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This paper presents an instance of a web-based stand-alone simulation game aimed at teaching electricity market subjects. The main objectives of this version of the electricity makets game (EmGA) platform are to introduce players/students to the short-term electricity market structure and to highlight the importance of forecasting tools in decision-making. A hypothetical situation has been carefully designed using historical data, where each player takes the role of a wind farm owner willing to participate in the day-ahead electricity market to maximize its economic profit. Players are asked to submit hourly energy bids which are then compared to the wind farm's actual energy production and mapped to revenue by basic market rules for price-taker participants. Preliminary student feedback reinforces the potential of the EmGA platform for improving the teaching of electricity market subjects, showing a general acceptance and a perception of improved knowledge reception of more than 77%.

Today’s global transformation processes and sustainability issues, lead to challenges and modified competence requirements that the engineering sciences have to face. In addition to digitalization as a major influencing factor, graduates need to be prepared to develop complex and interdisciplinary solutions in teams. Engineering sciences have to take up the challenges to provide suitable engineering curricula for a divers and a broader target group (e.g. non-technical and female students); especially in light of the current shortage of qualified specialists. As a consequence, there is a need for evidence-based innovative curriculum design dealing with diversity and heterogeneous target groups and encouraging interdisciplinary approaches. This paper contributes threefold to that discourse on transformation processes and diversity aspects in Engineering Education: (1) by considering gender-specific data in Engineering Higher Education and Engineering Education Research (EER); (2) by presenting a qualitative study, which analyses gender-specific curriculum design requirements; and (3) by introducing a research-based bachelor’s program for a divers target group. Today’s global transformation processes and sustainability issues, lead to challenges and modified competence requirements that the engineering sciences have to face. In addition to digitalization as a major influencing factor, graduates need to be prepared to develop complex and interdisciplinary solutions in teams. Engineering sciences have to take up the challenges to provide suitable engineering curricula for a divers and a broader target group (e.g. non-technical and female students); especially in light of the current shortage of qualified specialists. As a consequence, there is a need for evidence-based innovative curriculum design dealing with diversity and heterogeneous target groups and encouraging interdisciplinary approaches. This paper contributes threefold to that discourse on transformation processes and diversity aspects in Engineering Education: (1) by considering gender-specific data in Engineering Higher Education and Engineering Education Research (EER); (2) by presenting a qualitative study, which analyses gender-specific curriculum design requirements; and (3) by introducing a research-based bachelor’s program for a divers target group.

There exists a significant gap between the requirements specified within higher education qualifications and the requirements sought by employers. The former, commonly expressed in terms of learning outcomes, provide a measure of capability, of what skills have been learnt (an input measure); the latter, commonly expressed in terms of role descriptions, provide a measure of competency, of what a learner has become skillful in (an output measure). Accreditation traditionally provides a way of translating and embedding industry-relevant content into education programmes but current approaches make fully addressing this requirements gap, referred to here as the Capability-Competency Chasm, very difficult. This paper explores current efforts to address this global challenge, primarily through STEM examples that apply within the United Kingdom and European Union, before proposing a way of bridging this chasm through the use of a 21st Century (C21) skills taxonomy. The concept of C21 Skills Hours as a new input measurement for learning within qualifications is introduced, and an illustrative example is presented to show the C21 skills taxonomy in action. The paper concludes with a discussion of how such a taxonomy can also be used to support a microcredentialing framework that aligns to existing competency frameworks, enabling formal, non-formal and informal learning to all be recognized. A C21 Skills taxonomy can therefore be used to bridge the gap between capability (input) and competency (output), providing a common language both for learning and demonstrating a skill. This approach has profound implications for addressing current and future skills gaps as well as for supporting a transition to more personalised learning within schools, colleges and universities and more lifelong learning both during and outside of employment.