Wo kshop
Recommended ci a ion: B ink, S. C., Gomez Puen e, S., Ca lsson, C. J., Kelle , E.,
Rooij, R., Lyng, R., & McCa an, C. (2025). Cu iculum Agili y: S a egies o
Fu u e-P oo ing Lea ning and Teaching. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Jä inen,
H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence. Eu opean Socie y o
Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.17631315.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
CURRICULUM AGILITY: STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE-PROOFING
LEARNING AND TEACHING
S.C. B ink a,
1
, S.M. Gomez-Puen e b, C.J. Ca lsson c,
E. Kelle d, R.M. Rooij e, R. Lyng , C. McCa an g
a Umeå Uni e si y, Umeå, Sweden, ORCID 0000-0002-2622-5764
b Eindho en Uni e si y o Technology, Eindho en, he Ne he lands, ORCID 0000-
0003-3714-0843
c Chalme s Uni e si y o Technology, Go henbu g, Sweden, ORCID 0000-0002-
3945-8276
d KTH Royal Ins i u e o Technology, S ockholm, Sweden, ORCID 0000-0002-1701-
843X
e Del Uni e si y o Technology, Del , The Ne he lands, ORCID 0000-0002-2784-
1892
NTNU No wegian Uni e si y o Science and Technology, T ondheim, No way,
ORCID 0000-0003-1788-823X
g Queen’s Uni e si y Bel as , Bel as , UK, ORCID 0000-0003-4079-6843
Con e ence Key A eas: Cu iculum de elopmen and eme ging cu iculum models
in enginee ing, building he capaci y and s eng hening he educa ion compe ences
o enginee ing educa o s
Keywo ds: Cu iculum Agili y, cu iculum inno a ion, co-c ea ion, p og amme
design, cul u e o change
ABSTRACT
This wo kshop add esses he c i ical need o Cu iculum Agili y (CA) in
con empo a y enginee ing educa ion, de ined as he abili y o a cu iculum o be
esponsi e and adap able o apid changes in socie y, indus y, and s uden and
uni e si y acul y needs by dynamically adjus ing i s s uc u es, lea ning ou comes,
and ac i i ies. Pa icipan s will explo e he a ionale behind CA, emphasizing i s ole
in mi iga ing he S akeholde Expec a ion E o ha a ises when educa ional
p og ams ail o mee e ol ing s akeholde demands. The wo kshop del es in o he
concep o CA as a esponsi ely o ganized educa ion wi h dynamic lea ning con en
and lexible pedagogies, suppo ed by he con inuous de elopmen o s a . The en
p inciples o CA a e discussed, which we e o mula ed h ough ex ensi e esea ch
1
Co esponding Au ho
S.C. B ink
[email p o ec ed]
and co-c ea ion wi hin he in e na ional enginee ing educa ion communi y. The
wo kshop also in oduces he CA Sel -Mapping P o ocol, a acili a ed, mul i-le el, co-
c ea i e p ocess, designed o enable highe educa ion ins i u ions o assess and
enhance hei CA. This p o ocol, de eloped and e ined h ough wo kshops and pilo
s udies a a ious Eu opean ins i u ions, acili a es cu iculum s akeholde s o come
o a sha ed unde s anding ega ding he cu en s a e o CA and iden i y s a egic
ac ions o u u e imp o emen . Pa icipan s will gain insigh s in o he p o ocol's key
phases—In o ming, P obing, En isioning, S a egizing, and P io i izing—and i s
emphasis on inclusi e dialogue. The expec ed ou comes include a comp ehensi e
unde s anding o CA, i s guiding p inciples, and he alue o he Sel -Mapping
P o ocol as a ool o s a egic cu iculum inno a ion o ensu e sus ained quali y and
ele ance o enginee ing p og ams.
1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
Enginee ing educa ion ope a es wi hin an inc easingly dynamic en i onmen ,
cha ac e ized by apid echnological ad ancemen s, e ol ing socie al needs and
dis up i e global e en s, including he shi ing p o iles and expec a ions o s uden s
and s a in an inc eased mul i ace ed en i onmen .
