IACEE Pulse: April 2025

In this Pulse:

IACEE Council Meeting | Symposium 2025 Summary | SEFI 2025 | WEEF-GEDC 2025


AnchorIACEE Council Meeting at Purdue University


On April 2nd, the IACEE 2024-26 Council met at the College of Engineering, Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Many Council members arrived from faraway places, such as Scotland, Finland, the Netherlands, and Mexico. Some were from different U.S. states, and others joined online from Turkey, Hungary, Norway, Denmark, and Australia.

It was a very productive and decisive meeting, presided over by Robert Prakash, President of IACEE. The Council collectively set the vision to turn IACEE into a knowledge hub where we share our best practices and lessons learned as continuing engineering education educators and administrators. We take this opportunity to thank Purdue University College of Engineering for its help.




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IACEE Symposium 2025 - Revitalization of Continuing Engineering Education


During this one-and-a-half-day symposium, the speakers discussed various bold strategies for the sustainability of continuing engineering education (CEE) units aimed at creating financially viable and operationally resilient programs for the future. Here are some key takeaways from the presentations.


New Frontiers in Engineering Education: Building Sustainable Industry Partnerships 

by Dr. Nikhilesh Chawla, Ransburg Professor of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, and Associate Dean for Engineering, Purdue Indianapolis

Dr. Chawla's presentation covered two main areas: Purdue University's Semiconductor Degree Program (SDP) and the development of Purdue's new Indianapolis campus.

Purdue University Overview

  • Current enrollment: ~58,000 students (Fall 2024)
  • 60% of students (about 35,000) are in engineering
  • Received the largest number of engineering applications in the country (~35,000)
  • Maintained 13 years of frozen tuition while continuing to grow

Semiconductor Degree Program (SDP)

  • Launched in May 2022, preceding the US CHIPS and Science Act (August 2022)
  • Addresses projected workforce shortages: ~100,000 semiconductor jobs needed by 2030, with current graduation rates creating a 67,000 job shortfall
  • Workforce challenges compounded by an aging industry (1/3 of US engineering manufacturing employees are 55+)
  • The program focuses on four key areas: 
    1. Talent development
    2. Economic development (creating a "Midwestern hardware" hub)
    3. Educational mission
    4. Research mission

SDP Educational Approach

  • Emphasizes both depth and breadth in semiconductor education
  • Integrates AI and machine learning into the curriculum
  • Engages students early through: 
    • "Changing the World with Chips" (1-credit freshman course featuring industry speakers)
    • STARS internship program (Summer Training Awareness and Readiness for Semiconductors)
    • Community college partnerships (particularly with Ivy Tech)
  • Created "ChipsHub," a global online repository with educational tools and simulations (250K users, 15M visitors worldwide)

SDP Academic Offerings

  • Developed 50+ courses with semiconductor content
  • Popular "Semiconductor Fabrication 101" free online course (6,000+ students)
  • First MS in Microelectronics and Semiconductors (interdisciplinary program)
  • Cross-institutional electronic packaging course taught synchronously across five universities
  • Growing to over 2,000 unique students enrolled in semiconductor courses

SDP Industry Partnerships

  • Over 30 companies on the leadership board
  • Companies sponsor and work directly with students in the STARS program
  • Industry partners help shape the curriculum and provide guest lectures

Purdue Indianapolis Campus

  • New vision: Not a regional campus but an extension of the main campus ("One Purdue, Two Locations")
  • Located 60 miles from West Lafayette, connected by the Purdue Campus Connect bus service
  • Offers direct admission to engineering majors (unlike West Lafayette's common first-year curriculum)
  • Smaller class sizes and more personalized attention

Faculty Development

  • Recruiting West Lafayette faculty to spend time at Indianapolis campus
  • Retained high-performing faculty from former IUPUI
  • Strategic "movable dream hires" including faculty from the IU School of Medicine

