The energy and enthusiasm of the Practical Engineering Education (PEE) Conference 2024 still feels fresh, and now you can experience it all over again with our PEE24 Highlights Video.
Held on 2–3 July 2024 in the University of Sheffield’s Diamond Building, PEE24 brought together engineering educators, students and industry partners from across the UK and Ireland. The conference buzzed with debate, hands-on demos and practical ideas for improving the way we teach and assess engineering skills in universities.
Share with colleagues who couldn’t make it.
PEE24 was hosted by the Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE) team in The Diamond – a space purpose-built for hands-on, collaborative learning. Across two packed days, attendees explored the challenges and opportunities of preparing students not only to know engineering, but also to do engineering – in all its complexity, messiness and creativity.
From keynote speakers like Professor Claire Lucas and Professor Andrew Garrard to interactive workshops on inclusivity, vibrant panel discussions, digital tools and lab-based learning. PEE24 created a space for deep engagement with the challenges and opportunities facing engineering education today.
Practical Engineering Education: Why it Matters
One of the recurring themes throughout the event was the growing importance of practical, hands-on learning in engineering education. At a time when many programmes are under pressure to cut lab time or prioritise content delivery, PEE24 reaffirmed the belief that learning by doing remains vital to shaping engineers who are not only knowledgeable but capable, confident and adaptable.
The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Sheffield continues to champion this ethos through its teaching in The Diamond. Students experience real-world engineering problems in collaborative environments, using authentic tools and working in multidisciplinary teams.
To reflect further on this theme, we’ve asked Dr Chalak Omar, Senior University Teacher in MEE and Chair of the PEE24 Planning Committee, to share his personal reflections on:
“PEE24 was a powerful reminder of why hands-on learning must stay at the core of engineering education. Across the sector, we need to move past the idea that practical skills are simply ‘add-ons’ to theory. They’re absolutely foundational, not just for developing competence, but for sparking curiosity, building confidence and unlocking creativity.
In the Diamond, we don’t just simulate practice, we immerse students in it. That approach gives them more than just technical ability; it helps them find their voice as engineers. At PEE24, this came through again and again in conversations: practical education doesn’t just support learning, it transforms it. That’s the standard we should be striving for nationally.”
— Dr Chalak Omar, Senior University Teacher in MEE and Chair of the PEE24 Planning Committee
Looking to 2026…
The next PEE Conference will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh in 2026. Planning is already underway. Please email PEE@sheffield.ac.uk if you want to find out more about the next PEE conference.
PEE continues to grow as a welcoming, inclusive space for engineering educators who care deeply about lab-based and hands-on learning. Whether you’ve attended from the start or are just discovering the community, we hope you’ll join us in Edinburgh.
Thank you to everyone who contributed: presenters, attendees, organisers, volunteers, and sponsors. PEE24 was more than a conference; it was a celebration of what’s possible when we work together to shape the future of engineering education.