Strengthening skills and employability, promoting innovation and networking, and bringing engineering education closer to market demands are the main objectives of the European project ENG-INC. With the participation of the Faculty of Biotechnology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa as the Portuguese partner, the project was launched with a Kick-Off meeting coordinated by Kempten University of Applied Sciences, in Germany, marking the start of a collaborative effort among leading European institutions.
ENG-INC (Enhancing Employability and Skills for Engineering Graduates through Innovation, Networking, Collaboration and Curriculum Updating) aims to improve the capacity and quality of higher education in engineering, responding to the growing demand for qualified engineers in the context of the global economy. The project focuses on critical gaps in engineering curricula, providing students with a solid understanding of essential practical and theoretical knowledge for professional success.
Pedagogical innovation will be a central element, promoting hands-on experiences that respond to industry demands through the integration of new technologies and learning methodologies. The project also foresees knowledge transfer and the creation of tailored training programmes for both faculty and students, fostering active collaboration among European higher education institutions recognised for their modern teaching methodologies.
ENG-INC also adopts an inclusive approach, ensuring that students with disabilities or from less advantaged backgrounds have equal opportunities to access the benefits of updated curricula and methodologies. Accessible learning tools, adaptive technologies, and support systems will be implemented to reduce barriers and enable all students—especially target groups—to fully benefit from the project.
The Kick-Off meeting took place on 8 December 2025, marking the official start of a project that aims to bring academic education closer to the real needs of industry, preparing engineers capable of addressing the challenges of local and regional markets, particularly in the technology and sustainable engineering sectors.