Building on 4 highly successful events to date, engineering and technology leaders from the private sector and education, NGOs and government gather in person and online over 4 days to reflect, exchange and propose solutions to critical issues in a unique, interactive format allowing every voice to be heard, and every idea expressed.
FIND OUT MOREThe GEDC Industry Forum leverages collective knowledge and experience, developing an influential, meaningful dialogue among participants. From socially conscious engineering and ethics to micro credentials and open innovation, the content and ideas which emerge from the event address the most important issues of our time.
See ResourcesReflecting together on everything we have learned both collectively and individually over the challenging past 18 months, at the 2021 GEDC Industry Forum over 90 participants from 27 countries across 6 continents gathered to explore how universities, companies and our stakeholders can work better together to prepare for and pre-empt the global challenges that lie ahead.
Dean of Engineering, American University of Sharjah, UAE and Chair GEDC
The world of education is undergoing profound change as a result of the unprecedented challenges we are experiencing right now. Engineering communities are emerging as leaders of the change, and there will be much to share and discuss in September.
Over 4 days, more than 120 engineering and technology leaders from 25 countries across 5 continents gathered online in the first virtual GEDC Industry Forum.
Engineering deans and leaders from academia, non-profit organizations, government and private sector connected via Zoom over four days, exchanging ideas on possible ways forward to adapt engineering education to a changing world.
The resulting output was extraordinary in the dynamism of the format and the scope of ideas presented. The 2020 GEDC Industry Forum ‘Idea Book’ presents this output in an interactive format allowing you to watch the short presentations from each group and explore useful resources related to each theme.
This edition of the GEDC Industry Forum organized by the GEDC, Petrus and McMaster University Faculty of Engineering, has the most participants in its three-year history.
Find out more about the 2020 GEDC Industry Forum here.
Previous participants have come from a wide range of engineering and technology specializations across education and the private sector; from FTSE 100 leaders to dynamic tech start-ups. Typical attendees include President, Vice-Rector, Dean and Director of Education; R&D or HR Director, CEO, HO Engineering Innovation or Technology.
Global online community
Invited participants
Deans / Industry leaders
Countries represented
Gender balance
Of previous delegates would like to participate again
The Industry Forum was designed to gather inspiring experts AND to create a platform where a learned community of industry and academic leaders can come together to build on our collective experience.
Senior Director, Global Academic Program, Siemens
A very unique opportunity for academic and industry leaders to engage on emerging trends and best practices in engineering education.
Panelists representing industry, education, and the public sector, share their experience and insights on a topic relevant to one of the event themes. The panelists are deliberately chosen to represent a range of perspectives and their presentations are structured not simply to ‘inform’ participants but to stimulate discussion and debate among all attendees.
Director of Global Partnership Program, Huawei
One of the benefits of the Industry Forum is to be connected to the elite circle of international engineering educators, to learn about the experiences of both industry partners and academia.
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The student voice is a key feature of the GEDC Industry Forum. Ahead of the 2020 event, a diverse and truly global cohort of 48 selected students worked together in teams to re-design how we learn, work and live in the future. The best student presentations were shared with Industry Forum delegates for inspiration.
Dean of School of Engineering, Campbell University
Truly unique and engaging. The Industry Forum provided a great platform for helping attendees truly get to know one another and share ideas, generate future collaborations and more.
Vice President, Product Marketing Academic, Customer Education, Software, National Instruments
The GEDC Industry Forum gave an excellent opportunity to discuss and generate ideas on how universities and industries can work together to better prepare students for their careers.
Participants work collaboratively in groups, each of which is tasked with designing solutions to challenges identified under one of the event themes. Each design group presents their conclusions and recommendations to the whole audience at the end of the Forum.
Each design group delivers an engaging, creative presentation of their work. This is where we design the future together by agreeing on what recommendations to take forward.
Inspire and be inspired
The right balance of input and group work ensures we hear from global experts, while highly innovative sessions designed to facilitate peer-to-peer learning lead to the creation of valuable new ideas.
Make a difference
The Industry Forum is designed for participants come together to create pioneering solutions to some of the biggest global challenges shared by engineering and technology employers, educators and innovators.
Have fun
GEDC Industry Forum participants will be involved in highly creative and innovative group work sessions facilitated by renowned global specialists.
Collaborate
Delve into the priorities and pressures that your counterparts in industry, education and the start-up sector are facing and contribute to an open dialogue in a trusting environment that turns differences into assets.
Share and gather expertise
The Industry Forum’s innovative format ensures that every single voice is heard, creating a unique opportunity to leverage collective knowledge whilst developing an influential and meaningful dialogue.
To go beyond networking
The level of trust and engagement enabled by this unique format presents a remarkable opportunity for participants to go beyond networking build genuine, useful and lasting relationships.
Inspire and be inspired
The right balance of input and group work ensures we hear from global experts, while highly innovative sessions designed to facilitate peer-to-peer learning lead to the creation of valuable new ideas.
Make a difference
The Industry Forum is designed for participants to create pioneering solutions together to some of the biggest global challenges shared by engineering and technology employers, educators and innovators.
Have fun
The GEDC Industry Forum participants get involved with highly creative and innovative group work sessions facilitated by renowned global specialists.
Collaborate
Delve into the priorities and pressures that your counterparts in industry, education and the start-up sector are facing and contribute to an open dialogue in a trusting environment that turns differences into assets.
Share and gather expertise
The Industry Forum’s innovative format ensures that every single voice is heard, creating a great opportunity to leverage collective knowledge whilst developing an influential and meaningful dialogue.
To go beyond networking
The level of trust and engagement enabled by this unique format presents a remarkable opportunity for participants to go beyond networking build genuine, useful and lasting relationships.
The GEDC Industry Forum provides the opportunity to bring together leading thinkers to discuss how best to transform engineering education and strengthen ties between academia and the private and public sectors. As a champion of research and education with impact, the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University is proud to host this influential and forward-thinking event that will explore solutions for a changed world. We anticipate that the outcomes of this first-ever virtual forum will spark crucial discussions that will bring hope and agency to engineering education along with facilitating strategies and implementations.
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University
To maintain the highly interactive nature of the event which allows every voice to be heard, participation is by invitation only with the number of places available deliberately low. We’d be delighted to hear from more potential participants and contributors so if you would like to receive an invitation, please get in touch: contact@gedc-industryforum.com
A small number of engaging, interactive sponsorship opportunities are available to support the event, our publications and outreach activity. Find out more here or contact dominic@petruscommunications.com
The Global Engineering Deans Council is a remarkable resource and network for leaders in engineering education – find out more about becoming a member of the GEDC here.
To maintain the highly interactive nature of the event which allows every voice to be heard, participation is by invitation only with the number of places available deliberately low. We’d be delighted to hear from more potential participants and contributors so if you would like to receive an invitation, please get in touch: contact@gedc-industryforum.com
A small number of engaging, interactive sponsorship opportunities are available to support the event, our publications and outreach activity. Find out more here or contact dominic@petruscommunications.com
The Global Engineering Deans Council is a remarkable resource and network for leaders in engineering education – find out more about becoming a member of the GEDC here.