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PENS-E2 Project

Past Excellence New Success in Engineering Education, the PENS-E2 Project, is an exciting initiative that will reform how engineering is taught at UniSQ.

As identified by the Australian Council of Engineering Deans (ACED) in their 2035 report, the use of artificial intelligence, big data, the internet of things, advances in a range of technologies, increasing globalisation, changes in work, changing societal expectations, and evolving human needs are impacting on the nature of engineering. Professional engineering graduates entering the workforce will therefore require a different set of skills compared to those who graduated in the past.

Although Australia's engineering education system has served the country well in the past, it must change if it is to meet future expectations and needs.

UniSQ’s PENS-E2 project aims to make the changes required to the way engineering is taught to ensure UniSQ engineering graduates have the anticipated knowledge, skills and attributes that will be expected of professional engineering graduates entering the future workforce. To understand more about the process, view the PENS-E2 Project rollout timeline. 

PENS-E2 Project Goals 

Through the re-envisaging of the UniSQ Engineering degree programs, this project will:

  • help students enter the future workforce as ‘T-shaped’ graduates through a greater emphasis on developing skills and knowledge that are focused on: human-centered, big picture, systems thinking; problem finding, framing, and solving; creativity and innovation; digital intelligence; collaboration and communication; adaptability, flexibility and resilience; employability, ethical professional practice; and emotional intelligence.
  • result in degrees/programs that have multiple pathways with personalisation to allow students to fast track as well as to address gaps/weaknesses
  • result in degrees/programs that have different approaches for different student cohorts
  • include all staff in the journey to ensure the Engineering School has staff that are competent, engaged, and invested in delivering a state-of-the-art engineering education
 
ACED 2035 Report
Engineering Education Programs, Priorities & Pedagogies. A report by ACED on the future of engineering in Australia
UniSQ PENS-E2 Briefing Report
Details of the background drivers for change, the proposed program design, and the expected outcomes (June 2022)
'T-shaped' Graduate
A visual overview of the qualities of a T-Shaped Graduate.