Unique Indianapolis Programs

  • Motorsports Engineering (110 students)
  • Biomedical Engineering (leveraging IU School of Medicine connection)
  • Upcoming Smart Cities program (addressing urban challenges with data and AI)
  • Sports Engineering program (partnering with the NCAA and companies like Adidas)
  • Enhanced experiential learning opportunities and "guaranteed internships"

Future Development

  • Academic Success Building (15 stories) broke ground recently
  • Construction to be completed by 2027

The presentation highlighted Purdue's strategic initiatives to address semiconductor industry workforce needs while expanding its engineering presence in Indianapolis with programs that leverage the region's unique urban environment and industry partnerships


"We are just getting started" - Innovative Policies and Practices for Continuing Engineering Education Sustainability
by Dr. Craig Downing, Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning and Department Head of Engineering Management at Rose-Hulman Institute

Dr. Downing presented an overview of the institution's continuing education initiatives. Here are the key points from his presentation:

About Rose-Hulman Institute

  • Located in Terre Haute, Indiana
  • Teaching-focused institution with approximately 2,300 students
  • 92% persistence rate and 86% graduation rate
  • The primary mission is undergraduate engineering education
  • Motto: "The bar is high and the pace is swift."

Continuing Education Approach

Dr. Downing described Rose-Hulman's three-part approach to continuing education:

  1. Integration with Graduate Programs
    • Utilizing the Engineering Management department as a catalyst
    • Optimizing faculty expertise and resources
    • Creating multiple entry points for students to engage with advanced curriculum
    • Integrating professional development into undergraduate programs (e.g., electrical engineering students must complete 9 hours of continuing education)
  2. Alumni Relations
    • Building relationships with alumni through continuing education
    • Providing value through high-quality, familiar educational experiences
    • Using continuing education as "friend-raising" before fundraising
  3. Professional Engineering Credentials
    • Addressing Indiana's requirement for 30 hours of continuing education for Professional Engineers
    • Offering courses that satisfy licensing requirements
    • Providing specialized training in ethics and law (required components)

Business Model

  • "Revenue neutral to revenue positive" philosophy
  • Focus on relationship-building rather than profit maximization
  • Premium pricing model ($200 per course vs. competitors' $35)
  • Value proposition based on quality, familiarity, and institutional reputation

Challenges

  • Geographic limitations of Terre Haute location
  • Competition from larger institutions
  • Limited faculty expertise in certain areas
  • Marketing challenges (described as "Midwest humility")
  • Timing misalignment between academic quarters and industry needs
  • "Ghosting" by potential clients after proposal submission

Future Direction

Dr. Downing mentioned the development of a 48-acre property across from the main campus with plans to establish a continuing education presence in the welcome center, making it a visible priority for the institution. Throughout his presentation, Dr. Downing emphasized Rose-Hulman's commitment to teaching excellence, practical hands-on experience, and preparing students for the realities of engineering practice through both technical education and leadership development.


Industry-University Collaboration: A Continuing Education Model for Industrial Manufacturing by the Purdue Global Team - Dr. Jeff Buck, Dean and Vice President, School of Business and Information Technology; Dr. Maricel Lawrence, Innovation Catalyst, and Dr. Art Sedighi, Academic Faculty 

The presentation focused on Purdue Global's development of a flexible manufacturing education program for working adults in collaboration with Guild, which connects employers with education providers. Purdue Global serves a unique population compared to traditional Purdue campuses - primarily working adults over 30 who began but never completed college education.

The speakers highlighted three key industry needs they identified:

  1. Skill development for mid-level management and worker retention
  2. Level-setting knowledge across employees with diverse educational backgrounds
  3. Delivering hands-on learning in an online environment

To address these needs, they developed a stackable credential program starting with a two-credit foundational course in industrial manufacturing and three specialized courses that form a microcredential. The foundational course is particularly designed for students with only a high school education and teaches both manufacturing basics and college-level learning skills.

