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CDIO inventory and plan for KTH's Master of Science in Engineering programmes

The project involves creating knowledge about the extent to which KTH's Master of Science in Engineering programmes contain the fundamentals of CDIO and proposing how CDIO (both practically and strategically) can be integrated into quality management systems for education at KTH.

Mapped principles 

The project is mapped to the following framework principles:

P1. Essential knowledge of the subject

P2. Ability to handle wicked problems for the sustainable societal development 

P11. A management system for quality development

Definitions of the principles

Contact

Pernilla Ulfvengren
Pernilla Ulfvengren associate professor

This project is implemented at the School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM) within the Future Education programme (project no. 2511-ITM).  

Project context

There is a lack of concretisation of what within CDIO (a pedagogical framework used globally in engineering education) KTH considers to be the minimum for a Master of Science in Engineering programme at KTH. After years of strong focus on, and resource allocation to, the implementation of sustainability and equality in the education, it is high time to identify the engineering content, the core, of our Master's degree programmes. "Best practice" engineering that forms the basis of the CDIO syllabus has good prospects of providing (1) essential subject knowledge and (2) the ability to handle wicked problems. 

There is also a shortage of knowledge about the extent to which our education programmes contain the fundamentals of CDIO and to what extent Programme Directors (PA) and teachers know and apply the CDIO syllabus. Different programmes and areas of technology can make very different interpretations.

Purpose (outcome)

The purpose of the project is firstly to create knowledge about the CDIO status in KTH's Master's degree programmes in engineering and secondly to propose how CDIO (both practically and strategically) can be integrated into quality management systems for education at KTH.

Project results (output)

Report on the status of CDIO at KTH (strategically and in practice), including:

  • Identification and definition of what is meant by ‘engineering thinking’ in different technical fields and inventory of the extent to which PAs and teachers know and apply the CDIO syllabus
  • Inventory, verification and validation of the CDIO syllabus in KTH's Master of Science in Engineering programmes
  • Suggestions and recommendations for how CDIO can be integrated into a quality management system for education at KTH and how the work can move forward.

Time plan

Start date: 2025-10-20
End date: 2026-04-20

Project documentation

If you have a KTH ID, you can read the latest project documents when logged in.

  • Poster: The project’s first poster (in Swedish) will be available at the ”Storträffen” meetup on 2025-12-01
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Last changed: Oct 13, 2025