Introducing a framework for designing an interdisciplinary engineering curriculum: educating new engineers for complex sociotechnical challenges

Tackling complex challenges emerging from sociotechnical systems requires close collaboration among different disciplinary experts to develop adequate and well-informed solutions. This requirement has profound implications for how education for future engineers is designed and delivered. The curriculum of a Dutch liberal arts programme that concentrates on interdisciplinary engineering education (IEE) was re-evaluated and redesigned to strengthen the integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in a project-based education. This curriculum redesign process resulted in a framework that specifies the focal points (proficiency in disciplinary knowledge, research and design skills, communication and collaboration abilities, and academic mindset) of the educational programme’s intended learning outcomes and emphasises the interconnectedness among those focal points throughout the education of interdisciplinary engineering students. This emphasis on interconnection is predicated on the integration of the central propositions of theories (e.g., constructivism, system theory) and frameworks (e.g. conceive-design-implement-operate or CDIO, project-based learning) in interdisciplinary engineering education.