ATLAS University College Twente: a novel approach in interdisciplinary engineering education

ATLAS University College Twente offers a residential, interdisciplinary engineering program that aims at educating the ‘New Engineer.’ The program has embraced the concept of self-directed learning, meaning that students attain most of the program’s learning goals in their own way. ATLAS is organized in semesters, each with their own specific learning goals. These so-called semester goals define a framework that allows students to build their own academic profile as New Engineers and, at the same time, safeguards that all students reach the intended learning outcomes of the program itself. One of the core values of the program is integration. Students follow mandatory courses in the domains of mathematics, natural - and social sciences, and work in interdisciplinary projects. ATLAS also offers interdisciplinary electives, designed and executed by teachers with different disciplinary backgrounds.
Moreover, students are encouraged to use their extensive elective space to further build up their interdisciplinary profile as New Engineers. The program was successfully accredited in 2018 and is in a continuous state of development and innovation. This contribution discusses the set-up of the curriculum, its
interdisciplinary components, its radical educational approach, assessment method, and future program developments and challenges.