4TU at SEFI 2025 , contributing to the future of engineering education.

In mid-September, Tampere University hosted the annual conference of the SEFI - European Society for Engineering Education. For the engineering education community, SEFI is always a highlight and a place to exchange ideas, share experiences, and connect with colleagues from across Europe and beyond. This year’s programme focussed on the critical role of engineers in tackling societal challenges and shaping the future of education and technology.

The 4TU.Federation community was represented widely with workshop presentations, research papers and practice papers shared by various members and CEE Board members. Their participation reflects our commitment to bringing research-based insights into the wider discussion on engineering education.

Exploring new ways of educating responsible engineers

The 2025 conference put a strong emphasis on the skills gap and the role of the responsible engineer in navigating complex societal challenges. According to Judith Gulikers, 4TU.CEE Lead for Wageningen University & Research:

“The keynotes, on both ethics and reflection, stressed the importance of teaching and assessment approaches that make students’ perspectives and ethical decision-making more explicit in these interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary contexts.”

It’s a perspective that closely aligns with 4TU.CEE work, where we research educational approaches that better prepare students for uncertain and rapidly changing professional contexts.

Recognising excellence in research

One of the highlights of this year’s contributions was the paper ‘Spheres of agency: how engineering educators approach professional development in educating for sustainability’ by joint TU/e–WUR PhD candidate Caroline Vonk and colleagues. The paper was nominated in both the “best student paper” and “best research paper” categories, an exemplary achievement that placed it among the top 99 research papers accepted. This recognition underscores the relevance of our 4TU education research and the impact it has on engineering education worldwide.

Sharing insights, strengthening collaboration

Beyond research, SEFI provides a platform for dialogue and exchange. 4TU colleagues were widely involved in sessions on topics ranging from educational design to sustainability, and it was great to see the keynote contribution from TU Delft colleague Pleun Hermsen(on embedding reflective practice within existing engineering courses), all of which underlined the breadth of our expertise. Each of these contributions adds to the ongoing conversation on how engineering education can remain inclusive and impactful.

Looking ahead

For 4TU.CEE, SEFI is not just about showcasing our work. It’s also about learning from peers, and shaping the future direction of engineering education together. Many of the themes discussed in Tampere resonated directly with our strategic priorities, for example, preparing engineers with not only technical competence, but also professional skills, adaptivity and the ability to make responsible decisions in complex situations.

The conference also highlighted the growing role of challenge-based learning, where students work closely with stakeholders beyond the university to address real-world issues. CEE has an ongoing desire to connect engineering education more closely to society, while also exploring how digital tools, AI and learning analytics can support these new forms of teaching and learning.

These pressing themes remind us that progress in this field depends on collaboration. We think SEFI is a wonderful space for that exchange, and the insights from Tampere will help shape our work in the coming years.