This paper was presented at the 2008 Engineering Conference - Innovation Good Practice and Research in Engineering Education.
Engineering courses are under pressure to change due to a range of factors including: the demands of industry student feedback and the government's Widening Participation (WP) agenda. Courses and departments must adapt in order to attract and retain a broader range of students. This paper presents a generic model for the adaptation of engineering curriculum to embrace this need for change; it is presented in a diverse and innovative manner which can fit any institution. The model is based upon research conducted as part of the London Engineering Project (LEP) a project designed to widen participation of under represented groups in engineering and is promoted here as a theoretical model of best practice for initiating the development of engineering curriculum by providing a holistic view of the perception of engineering throughout the institution. It shows how the progression of a series of interlinked strategies is required to ensure the embedding of a diverse and innovative engineering curriculum without the loss of technical content.
