UNSW Sydney and PLuS Alliance partners, Arizona State University (ASU) and King’s College London (King’s), have launched a new higher education enterprise in London, England, to combat skills and diversity gaps in engineering.

“TEDI-London” was officially opened at an event in London this week.

The partners co-founded TEDI-London to address a global gap in engineering skills and diversity, by creating an innovative approach to curriculum delivery, industry partnerships and student recruitment.

President and Vice-Chancellor of UNSW Professor Ian Jacobs said: “TEDI-London will bring together the strengths of the founding partners, the broad strength, but also the engineering strength, to create something unique - a new approach to engineering education which is so badly needed to get students involved from different backgrounds, to balance gender representation, and to address global challenges.”

From day one, students will work through real-life industry projects at a bespoke engineering campus at Canada Water, London. Their project-based learning will be supported by a cutting-edge virtual learning system and an international team of mentors, experts and coaches from across academia and business.

TEDI-London is already engaging with the engineering, design and technology sectors to inform and shape the curriculum to ensure it meets industry needs, and TEDI-London students will engage and collaborate with industry on an ongoing basis as a key part of the learning model.

“I think it’s really important to emphasise that with TEDI-London, we are seeking to break the mould on how engineers are trained. this will be a very applied practical training from day one, it will involve students from very different backgrounds, and it will produce a new cadre of engineers that will make a difference to the globe,” Professor Jacobs said.

Diverse educational backgrounds

TEDI-London aims to enrol 50% women and 50% international students by disrupting traditional entry requirements for engineering and being open to applicants from diverse educational backgrounds.

Commenting at the launch, Professor Judy Raper, TEDI-London Dean and CEO, said: “We’re delighted to formally announce the launch of TEDI-London. Our vision is to transform engineering education to transform lives – both for those that study with us, and for those who benefit from the solutions they will design and make for a global society.

“Our three founding universities, ASU, King’s and UNSW, are all leading global players in engineering education. Their combined expertise and commitment to finding new ways to address global challenges underpins our vision and is invaluable in driving this exciting new venture.”

Her comments were supported by the three founding Presidents, Professors Jacobs, Michael Crow (ASU) and Ed Byrne (King’s), who echoed the view that working together as global teams, addressing common problems, attracting diverse talent and pioneering new forms of education underpin the rationale for TEDI-London.

Six UNSW students have already experienced TEDI-London at a pilot summer school late last year.

It is expected that there will be opportunities for local students to study at TEDI-London once it opens its doors to students in 2021.