The program's flexible structure allows students to:

  • Take only the specific courses they need for their job
  • Complete a microcredential
  • Continue to a bachelor's degree in applied manufacturing
  • Potentially progress to Purdue master's programs

Art Sedighi described the foundational course as covering diverse topics including manufacturing trends, basic mathematics, electricity, safety considerations, and industry standards. The program includes simulations, discussions, and hands-on elements.

Initial results show good retention among the first cohort of 20 students who began in February 2025, with positive feedback about the program's relevance to their work. The presenters emphasized that they measure success by course completion rather than degree completion, focusing on providing skills that help employees advance in their careers.


Conversational AI and Dynamic Assessment: Shaping the Future of Engineering Education by Dr. Prajwal Paudyal, CEO and Founder, Qualz.ai

Dr. Prajwal Paudyal discussed the rapid adoption of AI technologies, highlighting how tools like ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just 5 days compared to services like Netflix that took 4 years. This rapid adoption changed how people work, particularly in programming and education.

Changes in Work Patterns

  • AI has dramatically increased their productivity, enabling them to accomplish in one day what previously took a month.
  • Traditional resources like Stack Overflow and Chegg are seeing decreased usage as AI assistants provide more immediate, personalized help.
  • When interviewing engineers, Dr. Poudyal now looks for candidates who integrate AI tools into their workflow.

Transformation of Education and Assessment

He da fundamental shift in educational models:

  1. Traditional model: Teacher lectures students, assessment happens at the end of the course
  2. Flipped classroom model: Students watch videos before class, classroom becomes discussion-based with more frequent assessment
  3. AI-enabled model: Learning and assessment become simultaneous and personalized: With AI, students can:
  • Receive immediate, personalized feedback
  • Ask questions in their own terms
  • Have learning tailored to their background and preferences
  • Progress at their own pace through material

Personal Example: Dr. Paudyal shared an example of his young son using AI for learning:

  • The child converses naturally with AI about animals and dinosaurs
  • This interaction provides immediate feedback
  • The child improves his speech as he learns to communicate clearly with the AI
  • Learning becomes personalized, on-demand, and interactive

Research and Feedback Collection: His company Qualz.AI focuses on AI-driven research and feedback collection:

  • Problem: Traditional surveys are shallow, biased, and boring while in-depth interviews are time-consuming and expensive
  • Solution: AI-conducted interviews that can scale across languages and populations
  • Benefits: 
    • Reduces research time from months to hours
    • Saves money while improving quality
    • Enables analysis from multiple perspectives or "lenses" (sociological, anthropological, psychological)
    • Makes it feasible to process large volumes of data (example: 8-country study with 200 hour-long interviews generated 2 million words)

Future Implications: He emphasized that as AI becomes more intelligent and less expensive, organizations should:

  • Rethink processes assuming intelligence is available at scale
  • Consider how to integrate conversational assessment into educational programs
  • Use AI to analyze data through multiple lenses for deeper insights
  • Be prepared for disruption in engagement, feedback, and research processes

The central message is that AI is removing constraints on intelligent processing, enabling new approaches to education, assessment, and research that were previously impractical due to time and cost limitations.


CEE as a (Future) Model for Engineering Education - A Panel moderated by Dr. Sabrina Casucci, Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The State University of New York at Buffalo, and participated by Matthew Wagner, Senior Director, Corporate Learning & Development Partnerships at Purdue University; Dr. Stephen M. Ruffin, Interim Executive Director & Associate Dean, Professional Education, and Professor, School of Aerospace Engineering, Director, NASA Georgia Space Grant Consortium, Georgia Institute of Technology; and Ed Borbely, Associate Dean, Interdisciplinary Professional Programs, College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

This summary captures a panel discussion focused on continuing engineering education (CEE) and the evolving models for professional development in academic institutions. 

