1. The Engineering Academy: increasing access to engineering
Dr G M H Flockhart, Dr B A Keating, Dr A McLaren
University of Strathclyde

2. Outline Engineering Academy overview Programme challenges Outcomes
Academic pathway
Industry engagement
Programme challenges
Recruitment
Student transitions
Structure
Outcomes

3. What is the Engineering Academy
Pioneering programme offering alternative route into university and employment as a University of Strathclyde student.
AY2012–16 funded by the Scottish Funding Council AY2017 onwards funded by the University of Strathclyde
100 student places
Partnership between University of Strathclyde and a group of FE colleges with industry :
Sponsorship opportunity
Work placement opportunities
Skills development programme

4. The Partnership

5. Engineering Academy Model
Year 1 – enhanced HNC + practical skills units
Three embedded HNC pathways
General Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Chemical Process Technology
Year 2 – guaranteed articulation to second year* of a degree programme offered by 7 engineering departments. (* transfer to first year for Biomedical Engineering)
Subject to meeting academic performance criteria

6. NB Engineering Academy students are University of Strathclyde students from day 1, guaranteed articulation to Year 2 upon meeting requirements
Traditional Route
4/5 As
Higher
BEng (Hons)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
MEng
Engineering Academy
4 Bs*
Partner College
10-12 weeks work placement with sponsor
10-12 weeks work placement with sponsor
Academic project with sponsor
Access to Engineering (SWAP)
Enhanced HNC + practical
skills units
* Students from SIMD 20/40 can access with BBBC. Engineering Foundation Level Apprenticeship can be counted as a non-core Highers.

7. Evaluation of Programme
Group interviews of students in year 2
University internships focussed on Engineering Academy student experience:
Student transition from college to university learning
Student industry placements
Academic performance monitoring
Feedback from students via Engineering Academy Department Representative
One to one interviews with 4th year students

8. Challenges Recruitment and marketing Managing student degree choice
Managing allocation of students to college partners
Aim to place student at local college
Aim to have discrete college classes
Implication on minimum class sizes
Transition from college to university
Learning style, academic support, knowledge gaps

9. Evolution of Programme
Established discipline specific working groups
Review academic content
Identification of knowledge gaps
Review of teaching style
Curriculum alignment
Adopted new FE maths curriculum
Revised recruitment process
Established new role to oversee academic development and transition support

10. Widening Access Recruitment
Alignment with Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP)
Access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
Targeted information to:
Low progression schools
FOCUS West (Focus on College and University Study – West of Scotland)

11. http://www. scottishwideraccess. org/west-story-niall-harrison. php
SWAP Case study

12. Widening Access Aim to increase access to: SIMD 20/40 Care
Black and Minority Ethnic students
Gender
Access / SWAP
Low progression schools

13. Structural Evolution Motivation Problem Mitigation
To better manage balance across academic departments
To facilitate increased discipline specific transition support
Problem
Year 1 – Engineering Department selection
Large demand to articulate to one specific department
Mitigation
Renaming of HNC pathway
Degree choice at point of application

14. Curriculum Review Development of Year 1 – Transition Programme
We are Strathclyde
Addresses identified knowledge gaps
Provides discipline specific training in software packages
Introduction to practical laboratories
Report writing skills
To help cohort integration

15. Curriculum Review Development of Year 1 – Transition Programme
We are Strathclyde
Addresses identified knowledge gaps
Provides discipline specific training in software packages
Introduction to practical laboratories
Report writing skills
To help cohort integration
Images if video does not work

16. Maths Review Early adoption of new FE maths curriculum
HNC pathways have different Maths content
2nd Year Mathematics performance analysis
SQA Engineering Mathematics
Highest Level Undertaken
Engineering Academy UoS 2nd Year Maths Average Mark (%) 3 46 4 56 5 74
Non Eng Acad
BEng Cohort
~ 50%
MEng Cohort
~70%

17. Outcomes Shell Eco Marathon Industrial internship placements
Engineering Academy Internship team developed concept for competition entry
Industrial internship placements
~120 offers from companies for internships and sponsorship
~50% Eng Acad student progressed to MEng degrees
Increased widening access
38% SIMD 20/40 for 2016 intake
EA student undertaken a 1 year internship
Internship in Belgium, student returning to company for 2nd Internship and company offering another summer internship and looking to recruit a student for 1 year internship
Dieter Rabaut Engineering Director DEME “Michaela really impressed us during her placement last summer and we’d like her to come back next summer and present the company to other EA students as we will take an extra one this summer too. Additionally we’d like to offer a 1 year internship to a Strathclyde Engineering student”.

18. Contact Details
Dr Gordon Flockhart, Associate Director – Engineering Academy
Tel:
Web: