Building an Inclusive Engineering Excellence Hub

The engineering field has long faced challenges related to inclusivity, with lower proportions of female students, students with disabilities, and those from low-socioeconomic or ethnic minority backgrounds. These groups often experience higher dropout rates and reduced attainment compared to their peers. 

Recognising these issues, we aimed to create a hub that would address these disparities and provide a supportive community for all engineering students.

To develop the IEEH, we collaborated with colleagues from various engineering schools and secured funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering's Diversity Impact Programme. The hub was designed to offer professional skills development, social and wellbeing opportunities, and industry insights. 

We created a dedicated space for workshops and a study café, and provided staff support to deliver end-to-end Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) activities and research. Throughout the process, we engaged with current students to ensure the hub met their needs and provided a welcoming environment.

Open communication and active listening were key to our approach. By genuinely considering feedback from students and staff, we built trust and ensured the hub truly reflected the needs of our diverse community. We embraced innovative ideas and were not afraid to try new approaches. This adventurous spirit allowed us to pioneer new practices and set higher standards in engineering education.

Creativity also played a key role in our project. We approached challenges with curiosity and a willingness to explore new solutions. By leveraging the strengths and expertise of our team, we were able to make the most of available resources and deliver a hub that exceeded expectations. Collaboration was at the heart of our efforts, as we worked closely with students, colleagues, and industry partners to ensure the hub's success.