2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Diversity Drives Innovation Bridging the Atlantic: A Comparative Analysis of UK and US Higher Education Engineering Education Systems

Presented at International Division (INTL): Navigating Risks and Cross-Cultural Challenges

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the engineering education systems in the UK and the US, highlighting key differences and similarities in their approaches to training the next generation of engineers. The research is based on a year-long study conducted in the UK, involving visits to numerous universities, attendance at academic conferences, and frank discussions with administrators, academics and diverse faculty.

The study reveals distinct variations in program structure, student demographics, academic/faculty roles, and external influences on engineering education in both countries. While the UK and US share much of a common engineering language and strong historical ties, their engineering education systems have evolved along different paths, leading to unique strengths and challenges.

This comparative analysis contributes to the international discourse on engineering education by:
• Offering insights into diverse approaches to engineering education, fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
• Providing valuable information for students considering international study opportunities in engineering.
• Informing engaged faculty and administrators seeking to enhance their own programs through international benchmarking and best practices.

By examining the contrasts and commonalities between these two prominent engineering education systems, this paper aims to stimulate discussion and promote the exchange of ideas among engineering educators worldwide. It underscores the importance of international perspectives in addressing the complex challenges facing engineering education in an increasingly globalized world.

Authors

Dr. Roger V. Gonzalez P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0516-4437 University of Texas at El Paso [biography]

Roger V. Gonzalez is the inaugural chairman and professor of the Department of Engineering Education and Leadership. He is the Mike Loya Endowed Chair in Engineering. He also serves as the Director of the Engineering Leadership program for the College of Engineering. Dr. Gonzalez earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1986 from UTEP. He earned his M.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the premier Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and Northwestern Medical School. Professor Gonzalez has been recognized for scholarly work, education innovation, and socio-entrepreneurial humanitarian efforts. He is known and respected for actively incorporating students into all three of these areas.

Among many highlights of his scholarly work, he is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and was awarded a prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Research Service Award for his work in neuromuscular control and musculoskeletal biomechanics in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Gonzalez’s scholarly work includes over 100 publications in journals and conference proceedings.

For his efforts and innovation in engineering education, Dr. Gonzalez has received the American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE) Teaching Award, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation Award, and LeTourneau University’s top research and scholarship award. He was also a Finalist for the IEEE Global Humanitarian Engineer of the Year award in 2013. He serves as an engineering program evaluator for the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Dr. Gonzalez was awarded a faculty fellowship by UTEP and the University College London (UCL), where he served as a Visiting Professor, to spend the 22-23 academic year traveling throughout the United Kingdom visiting over 25 universities in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and The Netherlands. His research focused on how professional development plays a role in engineering education and how approaches to broadening access impact higher education.

Dr. Gonzalez is the Founder, former CEO, and President of LIMBS International (www.limbs.org), one of the most recognized international providers of low-cost prosthetic components. LIMBS is a 501(c)3 non-profit humanitarian organization that designs, creates, and deploys prosthetic devices to transform the lives of amputees in the developing world by restoring their ability to walk. Since its founding in 2004, the LIMBS Knee has helped thousands of amputees in over 50 countries on four continents.
Dr. Peter Golding University of Texas at El Paso [biography]

Professor in the Department of Engineering Education and Leadership at UTEP.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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