1.1 Cu iculum change: a wicked p oblem in i sel
Today, socie al changes, en i onmen al challenges, and echnological leaps dic a e
a undamen al e-e alua ion o adi ional cu iculum design and deli e y models
(G asso & Bu kins, 2010; Sheppa d e al., 2008). The con en ional, o en leng hy
and bu eauc a ic p ocesses associa ed wi h cu iculum change can lead o a
signi ican lag be ween he knowledge and skills o e ed by educa ional p og ams o
ma ch he compe encies necessa y in socie y and desi ed by indus y (Malmq is e
al., 2022; Kolmos e al., 2016). This disconnec can be concep ualized as a
S akeholde Expec a ion E o , whe e he a ibu es and capabili ies o g adua es do
no align wi h he expec a ions o employe s, communi ies, and he lea ne s
hemsel es (Sheila e al., 2021; Zacha iah, 2007).
To e ec i ely add ess he complex challenges o he p esen and an icipa e hose o
he u u e, enginee ing cu icula mus possess a g ea e deg ee o esponsi eness
and adap abili y and include hose s akeholde s o manage expec a ions and include
pi o al aspec s in he enginee ing cu iculum (Kamp, 2021). In p ac ice, howe e ,
esou ces do no always allow o his, o i does no sui he o ganisa ional adi ions
and policies. No all conside cu iculum in i s holis ic sense – mo e han he sum o
sepa a e cou ses o e ed wi hin a deg ee p og amme ( an den Akke & Hameye ,
2003), wi h p og ession, o e a ching compe ency de elopmen , and s uden lea ning
expe ience a i s hea (Knigh , 2001). This makes changing a cu iculum a wicked
p oblem (Hans ed , 2023) in i sel , wi h many, and some imes opposing, cons ain s.
1.2 Cu iculum Agili y, o how o make con inuous cu iculum change
possible
CA is a c i ical amewo k o na iga ing his e ol ing landscape. I is de ined as he
capaci y o an educa ional p og am o p oac i ely and p omp ly adap i s cu icula
and o ganiza ional s uc u es, lea ning con en and ou comes, lea ning ac i i ies and
pedagogies, s a de elopmen , and examina ion design in esponse o changes in
socie y, indus y, and s uden and s a cha ac e is ics and needs (B ink e al.,
2024a). CA ep esen s a pa adigm shi owa ds " u u e-p oo enginee ing cu icula"
capable o coping wi h as -changing ci cums ances and he associa ed oppo uni ies
and h ea s. This in ol es cul i a ing a " esponsi ely o ganised educa ion, wi h
dynamic lea ning con en s and lexible pedagogics and didac ics, while all in ol ed
s a is con inuously de eloping compe ency o deal wi h he necessa y ansi ions",
(see Figu e 1). Ins ead o wo king wi h a one- esul , p ojec -based mindse , CA
p epa es he o ganisa ion o wo k in pe pe ual p o o yping e sions o he cu iculum,
as new challenges demanding change e ol e quickly in he dynamics o ou global
socie y. Cu iculum change is seen as a p ocess a he han a p oduc , suppo ed by
and embedded in a cul u e o change.
Figu e 1: Cu iculum Agili y and i s en p inciples (B ink e al., 2024a)
1.3 P ac ice as we p each: a co-c ea ed ame o mind
The CA concep has been de eloped collabo a i ely, mainly by membe s o he
CDIO (Concei e Design Implemen Ope a e) ne wo k (C awley e al., 2014). Since
2018, a sequence o esea ch by design ac i i ies has aken place a wo kshops,
ound ables, in e ac i e wo king lunches, wo king g oups, and con e ence
p esen a ions ac oss a ious in e na ional enginee ing educa ion o ums including
SEFI. This i e a i e and co-c ea i e p ocess, in ol ing a di e se and inclusi e ange
o in e na ional cu iculum owne s, expe s, and inno a o s, has de ined he scope o
CA and iden i ied ba ie s o change while gene a ing p inciples o good p ac ice.
