PhD Summer School in Engineering Education Research
Date | Friday, 21 November to Sunday, 23 November 2025 | 3 Days
Venue | 26 Degrees South | BOHO Hotel | Muldersdrift
Join the first African PhD Summer School dedicated to engineering and science education research, hosted alongside the IRSPBL / SASEE / SoTL in the South Conference.
This three-day programme is rooted in African epistemologies and informed by the realities of the Global South. It offers a space for PhD students and early-career researchers to deepen their expertise, learn from leading African and international mentors, and engage with radically different contexts than those found in traditional Global North programmes.
The Summer School draws on the Intra-Africa Mobility network, showcasing research on sustainability in engineering education and inviting participants to explore new ways of thinking and acting in their own research. Sessions combine interactive workshops, peer learning, writing time, and small-group mentoring.
Programme Highlights
Day 1 – 21 November: Knowledge, Power, and Place
Led by Professor Siseko H. Kumalo, this day will challenge participants to interrogate the politics of knowledge in engineering and science education. Drawing on African philosophy, decolonial critique, and feminist theory, we will examine how epistemic traditions shape research questions, methods, and outcomes — and how Global North and Global South approaches can be brought into meaningful dialogue. Participants will reflect on their own positionality as researchers and explore what it means to conduct transformative scholarship in and for African contexts.Day 2 – 22 November: Sustainability as a Research Imperative
Guided by an expert in Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this day foregrounds sustainability as a central framing for engineering education research. With a focus on curriculum and pedagogical development, readiness for change, and student agency, participants will learn strategies for embedding sustainability competences in research design and practice. Case studies from African contexts will highlight how sustainability can be integrated meaningfully into both educational practice and doctoral research.Day 3 – 23 November: Career Pathways and Research Futures
This closing day focuses on career perspectives, publication strategies, and building lasting research networks. Participants will develop concrete next steps for their doctoral journey, supported by mentors and peer feedback.
