27th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education

The 27th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE25) was successfully hosted in Malta by the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering in collaboration with the Department of Technology and Entrepreneurship Education at the University of Malta. Centred on the theme of fostering human-centred product and service system design, the event brought together a vibrant international community of educators, researchers, and practitioners to share experiences, innovations, and challenges shaping the future of design education.

Chaired by Prof. Ing. Philip Farrugia and co-chaired by Prof. Ing. Jonathan C. Borg and Dr Ing. Lawrence Farrugia Caruana, the conference opened with welcome speeches from the Chair and the Rector of the University of Malta, Prof. Alfred Vella. The first keynote, delivered by Ing. James Attard Kingswell, drew on case studies from the cosmetics industry to illustrate the vital role of human-centred design education in delivering innovative and commercially successful products and services. On the following day, the second keynote was given by Ing. Amanda Azzopardi, who reflected on her journey from the University of Malta to the biomedical industry, demonstrating how engineering design education provided a strong foundation for the development of impactful biomedical products.

Throughout the event, participants engaged in a wide spectrum of parallel sessions that showcased innovative pedagogical approaches and forward-looking perspectives. Themes included new learning and teaching methods fostering collaborative products and services, embedding circular economy principles into design education, and advancing product-service system design education in the AI era. Further contributions explored how to strengthen industry–academia collaboration, pedagogical considerations across product-service system design, and the implications of collaborative design education practices. Presenters also discussed innovative assessment methods for multidisciplinary projects, the exploitation of systems design methods in education, and the integration of ethical and social considerations into product-service system curricula.

The conference provided a platform for knowledge exchange, emphasising the need to embed user experience, sustainability, and ethics within design education while embracing the opportunities offered by digitalisation and AI. By fostering meaningful dialogue and sharing best practices, E&PDE25 reaffirmed the central role of human-centred approaches in preparing the next generation of engineers and designers to meet societal, industrial, and technological challenges.

The success of this event was made possible thanks to the dedication of organisers, reviewers, presenters, and participants, who together upheld the high standards and collaborative spirit that have long characterised the E&PDE series.