Beacon Shortlist for SERC Engineering Project

A student-centred engineering project at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) has been shortlisted for an Association of Colleges (AoC) Beacon Award 2024/2025.

SERC’s Partnerships, Inclusion, Enhancing Education (PIE) project – recently commended in the Widening Participation category – has been announced as a Finalist in the prestigious Awards which highlight the breadth and quality of education in colleges throughout the UK.

The PIE project aims to break down gender barriers in engineering education and to address challenges faced by individuals from low-income backgrounds. Since 2020, the strategy has included developing Partnerships with significant industry bodies and funders, such as the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Community Foundation Ireland’s All-Island Fund.   This has helped the team implement strategic projects with Dundalk Institute of Technology and Limerick University. The Inclusion element has seen a large-scale engineering engagement programme with females and has involved working extensively with schools to promote inclusion and diversity in the industry. The final strand, Enhancing Education has seen the development of an online engineering bridge-building game to help young people see the fun side of the industry. Over the last four years, this project has significantly increased programme enrolments, including a 10% rise in female students.

SERC is one of only two Northern Ireland colleges who have reached the Finalist stage.  SERC’s Partnerships, Education, App, Recharge room (PEAR) project was recognised with a Commendation in the Support for Students category.

Winners will be announced in March 2025