Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Engineering Knowledge Transfer in Higher Education Through Mixed Reality Solutions

The current global economic challenges are placing significant demands on employers in the engineering sector to seek industry-ready competent engineers who can quickly contribute without extensive training. However, employers often face the dilemma of selecting candidates from a pool of recent graduates who may lack the hands-on skills needed to navigate traditional manufacturing methods, troubleshoot issues, and improve current processes using modern technological advancements. In today's competitive economic landscape, academic excellence alone does not guarantee successful employment. Employers now value generic skills like creativity, self-confidence, innovation, and hands-on problem-solving abilities more than ever. The skills gap highlighted by industry in recent engineering graduates working in practical settings underscores the need for enhancements in the current higher education system to better align with industry demands. Research in the education sector has explored the potential of technology, particularly Mixed Reality (MR), to enhance learning outcomes. Recent studies have demonstrated MR's effectiveness in improving college students' overall learning outcomes. While some studies have examined extending MR technology to university students, this area is still in its early stages. This paper presents research conducted at the University of Malta, employing multiple methods approaches to identify and analyse the barriers to knowledge transfer in university-level engineering education. It also introduces a framework for developing a Mixed Reality educational tool aimed at better preparing graduates for the workplace. The paper introduces the initial research work and potential of MR in enhancing training precision and efficiency, with initial insights suggesting significant potential improvements in practical skill acquisition. Through this work, we seek to continue to bridge the gap between academic preparation and industry expectations, positioning MR as a key technology in the evolution of engineering education.