IfM Hosts Annual Symposium of the Engineering Education Research Network
A packed programme over 2 days brought together around fifty representatives from academia, industry and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE).
The symposium gave the opportunity:
- to hear and discuss multiple perspectives of the challenges facing engineering education research
- to construct a provisional research agenda on the topics considered most important
- to present research papers
- to learn what others were doing and,
- to build networks.
Professor David Cardwell, Head of the Engineering Department, formally launched the now independent UK&I EER Network which had previously been the EER Special Interest Group (SIG) hosted by the HEA (Higher Education Academy) before support for these and many other activities was withdrawn due to funding cuts.
The combination of speakers, discussion groups and paper presentations gave the delegates much to talk about. A lively buzz pervaded in the breaks with talk of research collaborations, innovative practice, the big challenges and major successes. Successes such as the new Engineering Education Centre at UCL and in 2016 a new STEM Education Centre at Aston University.
Professor Robin Clark, Chair of the UK&I EER Network, concluded his presentation with a call for the community to build on its now strong foundations, to collaborate, grow and deliver the research evidence that can make an impact.
The dates and venue of the next symposium will be announced in the New Year along with details of the new website via the EER network mailing list. If you want to make sure you are on the mailing list please contact Jane Andrews E: j.e.andrews@aston.ac.uk
Documents from the programme can be downloaded here
Speaker Presentations
- Professor Jan Vermunt – Education and the Professions
- Bill Hewlett, Costain – Engineering Practice – Challenges for EER
- Tom Ridgman, IfM – Big Issues for EER and the importance of research
- Dr Rhys Morgan, RAE – Challenges for Engineering Education Research
- Professor Robin Clark, UK&I EER Network – Engineering Education Research
- Updates on EER activities from multiple Universities
Research Paper Abstracts
Date published
13 November 2015