The key themes discussed include:

  1. Organizational Structures: The panelists describe how continuing education programs are structured differently across institutions. Georgia Tech uses a centralized model through Georgia Tech Professional Education (GTPE), while Wisconsin's approach is more college-based.
  2. Program Offerings: The institutions offer various educational formats, including:
    • Online master's degree programs (with Georgia Tech highlighting their at-scale programs costing around $11,000)
    • Graduate certificates and minors
    • Non-credit professional education courses
    • Hybrid programs with both online and in-person components
  3. Industry Relationships: The panel emphasizes the importance of understanding industry needs:
    • Companies value technical competencies alongside practical application
    • Employers are focused on both employee retention and specific skill development
    • There's growing interest in AI applications across business units
    • Industry partners often need faster development timelines than traditional academic processes allow
  4. Future Direction for CEE: Several priorities were highlighted:
    • Hands-on training integrated with theoretical foundations
    • Micro-learning and stackable credentials
    • Integration of new technologies (both engineering and learning technologies)
    • Effective use of learning analytics
    • Increased flexibility and accessibility
  5. Challenges: The discussion touched on difficulties, including:
    • Timeline mismatches between industry needs and academic approval processes
    • Finding faculty who can effectively bridge theoretical and practical applications
    • Creating truly stackable credentials across different university units

The panel concluded with a discussion about stackable credentials, as participants share their institutions' approaches to creating pathways between non-credit offerings and more formal academic programs.


Refining Our Shared Continuing Engineering Education Language Through Collaboration – A CEE Taxonomy by Dr. Patricia Caratozzolo, Institute for the Future of Education, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico and Dr. Christopher J.M. Smith, Glasgow Caledonian University

This presentation was about developing a taxonomy for Continuing Engineering Education (CEE). Here is a summary.

Key Points:

  1. Background of Presenters:
    • Chris described himself as a "born-again academic" who worked in industry before returning to academia as a senior lecturer in operations management.
    • Patricia is a power electronics engineer with 35+ years of experience who later became involved in educational innovation, critical thinking, and continuing engineering education.
  2. Collaboration Evolution:
    • Their collaboration began online in 2022, working on a paper for the CEFI conference.
    • Patricia outlined their collaboration timeline through four stages: 
      • Germinal stage (2022): Initial formation of ideas
      • Formative stage: Ideas taking definitive shape
      • Operative stage: Full collaboration with defined roles
      • Emergent stage: Ready-to-implement outcomes
  3. Collaborative Projects:
    • Their first paper was "Exploring Engineering Skills Developed Through a Comparison of Institutional Practices in Mexico and Scotland."
    • They presented at CEFI conferences in 2022, 2023, and 2024 (Barcelona, Dublin, and Lausanne)
    • Their collaboration expanded to include more colleagues over time
    • They conducted a workshop at CEFI 2024, requiring more participants and engagement
  4. Funding Initiative:
    • The group submitted a proposal for European funding (results expected in May)
    • The proposal involved eight countries, including: 
      • COST European members: Denmark, Netherlands, Spain
      • COST inclusive targeted countries: Greece, Lithuania, Poland
      • COST inclusive targeted non-European member: Turkey
      • COST non-European member: Mexico
    • They met weekly for 12 weeks to prepare the proposal
  5. Taxonomy Development:
    • They presented version 1.0 of the CEE taxonomy at a conference in Cuneus
    • They refined it to version 2.1 and published in Frontiers in Education
    • The taxonomy was developed by eight members from eight countries (seven European, one Mexican)
    • They acknowledged limitations in global applicability and sought to refine it further
  6. Interactive Session:
    • The presentation concluded with an interactive session where attendees wrote down and grouped important CEE terms
    • This activity aimed to gather diverse perspectives to improve the taxonomy's global applicability

The presenters emphasized that successful collaboration requires shared passion, commitment, humility, and friendship. They noted that they met weekly at challenging times (6 AM for Patricia, 2 PM for Chris on Fridays) because of their dedication to the work and their relationship as colleagues and friends.


Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) Matchmaking: Strengthen Partnerships and Advance Sustainability by Amy Moore, Senior Learning Program Officer, Digital Innovation & Academic Services, State University of New York (SUNY) and Online Program Director, School of Engineering & Applied Sciences at University at Buffalo

The University at Buffalo offers micro-credentials designed for individuals seeking to rapidly acquire relevant professional skills. Through its partnership with Google, the university provides Career Certificates in high-demand fields including Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing & E-commerce, IT Support, and Project Management. These credentials are structured to equip students with job-ready skills within a single semester.

Available Google Career Certificates at University at Buffalo 

  • Cybersecurity: Focuses on protecting computer systems and networks from digital threats
  • Data Analytics: Develops skills in data interpretation, pattern recognition, and evidence-based decision-making
  • Digital Marketing & E-commerce: Covers strategic digital marketing techniques for online product and service promotion
  • IT Support: Addresses technical support fundamentals for computer systems and networks
  • Project Management: Teaches methodologies for effective project planning, organization, and execution

These Google Career Certificates are industry-recognized credentials that enhance students' professional portfolios.

Implementation Process

Faculty members select relevant Google Certificate modules for their continuing education courses. These modules integrate with the university's Learning Management System (LMS) through LTI connection to Coursera. Upon module completion, an automated LTI verification is sent to the LMS to record student progress. The State University of New York (SUNY) system employs a Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) matchmaking process to ensure courses incorporate all necessary modules for complete certification. Students who successfully complete all required modules receive an employer-recognized certificate of completion and digital badge from Coursera. This streamlined process enables faculty to rapidly deploy market-relevant content by leveraging Google's educational resources.

Experiential Learning Integration

Amy Moore collaborates with SUNY campuses and faculty to incorporate these skill competencies into experiential learning courses. She conducted a practical workshop demonstrating a quadrant approach for identifying experiential learning opportunities. This framework helps universities accelerate the development of offerings for students in the continuing engineering education sector.


Reshaping Continuing Education: Balancing Budgets with Partnerships and AI-Driven Change by Dr. Chris LaBelle, Executive Director for Online and Professional Education, University of Michigan College of Engineering

The presentation discussed the challenging landscape of continuing education in U.S. universities, focusing on operational and financial challenges. The speaker, Dr Chris LaBelle from the University of Michigan, shared their experience managing continuing education programs.

Key Points:

  1. Market Challenges:
    • "Demographic cliff" due to low birth rates, resulting in fewer college enrollees
    • Reduced state funding for universities (20-30% decrease in many states)
    • Increased market competition and commoditization of online education
    • Disruptive innovation from lower-tier institutions that have embraced technology and pedagogical excellence
  2. Financial Realities:
    • Many continuing education departments face declining enrollment
    • Internal university programs often operate on thin margins (10-20%)
    • OPM (Online Program Manager) partnerships can provide significantly higher margins (95% mentioned for one program)
    • The speaker reduced staffing costs by nearly $1 million over three years to remain viable
  3. OPM Partnerships:
    • Third-party vendors that provide marketing, infrastructure, and operational support
    • Offer high ROI but come with significant contractual complexities and risks
    • Described as the "Freia model" - initially attractive but potentially problematic long-term
    • Risks include misrepresentation of programs to students, sudden program cancellations, and contractual complications
  4. Risk Management:
    • Importance of thorough contractual review and quality assurance
    • Mystery shopping to ensure proper representation of university programs
    • Liberal refund policies to prevent escalation from dissatisfied students
    • Need for faculty involvement to maintain academic integrity
  5. Faculty Involvement:
    • Tension between using faculty vs. contractors to teach continuing education courses
    • University of Michigan faculty can use consulting time (one day per week) for these programs
    • Faculty compensation comes from the speaker's budget or sometimes from partner funds
    • Faculty involvement is increasingly important for program legitimacy
  6. Future Outlook:
    • Staff sizes are likely to decrease, not increase
    • AI implementation has increased efficiency (70% faster in technical areas, 30% in other areas)
    • Need for adaptable staff with the right disposition who "like the challenge" and "kind of like the chaos"
    • The continuing education market is in the late stages of its development cycle ("gold rush")

The speaker emphasized that while OPM partnerships offer the highest margins and fastest returns, universities must carefully manage these relationships, "own their financials," and adapt to changing market conditions to remain viable.


