems | Emergence; Boundaries; Unpredictability; Instability; System dynamics model; Digital engineering tools | Any |
| A tool for thinking about complex systems and policy | Complexity and engineering policy | Law or Policy; Stacey Matrix; Politics; Decision making; Personal values | Any |
| Understanding complex systems competencies required in engineering graduates | Complex systems competencies | Systems thinking; Problem-solving; Critical thinking; Digital literacy; Modelling and simulation; Design; Project management; Life cycle; Risk; Collaboration; Communication; Professional conduct; Social responsibility. | Any |
| Complex systems in a transformational era | Why integrate complex systems in engineering education? | Interdisciplinarity; Problem-solving; Problem-based learning; Active learning; Professional development; Collaboration; Real world; Artificial Intelligence; Trade offs. | Any |
| The real world is a complex system | The importance of teaching and learning about complex systems | Problem solving; Feedback loops; Decision-making; VUCA; Optimisation; Public health and safety; Risk; Sustainability; Ethics; Responsible design; Life cycle; Societal impact; Enterprise and innovation. | Any |
| The role of Wicked Problems thinking to help understand the extent of engineering involvement in complex systems | Defining and understanding complex systems | Interdisciplinary; Wicked problems; Collaboration; Climate change; Decarbonisation; Research; Complexity framework; Scaffolded development framework. | Any |
| Engineering complex systems glossary | Definitions of key terms relevant to Engineered Complex Systems | Definitions; Emergence; Systems. | Any |
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.