Fostering International Engineering Education Research Collaborations: On the Need to Think Beyond the Workshop Format

We report results from three international engineering education workshops held in Australia, the Netherlands and the UK in 2009. In order to foster international engineering education research collaborations and community building, the authors organised workshops on e-learning, gender and diversity, and problem/project-based learning. We begin by reviewing literature on successful research collaborations. Background information about the workshops and how they were planned is then presented, followed by a review and evaluation of participant feedback and project outcomes. We conclude by discussing implications and recommendations for those interested in planning, funding or attending similar events in the future, such as the need to explore a wider range of strategies for developing and sustaining international collaborations, including but not limited to the traditional workshop format.