Assessing the Long-Term Impact of Undergraduate Global Experiences on Engineers’ Career Outcomes by Dr. Kirsten Davis, Assistant Professor of Engineering Education, Purdue University

Dr. Davis presented research on the impact of global experiences during undergraduate engineering education on long-term career outcomes. This National Science Foundation-funded project aims to fill a research gap by examining what happens to engineering students with global experiences after graduation and entering the workforce.

Research Team and Motivation

  • The research team includes Joe Torg (Managing Director of Office of Professional Practice at Purdue) and Lexi (PhD student)
  • Motivated by both personal experience and calls from organizations like ABET and the National Academy of Engineers for more globally effective engineers
  • Previous research typically only examined immediate learning outcomes during/after global programs, not long-term career impacts

Study Design

  • Three-year multiple case study of long-running global engineering programs at: 
    • University of Rhode Island (20+ years)
    • University of Cincinnati (15-20 years)
    • Purdue University (15 years)
  • Includes comparison groups of alumni who did not participate in global experiences
  • Three phases: 
  1. Survey (completed)
  2. Follow-up interviews (upcoming)
  3. Cross-case comparison across universities

Survey Development Process

  • Started with questions from existing surveys, including Pathways of Engineering Alumni Research Survey (PAERS)
  • Added global dimensions to existing questions
  • Incorporated questions from Cultural Intelligence Survey (CQS) and Global Engineering Competency Scale
  • Refined through iterations with research and industry advisory boards
  • Conducted think-aloud interviews to identify confusing questions
  • Performed time tests to ensure completion time under 25 minutes
  • Piloted with 31 participants from Virginia Tech and Texas A&M

Data Collection

  • Recruited participants through email campaigns and LinkedIn
  • At Purdue, collected 865 responses: 
    • 356 in target group (with global experiences) 
      • 203 participated in specific program (semester abroad + internship)
      • 153 did other study abroad programs
    • 509 in comparison group (without global experiences)
  • Matched demographic breakdown between groups (major, graduation year, industry, gender, race/ethnicity)

Key Findings

  • Global undergraduate experiences are significant but limited predictors of long-term global work outcomes
  • Global self-confidence and interest are much stronger predictors of: 
    • Global engineering competency (both cognitive and behavioral dimensions)
    • Frequency of global tasks in current role
    • Frequency of global tasks throughout the career
  • The results align with social cognitive career theory: learning experiences lead to self-efficacy and interest, which in turn lead to career choices and performance outcomes.
  • Age was a significant predictor for global work tasks (older alumni reported more global work)
  • In one model, graduate degrees predicted more global tasks across the career.

Implications

  • Global undergraduate experiences may primarily impact interest and confidence rather than directly building competencies.
  • These increased interest and confidence levels influence future career decisions.
  • Universities might benefit from developing student interest and confidence in global work rather than expecting complete competency development during undergraduate programs.

The research team plans to complete survey analysis with data from all three universities, conduct more complex analyses, and begin interviews with target and comparison groups.



Announcement

AnchorSEFI 2025 Conference - Registration is Now Open

European Society for Engineering Education

September 15 – 18, 2025
Tampere University, Tampere, Finland 


Registration for the SEFI Annual Conference is now open. Join our IACEE colleagues there. Find more details on the conference website or directly register here. Many IACEE colleagues are members of various SIGs, especially the Continuing Engineering Education and Lifelong Learning Special Interest Group.



Announcement

AnchorWEEF & GEDC 2025 - Call for Papers

World Engineering Education Forum &

Global Engineering Deans Council Annual Conference

September 21-25, 2025
DGIST, Daegu, Republic of Korea

Submit an abstract for a workshop or a panel by May 31, 2025. For more information, visit:  https://weefgedc2025.org/index.php?GP=submit/paper. Find more details on the conference website.