TEDI-London

TEDI-London, launched in 2020, provides a strong case study in how innovative, partnership-led models can reshape engineering education to better meet future workforce and societal needs. Co-founded by PLuS Alliance partners Arizona State University, King’s College London and UNSW Sydney, TEDI-London was established in response to growing global demand for engineering talent and the need for more inclusive pathways into the profession.

At the time of its establishment, 2018/19 Engineering UK data showed that women represented only 21% of new entrants into engineering and technology courses, and just 12.4% of the engineering workforce. At the same time, the UK faced an annual shortfall of approximately 20,000 engineers. TEDI-London was designed to challenge traditional approaches to engineering education and attract more diverse cohorts into the field through a highly applied, project-based learning model.

TEDI-London delivered undergraduate degrees including Engineering with AI, Engineering with Mechatronics Systems and Global Design Engineering through an educational approach that positioned students as “engineers in training” from day one. Rather than relying on lectures and exams, students worked from TEDI-London’s design studios during standard business hours, collaborating on real-world industry and community projects. Learning was delivered through “just-in-time” modules that supported project outcomes, enabling students to build technical capability alongside skills in collaboration, stakeholder engagement, ethical decision-making and problem-solving.

The institution’s philosophy was closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with projects focused on themes such as sustainable cities and communities, affordable and clean energy, climate action, and health and wellbeing. This purpose-driven curriculum, combined with an innovative admissions process, contributed to significantly more diverse student participation, with early cohorts including 39% female students and 21% mature-age students.

TEDI-London’s educational model gained international recognition for embedding ethical values and social impact into engineering practice. Its approach was featured as a case study by the Engineering Professors Council, supporting broader efforts to integrate similar principles across engineering curricula internationally. The model also demonstrated the potential scalability of project-based, industry-connected STEM education.

A key component of the TEDI-London experience was its international residential and collaborative project programs, which brought together students from universities around the world to work on real-world challenges. Through the PLuS Alliance partnership, UNSW students participated in immersive multidisciplinary programs that developed practical, industry-ready skills while fostering global collaboration and intercultural learning.

Building on the success and learnings of TEDI-London, the institution has now evolved into ASU London, led by Arizona State University and Cintana. As ASU London, the legacy and impact of TEDI-London continues through an expanded global education model that demonstrates how innovative partnerships and experiential learning can transform higher education to better reflect the needs of industry, society and future generations.