Meet our Special Interest Groups at SEFI 2024

List of SEFI Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and their meetings at the Annual Conference

2-5 September 2024, EPFL

SEFI activities take place year-round, primarily within our Special Interest Groups. Below is an overview of the sessions and workshops scheduled for the SEFI Annual Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland. Join us to meet the groups in person!

PHYSICS

Chair: Arjan LOCK (The Hague University of Applied Sciences)

The Physics Group is a network of physics teachers and people who are interested in how to teach and learn physics in engineering education. The group discusses challenges and shares solutions, and every two years, the Physics Teaching in Engineering Education (PTEE) conference is organized.

• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 3:45pm – 4:45pm

CONTINUING ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

Co-Chairs: Chris SMITH (Glasgow Caledonian University) & Aniko KALMAN (Budapest University of Technology and Economics)

The Group focuses on researching, evaluating, and advancing frameworks, policies, and practices around Continuing Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning that respond to the needs of society and industry. In particular, consideration of why and how innovative educational offerings, such as short courses, micro-credentials, work-based and work-integrated learning, and flexible pathways of learning and development nurture and develop individuals and grow organizational capability.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS FOR EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION OF CONTINUING ENGINEERING EDUCATION
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 3:45pm – 4:45pm

ATTRACTIVENESS

Chair: Hanne DEPREZ (KU Leuven)

The Attractiveness SIG aims to provide a forum open to students, practitioners, researchers, industry, and other interested parties to understand how prospective students perceive the attractiveness of engineering (education) and to recommend ways of improving it.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | ENGINEERING OUTREACH: EXAMPLES, EVALUATION AND EVIDENCING
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 3:45pm – 4:45pm

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Chair: John MITCHELL (University College London)

This group provides a forum to support all colleagues who are engaging in the review, definition and revision of engineering curricula. It highlights innovative curriculum models, showcase tools to support curriculum development and to nurture and empower the leadership needed to implement curriculum change. It works closely with other SIGs who focus on elements of the curriculum or who support capacity building of staff to support curriculum change.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND EMERGING CURRICULUM MODELS IN ENGINEERING
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 3:45pm – 4:45pm

ETHICS

Co-chairs: Diana MARTIN (University College London) & Mircea TOBOȘARU (Polytechnic University of Bucharest)

The group aims to build a global community of friends in engineering ethics education. Our projects address policy, research, and education themes related to the ethical and socio-economic dimensions of engineering. We aim to put forward examples of best practices in the teaching of engineering ethics and support research collaborations on societal themes.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | Eager to further develop the field of engineering ethics education?
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 3:45pm – 4:45pm

CAPACITY BUILDING

Co-Chairs: Jennifer GRIFFITHS (University College London) & Madeline POLMEAR (King’s College London)

This SIG aims to empower the pedagogical development of educators in engineering Higher Education through building a community of practitioners and researchers in education development.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | Staff Capacity Building for Educating Socially Responsible Engineers: Considerations Related to Culture and Emotion
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 3:45pm – 4:45pm

MATHEMATICS

Chair: Deolinda DIAS RASTEIRO (Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra)

SEFI Mathematics Special Interest Group (MSIG) is primarily focused on finding answers to many questions arising in connection to the challenges of teaching effective courses in mathematics for all engineering students developing their mathematical competencies and skills.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | AI and ICT Integration in Mathematics Engineering Education: Enhancing Learning and Teaching
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

ENGINEERING SKILLS

Co-Chairs: Neil COOKE (University of Birmingham) & Lynn VAN DEN BROECK (KU Leuven)

The SIG’s purpose is to inform educators on emerging engineering skills through discussing, developing, and sharing best practices.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | Sorting skills: curriculum profiles and the forthcoming SEFI handbook
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

DIGITAL LEARNING

Co-Chairs: Mikko NURMINEN (Tampere University Foundation sr.) & Andrew GARRARD (The University of Sheffield)

The SIG will add value by sharing best practices, supporting educators, developing practical guides, building digital material repositories, and offering expertise on current trends like AI, MOOCs, and remote learning. The SIG aims to advance Digital Learning, stay updated on trends, foster collaboration, and align with broader educational policies.

• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ACCREDITATION

Co-Chairs: Jose Carlos QUADRADO (ENAEE) & Raja TOQUEER (The University of Sheffield)

Join our group to elevate your institution’s engineering programs with innovative tools and strategies for international accreditation, enhance institutional quality assurance and support professional development and recognition for engineering educators. Contribute to a dynamic framework for continuous improvement in quality assurance and accreditation processes. Assess your programs meet evolving educational and technological trends to address global challenges and the needs of students, society and employers.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | Empowering Engineering Education: Tools and Strategies for International Accreditation
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

ENGINEERING EDUCATION RESEARCH

Co-Chairs: Tinne DE LAET (KU Leuven) & Ester VENTURA MEDINA (Technische Universiteit Eindhoven)

This group forms a European community of engineering education researchers to contribute with research evidence to the advancement of engineering education in Europe and in the world.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | Kicking off the EER Reading Club -The Handbook of Engineering Research Series
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

SUSTAINABILITY

Co-Chairs: Aida GUERRA (University of Aalborg) & Andre BAIER (Technische Universitat Berlin)

Sustainability principles have become an important aspect of the engineering curriculum. The group investigates the field of sustainability with respect to its impact on engineering education.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | What conflicts does sustainability bring to engineering education?
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Co-Chairs: Fiona TRUSCOTT & Nathalie WINT (University College London)

The group aims to: make SEFI accessible and welcoming; bring the issues associated with the lack of diversity within engineering to the attention of the wider community; amplify practices that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion across engineering education contexts; promote research on diversity, equity and inclusion in engineering education; and create opportunities to share insights and build community.

• SIG Workshop: Monday 02/09 between 2:15pm – 3:15pm | ENACTING OUR VALUES – STEPS TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND INCLUSIVE SEFI COMMUNITY
• SIG meeting: Monday 02/09 between 5pm – 6pm

See you soon in Lausanne!