Engineering Equity; the value of engaging authentic and inclusive cogs in the learning and teaching machine.

This paper investigates the imperative of equity in the delivery of engineering education, as experienced at De Montfort University in Leicester. Recognizing the multifaceted challenges facing academics and institutions, our study delves into the transformative impact of engaging authentic and inclusive practices as essential components in the higher education machine. As we evolved post-covid, the University embraced a new ‘block delivery’ method of teaching and learning that involves the delivery of modules consecutively, usually over more intensive but shorter timeframes. Allowing students to be immersed in one topic at a time is viewed as a student-centred approach that reaps many benefits specifically for students from groups traditionally under-represented at University. Through an in-depth examination of our School’s past and current engineering education models, institutional policies, and classroom dynamics, we unveil our perspective of the intrinsic value of diversity and inclusivity. Lessons learned related to student contact time and pace of delivery of core underpinning material that is best absorbed more gradually will be shared, highlighting strategies for programmes in other disciplines that may face similar challenges. This paper underscores the necessity of fostering a learning environment where every student, regardless of background, feels a sense of belonging and is empowered to thrive.