Successfully Facilitating Initiation of Industry Engagement in Activities Which Involve Students in Engineering Education, through Social Capital

Benefits of industry engagement in engineering education for various stakeholders are well known, but there can be significant obstacles to initiating engagement. Using social capital theory, this study investigated how stakeholders initiate industry engagement in engineering education, and the main barriers from the stakeholders' perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were held with 21 professionals involved in the engineering industry (including academics and industry personnel). Inductive analysis showed industry engagement was initiated by all stakeholders, although reasons differed. Relationships between individual academics and their industry contacts were often key. Relying on these relationships was problematic when individuals changed roles or organisations. Relationships were also maintained through ongoing agreements or facilitated through third-party organisations. Key barriers included lack of invitations to industry stakeholders from universities, and unclear benefits to industry stakeholders of long-term engagement. The success of third parties in facilitating engagement may provide a framework for facilitating successful ongoing engagement.