Training needs for a PhD programme in Engineering Education

The field of Engineering Education (EngEd) is a relatively new discipline that is attracting a growing interest all around the world. Despite this interest in research in EngEd, there are still only a few PhD programmes in the area, the oldest being that established in 2004 at Purdue University. Although some research groups exist in Europe, to our knowledge there are only three PhD programmes: those in Aalborg, Chalmers and Uppsala. The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Barcelona Tech is a technical University providing degrees only in engineering, sciences and architecture. We have a strong commitment to high-quality education and face the same problems as other technical universities, such as the need to increase student attraction and retention, the development of an engineering identity and the acquisition of the professional competencies required in a global world. While we have been developing research in all those subjects, our next goal is to create a new PhD programme in Engineering, Science and Technology Education, with the first cohort due to begin in September, 2020. The structure of an EngEd PhD programme consists of a unique combination of engineering and education requirements. In order to design our program, we analysed the training courses offered by five programs (at Aalborg, Chalmers, Purdue, Uppsala, and Virginia Tech). This paper presents what we have learnt about the courses and learning objectives of those programmes.