The Centre for Engineering Education is an initiative to support the educational aims of Engineering at The University of Sheffield, and open to all, and especially the many and varied people who support these aims. In this post Emma Kenny-Levick, a Senior Administration Officer at The University of Sheffield and super power behind the CEE blog, shares how scholarship led her to challenge her assumptions, and to make time for reflection that changed on her own practice.
When I first joined Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE),
a recurring block of events appeared in my calendar titled “Red Line Week.” I
didn’t really know what it meant. I knew it was something to do with
scholarship and personal development, two terms that, at the time, felt distant
from my day‑to‑day role. I was new, busy and focused on learning the practical
realities of my job. Taking time out to think about scholarship didn’t feel
relevant.
I was a professional services member of staff so why
was scholarship relevant to me?
So, like many others across the Faculty of Engineering
might have done, I ignored it. I didn’t read the emails. I didn’t consider
attending the sessions. Not even when hot refreshments, pastries and lunch were
offered.
If only I’d known then what I understand now.
With hindsight, I can see clearly what Red Line Week
was always intended to be and why it has become such a valuable part of our
engineering education community today, now known as Engineering Education Scholarship Week (EESW).
Drawing a red line through
the working week
Red Line Week was developed and championed by Dr Matteo Di Benedetti, Senior University
Teacher in MEE and Co‑Director of the Centre
for Engineering Education (CEE). The idea was simple: draw a red
line through your work calendar and use that protected time to focus on your
own development.
At the time, I associated development with formal
training courses or mandatory requirements, not with taking space to think,
reflect, write or talk with others about how I did my job and how I could do it
better.
And I certainly didn’t see how scholarship related to
me.
“What is scholarship and what
has it got to do with my role?”
For me, scholarship felt abstract. It sounded academic,
theoretical, something for university teachers, not for someone in professional
services.
It wasn’t until my third year in MEE that something
shifted. I looked more closely at the programme and spotted a session on
effective evaluation, something directly relevant to my work. I decided to
attend.
That was the moment the penny dropped.
I realised that scholarship wasn’t about doing
something extra or becoming someone different. It was about developing ideas to
improve practice. About taking what you do every day and looking at it more
critically with the aim of making it better. Scholarship wasn’t separate from
my role, it strengthened it.
Space to think, not just
sessions to attend
What I came to understand is that EESW isn’t just about
workshops or keynotes, though those matter. It’s about creating space.
Space to sit in a room with like‑minded people.
Space to reflect on what works (and what doesn’t).
Space to talk openly about teaching, learning, evaluation, identity and
confidence.
Over time, the programme has grown from strength to
strength. What began as Red Line Week has evolved into a rich programme that
now includes:
●
Keynotes and workshops on
engineering education, scholarship, academic identity, writing and open
practices
●
Engineering and Teaching Shorts
(EATS)
●
Education Themed Networks (ETNs) bringing
colleagues together around shared interests
●
Dedicated scholarship spaces for
focused thinking, discussion and writing
●
Sessions delivered in partnership
with colleagues from across the University, including Elevate and Student
Support
Crucially, EESW welcomes academics, researchers, GTAs, professional services and technical colleagues. It recognises that improving engineering education and the student experience, is a shared endeavour.
Seeing the value of time
taken out
Now, when I see EESW in my calendar, I see it very
differently.
I see the benefit of stepping away from routine tasks
to think about what I do and how I might do it better. I see how confidence
grows when people realise that their experiences and ideas matter. And I see
how investing time in staff development feeds directly into stronger teaching,
better support services and richer learning for students.
I also see something else: permission.
Permission to slow down.
Permission to reflect.
Permission to invest in yourself without feeling that you should be doing
something else.
In a sector that often feels pressured and reactive,
having structured, protected time like this is not something to take for
granted.
Why I wish more people would
give it a try
If you’ve ever looked at EESW (or Red Line Week, as it
once was) and thought, ‘this isn’t for me’, I understand that reaction
as I had it too.
But my experience has taught me that taking time out
for personal and professional development isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. It
sustains good practice and strengthens not only how we work but how we work
together.
Engineering Education Scholarship Week is, at its
heart, about people: their ideas, their growth and the space to develop both.
If you’re curious about what that looks like in
practice, here are a couple of highlight videos from past programmes:
●
Why Engineering Education Scholarship week and the
benefits of attending
●
EESW July 2025 Highlights Video
●
EESW January 2026 Highlights Video
And if you’re on the fence next time it appears in your
calendar, my advice is simple: draw the red line and see what happens.
When citing this work, please use the following
citation:
Kenny-Levick, E (2026). “From Red Line Week to Engineering Education
Scholarship Week: Why Taking Time Out Matters” Centre
for Engineering Education Blog, The University of Sheffield,
Sheffield, UK. May 2026. https://www.ceesheffield.co.uk/2026/05/from-red-line-week-to-engineering.html