Enhanc(e)ing engineering education in Europe – cross-national perspectives on challenges and opportunities for university teaching practices

Journal article, 2025

This study investigates the dynamics influencing engineering education within Europe. Its aim is to understand how educators perceive the influence of structural conditions on their educational practices across different national and institutional contexts. Using the ENHANCE Alliance as a case study, survey data were collected of engineering educators from five technical universities across four countries. Quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal significant disparities in teaching practices, available resources, and institutional support. Findings highlight challenges such as the undervaluation of teaching compared to research, insufficient funding, and limited pedagogical training among educators. Furthermore, educators called for stronger links between education and industry, interdisciplinary collaboration, and targeted professional development. These results underscore the importance of context-specific approaches to improving engineering education, including institutional support structures, policy alignment and European-level coordination, resource allocation, and hybrid roles that integrate industry expertise into academia.