Birmingham City University
During the academic year 2019-2020 second year, Birmingham City University’s (BCU) engineering students worked in interdisciplinary teams to develop solutions to the challenges faced by the community of Makers Valley in Johannesburg, South Africa using the Engineering for People Design Challenge from Engineers Without Borders.
Normally, an exhibition is held where students present their solutions and working prototypes to fellow students, academics and industry representatives, but this was not possible this year due the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead students developed videos which explained the context, the proposed solution and business case. Through a comparative judgement marking exercise where academics, students and industrial partners viewed and assessed the videos, BCU hosted an online film show and awarded the top three prizes.
Positive Feedback
The Engineers in Business (EIB) prize really excited and motivated the students to produce their best work. Supporting the academic endeavour of developing these professional skills for engineers with industry focus, that they are really important and recognised by EIB gives further weight to the teaching and inspires the students.
Laura Leyland, Associate Professor, Birmingham City University