The ou come o his ex ensi e wo k is he comp ehensi e concep o CA,
unde pinned by a se o en p inciples designed o guide ans o ma i e cu iculum
inno a ion. These p inciples p o ide a holis ic amewo k o Highe Educa ion
Ins i u ions o conside a ious ace s c ucial o os e ing agili y on o e a ching,
educa ional, and o ganisa ional aspec s, see Figu e 1.
1.4 Sel -mapping Cu iculum Agili y
Th oughou he concep ualiza ion o CA, a c ucial need was iden i ied o a
mechanism o assess and enhance an ins i u ion's le el o agili y. The e o e, he CA
Sel -Mapping P o ocol was de eloped as a acili a ed, mul i-s akeholde , co-c ea i e
me hod. This p o ocol is designed o ac i ely engage cu iculum s akeholde s a all
le els—including acul y, middle and senio managemen , s uden s, and ex e nal
pa ne s—in a s uc u ed dialogue o os e a sha ed unde s anding o Cu iculum
Agili y (CA) wi hin hei local con ex . I suppo s he collabo a i e de elopmen o
na a i es ha e lec he cu en s a e and acili a es he iden i ica ion o iable,
easible, and desi able measu es and p io i ies o enhance cu iculum agili y.
The sel -mapping p ocess ypically in ol es i e key s eps: In o ming (in oducing CA
and i s p inciples), P obing (w i ing and sha ing na a i es), En isioning (de eloping
7. Managemen App oach:
Cul i a ing Change Cul u e
8. Legisla ion and Policy:
Re aming he Rules
9. O ganisa ion and Go e nance:
Responsi e Adminis a ion
10. Decision Making : Accommoda ing
Implemen a ion Poli ics
4. Lea ning Objec i es:
Assessing on Holis ic Lea ning Goals
5. P og amme and Cou se Design:
Dynamic Con en and Flexible Educa ion
6. Lea ning Spaces: Flexible Physical,
Digi al, and Social Solu ions
1. Educa ional Vision: Wi h Agili y
2. S akeholde In ol emen :
Co-c ea ion Including Decision-Make s
3. Pedagogy and Didac ics: Suppo ing
Pedagogic Inno a ion and Leade ship
The P inciples o Cu iculum Agili y
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u u e scena ios), S a egizing (iden i ying CA measu es), and P io i izing (ag eeing
on a s a egic plan). Howe e , pilo s wi h he CA Sel -Mapping P o ocol a a ious
Eu opean uni e si ies and spanning di e en ins i u ional le els (uni e si y, acul y,
school, depa men , and p og am), ha e demons a ed he alue o cus omizing he
p ocess o he di e se highe enginee ing educa ion con ex s, s akeholde s, and
hie a chical le els in he uni e si y o ganisa ion in ol ed (B ink e al., 2024b).
Wi h his lexibili y, he pilo s ha e demons a ed he alue and easibili y o sel -
mapping in he di e se highe enginee ing educa ion con ex s. Highligh s men ioned
by pilo pa icipan s we e he impo ance o nego ia ing a local in e p e a ion o CA
and he ins umen al ole o he en p inciples in guiding discussions. Fu he mo e,
he mul i-s akeholde , co-c ea ion app oach inhe en in he p o ocol has acili a ed
dialogue and he exchange o pe spec i es ha migh no o dina ily occu , leading o
new insigh s and a mo e comp ehensi e unde s anding o he challenges and
oppo uni ies ela ed o cu iculum change. The eedback om hese pilo s has been
c ucial in e ining he p o ocol and de eloping a suppo ing oolki o aid acili a o s in
guiding ins i u ions h ough he sel -mapping p ocess.
