Event: University of Sheffield – Global Engineering Challenge (GEC) 2026

Date: January 2026

Location: University of Sheffield, UK

Role: Mentor

Type of CPD: Mentoring / capability development / engineering innovation / academic–industry collaboration

Duration: Full‑day mentoring engagement (team support + presentations + feedback sessions)

Summary of the Event

I participated as a Mentor in the University of Sheffield’s Global Engineering Challenge (GEC) 2026, an interdisciplinary programme where engineering students collaborate to solve real‑world global challenges. The initiative brings together students from civil, mechanical, chemical, environmental and digital engineering disciplines to develop practical, sustainable and socially responsible solutions.

The 2026 challenge themes focused on water security, climate resilience, infrastructure sustainability, community impact, and innovation for low‑resource settings. My role involved supporting student teams as they developed concepts, assessed feasibility, and prepared final presentations.

My Contribution – Mentor

• Provided guidance to student teams on problem framing, systems thinking and engineering design approaches.
• Supported teams in exploring water‑sector challenges, including treatment optimisation, environmental monitoring and climate resilience.
• Offered feedback on technical feasibility, innovation potential and real‑world applicability.
• Encouraged students to consider social, environmental and economic impacts in their proposed solutions.
• Shared insights from industry on digital transformation, real‑time monitoring, and sustainable infrastructure.
• Helped students strengthen their communication, teamwork and presentation skills ahead of final judging.

Key Themes Covered

Interdisciplinary collaboration Bringing together engineering, environmental science and digital capability.

Water security and sustainable supply Treatment, distribution, resilience and community‑scale solutions.

Climate adaptation and resilience planning Flooding, drought, extreme weather and infrastructure vulnerability.

Innovation and digital engineering Sensors, data analytics, automation and integrated monitoring.

Sustainable and low‑carbon design Resource efficiency, circularity and nature‑based solutions.

Global development and community impact Equity, accessibility and culturally appropriate engineering.