From Evidence to Practice: Transferable Competencies and Skills in Engineering Education:

Authors

Thies Johannsen
Institute of Machinery System Design, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4290-7618
Matteo Di Benedetti
Sheffield Centre for Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7870-1323
Helena Kovacs
Teaching Support Centre, Vice-Presidency for Education, EPFL, Switzerland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2183-842X
Abel Nyamapfene
Education, Practice & Society, Institute of Education | Centre for Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8976-6202
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59490/mt.266.75

Synopsis

This chapter synthesises the transferable competencies and skills addressed in Part 2 and reframes them from a systemic perspective to contextualise their progressive development within modules, as part of curriculum development and across programmes in engineering education. It argues that competencies and skills are rooted in modules but best developed progressively. It identifies cross-cutting themes such as scaffolding, authentic learning, reflection, feedback literacy, interpersonal collaboration, and the critical use of technology, and discusses overlaps between skills, contextual sensitivity, and tensions between standardisation and individual adaptation. By making transversal structures explicit, the chapter positions Part 2 as a toolbox for module design, curriculum development, programme coherence, and institutional alignment. Finally, it prepares educators for the assessment focus of Part 3 by highlighting how intentional, contextualised skills development needs to align teaching practices and assessment with intended learning outcomes in engineering education.

Author Biographies

Thies Johannsen, Institute of Machinery System Design, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany

Thies Johannsen of TU Berlin teaches and works in the span between humanities, arts, and social sciences on the one end and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics on the other. His research focuses on competences for innovation along with knowledge and technology transfer. After working on various research projects and in research administration, he has developed and coordinated cooperative education programs with practical partners from business and public administration.

Matteo Di Benedetti, Sheffield Centre for Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

Di Benedetti, Matteo (0000-0001-7870-1323) is a Senior University Teacher in Multidisciplinary Engineering Education at the University of Sheffield, UK. His expertise includes large-scale lab-based teaching and the development of teaching assistants. His research focuses on teaching innovation and the professionalisation of teaching roles. He is Principal Fellow of Advance HE.  

Helena Kovacs, Teaching Support Centre, Vice-Presidency for Education, EPFL, Switzerland

Kovacs, Helena (0000-0003-2183-842X) is an Education Scientist and Project Manager for transversal skills at EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland. Her current work focuses on creating evidence-informed institutional structures and mechanisms that allow for skills development for all students. 

Abel Nyamapfene, Education, Practice & Society, Institute of Education | Centre for Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom

Nyamapfene, Abel (0000-0001-8976-6202) is a Professor at University College London, UK, whose work focuses on engineering education, active learning, and inclusive, evidence-informed pedagogy. His research and teaching explore how curricular design and learning environments can better support diverse student cohorts in developing key engineering competencies.

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Volume

SEFI Handbook on Teaching Transferable Competencies and Skills in Engineering

Pages

439-451

Published

August 26, 2026

Series

Education series

Categories

Copyright (c) 2026 Gillian Saunders-Smits, Lynn Van den Broeck, Thies Johannsen

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Johannsen, T., Di Benedetti, M., Kovacs, H., & Nyamapfene, A. . (2026). From Evidence to Practice: Transferable Competencies and Skills in Engineering Education: . In SEFI Handbook on Teaching Transferable Competencies and Skills in Engineering (pp. 439-451). TU Delft OPEN Books. https://doi.org/10.59490/mt.266.75