1.5 Cu iculum Agili y Quick Scan
As pa o he i s s ep o he sel -mapping (In o ming), a quick scan in oduces he
concep o CA o hose un amilia wi h i quickly and in e ac i ely. A Quick Scan is a
apid, s uc u ed assessmen ool used o gain an ini ial, high-le el o e iew o he
agili y o a cu iculum. I engages key s akeholde s—such as acul y, s uden s, and
ins i u ional leade s—in e lec ing on co e dimensions o CA, such as change
esponsi eness in e disciplina y in eg a ion, lexibili y in lea ning pa hways, and
s akeholde in ol emen . The goal is o iden i y s eng hs, gaps, and oppo uni ies o
imp o emen , which can in o m deepe dialogue and s a egic planning.
The Quick Scan app oach has been ied ou in di e en se ings and is now b ough
o he SEFI communi y. This wo kshop is he e o e designed o p o ide pa icipan s
wi h an eme ging ounda ional unde s anding o he concep , a ionale, and guiding
p inciples o CA. I also se es as an in oduc ion o he CA Sel -Mapping P o ocol as
a p ac ical and aluable ool o sel -assessmen , os e ing mul i-s akeholde
engagemen , and s a egically planning o cu iculum inno a ion. By engaging wi h
he co e ideas and he ini ial s eps, he sel -mapping p ocess enables pa icipan s o
conside how hey can con ibu e o enhancing he agili y o hei enginee ing
educa ion p og ams.
2 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
2.1 Ta ge audience
The wo kshop aims o engage a di e se g oup o highe enginee ing educa ion
p ac i ione s, a ying om eaching s a o (highe ) managemen . The con en and
ac i i ies a e designed o be ele an o hose who a e seeking o unde s and and
implemen s a egies o inc easing he agili y o hei cu icula o be mo e esponsi e
o he e ol ing needs o socie y, indus y, s uden s and s a . The wo kshop is
designed o equip pa icipan s wi h he knowledge and skills o apply he en CA
p inciples as a amewo k o sel -mapping cu iculum changes wi hin hei own
uni e si ies. Addi ionally, i p epa es pa icipan s o e lec upon cu en si ua ion and
o e ec i ely acili a e simila CA p ocesses in hei ins i u ional con ex s.This
includes indi iduals esponsible o p og ammes and cou ses, and hose o he wise
in ol ed in cu iculum planning, quali y assu ance, o ganiza ion, and inno a ion and
esea ch wi hin highe enginee ing educa ion:
• Facul y membe s who each cou ses and coo dina e ( he de elopmen o )
cou ses and p og ammes.
• Managemen such as depa men heads, deans, p og am manage s, and o he
adminis a i e s a esponsible o cu iculum decisions and implemen a ion.
• Indi iduals in educa ional suppo oles, such as academic de elope s,
cu iculum designe s, quali y assu ance s a , and educa ional ad iso s.
• Po en ially, o he s akeholde s who a e in e es ed in he ou comes o
enginee ing educa ion, e.g. indus y and o he collabo a ion pa ne s wi hin and
ou side o academia.
2.2 Expec ed lea ning ou comes
By he end o his wo kshop, pa icipan s will:
• Unde s and he de ini ion and a ionale o CA in he con ex o con empo a y
enginee ing educa ion.
• Recognize he impo ance o CA in add essing he e ol ing needs o socie y,
indus y, s uden s, and s a .
• Become amilia wi h he p inciples o CA as ou lined in ecen esea ch.
• Ge an o e iew o he CA Sel -Mapping P o ocol, including i s key phases and
unde lying philosophy o mul i-s akeholde engagemen and co-c ea ion.
• App ecia e he po en ial o he CA Sel -Mapping P o ocol as a ool o sel -
assessmen and s a egic planning o cu iculum inno a ion.
3 WORKSHOP DESIGN
3.1 Time plan
The wo kshop is s uc u ed in an in e ac i e and lexible manne , combining sho
p esen a ions wi h g oup discussions in di e en in oduc o y ac i i ies, ela ed o he
CA Sel -Mapping P o ocol.
