Designing for inclusion: A pilot study on cultivating inclusive mindsets in engineering students

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56433/c35gza26

Keywords:

curriculum design, Diversity and Inclusion, DEI, inclusive mindset, sense of belonging

Abstract

This paper presents part of a pilot project at a faculty of engineering technology in Belgium, aimed at embedding inclusive design principles within the curriculum. This is in response to persistent challenges in attracting and retaining underrepresented groups, including female students and students with migration backgrounds. Efforts to improve diversity and inclusion in higher education often focus on supporting minoritised groups through targeted interventions. While valuable, such approaches risk overlooking structural and cultural dimensions of exclusion. This project focused on cultivating inclusive students among students through targeted curricular interventions. Three case studies were developed to explore inclusion across course types, engineering fields, and stages of the bachelor’s programme. These interventions addressed (1) diversity in the engineering profession, helping students imagine diverse future selves; (2) diversity in teamwork, encouraging inclusive collaboration; and (3) cultivating reflection on the students' own biases and positionalities.

Findings suggest that even small-scale, discipline-anchored interventions can foster awareness, collaboration, and critical reflection on diversity. The paper concludes with lessons learned for educators and institutions seeking to structurally embed inclusion in engineering education, and outlines future directions for sustaining inclusive practices across curricula. We underscore that inclusive education requires more than goodwill. It needs structures, tools, and visible practices aligned with core educational goals.

Author Biographies

  • Lili Allard, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

    Lili Allard is a PhD researcher and holds degrees in Philosophy and Sociology from Ghent. Her research focuses on the social interactions between international and local students from a multi-national study design. Her research interests focus on inclusive learning environments, diversity and inclusion within engineering education, and the internationalisation of higher education.  University. 

  • Mieke Cannaerts, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

    Mieke Cannaerts is an interdisciplinary Ph.D. researcher in Engineering Technology and Social Sciences at KU Leuven. Her work focusses on enhancing diversity in engineering through strengthen the engineering identity of a diverse group of students and fostering a feeling of belonging regardless of cultural background or gender

  • Rani Dujardin, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

    Rani Dujardin is a PhD researcher and holds a MSc in Theoretical and Experimental Psychology. After graduating in 2022, she started as a PhD student at KU Leuven in the research group ETHER (Engineering Technology Education Research) as part of the TRAINeng-PDP project on the subject of lifelong learning and personal development of engineering students. Her research interests include personal development, lifelong learning and intervention research. 

  • Dr. Lynn Van den Broeck, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

    Dr. Lynn Van den Broeck holds a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering Technology and a PhD in Engineering Education Research. Her PhD research focused on improving the guidance and support of transfer students in Engineering via the development of a validated diagnostic test and effective interventions. Her research interests focus on study guidance, effectiveness, and efficiency of educational interventions, LLL and professional competencies, and feedback. 

  • Dr. Sofie Craps, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

    Dr. Sofie Craps is a doctor in Engineering Technology and in Social Sciences at the ETHER research group at KU Leuven (Belgium). Her research interests focus  on  professional  identity  and  career  development,  professional  competencies,  and  inclusion and diversity in engineering (learning environments). She is an active member of the Leuven Institute for Education, the Leuven Engineering & Science Education Centre and the KU Leuven Diversity Council. She chairs the Special Interest Group Attractiveness of the European Society for Engineering Education. 

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Published

2026-06-09

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (part 2) (2026): EFYE Special Issue

Section

Reflective Analysis Papers

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Copyright (c) 2026 Lili Allard, Mieke Cannaerts, Rani Dujardin, Dr. Lynn Van den Broeck, Dr. Sofie Craps

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