Table 1. CA wo kshop ime plan
Run ime
Ac i i y
10 min
In oduc ion
The concep , he 4 domains, he 10
CA p inciples
20 min
CA Quick Scan (indi idual)
E alua ing he CA P inciples, see CA
QS ques ions below
5 min
Re lec ion (plena y)
On p inciples and on Quick Scan
15 min
Di e deepe ac i i ies (small
g oup)
• Fu he discuss a speci ic p inciple
• Discuss change app oaches
ega ding a selec ed p inciple o
each cu iculum agili y
• Compa ing ins i u ional con ex
di e ences
10 min
W ap up Resul s and Ou comes
3.2 In e ac i i y
The CA Quick Scan and he CA P inciples a e used as a e ac s o he pa icipan s
o wo k wi h. Depending on he le el o p e-knowledge and in e es s o pa icipan s,
hey can choose ac i i ies:
1) Answe he quick scan ques ions indi idually and discuss he answe s and
ele ance o he ques ions om he pe spec i e o hei speci ic con ex s wi h
o he s in g oups.
2) Di e deepe in o one o wo o he p inciples ha a e mos ele an o hei
p ac ice and discuss wi h pee pa icipan s he a ionale, enable s and
obs acles, and app oaches.
3) Bo h, as is depic ed in able 1. Pa icipan s will conduc a Quick Scan and will
conduc a deep di e in one o wo p inciples.
4 WORKSHOP RESULTS
The wo kshop ga e people bo h a ocabula y o discuss and an app oach o
(quickly) e alua e cu iculum agili y. Pa icipan s we e asked o do a Quick Scan o
an educa ional con ex ha hey a e amilia wi h, e.g. hei ins i u ion, hei
depa men , hei deg ee p og am, hei cou se. An impo an insigh ha was
discussed is ha eache s and educa ion esea che s end o ocus – when hinking
abou CA – on he ields o ‘Educa ion’ (p inciples 4-6) and ‘O e a ching’ (p inciples
1-3).’ The o ganisa ional p inciples o hese wo g oups o s akeholde s end o be
ei he a blind spo , o some hing hey eel no con ol o e . Howe e , o ha e
s akeholde s a ound he able om h oughou he educa ional con ex when
assessing CA ( eache s, esea che s, suppo s a , managemen , educa ional
ad iso s, s uden s, indus y, …), en iches e e ybody’s iew on pe cei ed ha d- o-
sol e bo lenecks and oom o change.
Some indings om he pa icipan s’ discussions we e:
• Alignmen o In ended Lea ning Ou comes (ILOs) among all cou ses o he
p og am is a challenge and a p io i y.
• Cu iculum change does mean going h ough all le els in he o ganiza ion and
ope a ions, so s a egy and implemen a ion go hand-in-hand.
• Change o egula ions o accommoda e changes in he cu iculum is
impo an , e.g., assessmen , use o AI, e c.
• Ca ying ou his exe cise o sel -assessmen b ings ou wha is needed in
e ms o esou ces. I helps o ge a holis ic iew o he changes and how o
add ess hem by making a plan o ac ion.
Pa icipan s we e in o med abou nex s eps o his CA ini ia i e ( he CDIO CA
wo king g oup) and ollow-up possibili ies ha hey could conside hemsel es o
doing in hei home ins i u es:
• The wo kshop o ganise s a e pa o he edi o ial eam w i ing The Cu iculum
Agili y Guide – o Con inuous Cu iculum Inno a ion. The book will p esen
he ins and ou s o CA, including examples and sel -mapping ma e ials.
• The ex ensi e CA sel -mapping p o ocol is mean o engage wi h s akeholde s
in one’s own communi y and is adjus able o he local con ex . The p o ocol
consis s o i e main s ages om c ea ing sha ed unde s anding o CA, ia he
di e en na a i es on local CA ea u es, o de eloping a CA ision, s a egy
and p io i iza ion in join e o .
• An open in i a ion o join he CA ini ia i e as a CA co- hinke , a co-c ea o , o
use and p ac i ione o CA.
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