At the invitation of the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education & Practice (ISTEP) at the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, University of Toronto, Dr. XU Lihui, Assistant to Secretary General of the UNESCO International Centre for Engineering Education (ICEE), traveled to Canada to participate in the international conferences and engage in academic exchange at the University of Toronto.

On the morning of July 2, at the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Toronto, Dr. XU Lihui delivered a presentation titled “Engineering Education Research and Practice: Perspectives on Internationalization and Localization” as a special event of the ISTEP E2R2 (Engineering Education Research Roundtable), hosted by the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education & Practice (ISTEP). 

Drawing on ICEE’s extensive global collaborations and academic research, Dr. XU explored current trends in engineering education research and practice through the dual lenses of internationalization and localization. He shared insights from his involvement in major international initiatives such as the second UNESCO Engineering Report (ER II) and the Graduate Attributes and Professional Competencies (GAPC) framework revision under the International Engineering Alliance (IEA). In discussion with participants, he emphasized how global standards and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can support national strategies for engineering talent development, while also highlighting the need to integrate local culture, economic conditions, and technological development. Professor Susan McCahan, Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost of the University of Toronto, Qin Liu, Chirag Variawa, Patricia Sheridan, and more than ten other professors and experts and scholars from ISTEP and Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering of the University of Toronto attended the seminar.

On the afternoon of July 2, the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto hosted a discussion seesion titled “AI-Driven Innovation in Teaching”, chaired by Professor Ramin Farnood, Chair of the Department and former Vice Dean in Research of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Professors and scholars including Charles Jia, Weilai Yu, and others from the department participated in the discussion session. The attending experts engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as the integration of AI knowledge systems into curriculum reform, AI-assisted teaching methods, and institutional and departmental strategies for implementing AI in education.
During his visit to Canada, Dr. XU Lihui also participated in two major international conferencesm: the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA) 2025 Annual Conference held from June 17 to 21 at Polytechnique Montréal, with the theme “Engineer of Tomorrow: Innovation, Sustainability, and Ethics in a Constantly Evolving World”; and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) 2025 Annual Conference held from June 22 to 25 in Montreal, under the theme “Engineering Educators Bringing the World Together.”

Photo with Professor Hans Hoyer at the ASEE 2025 Annual Conference

During the conference, Dr. Xu Lihui engaged in in-depth and friendly exchanges with leading experts and scholars, including Professor Hans Hoyer, Secretary General of the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES) and Executive Secretary of the Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC); Professor Renetta Tull, Vice Chancellor of the University of California, Davis; Professor Emily Moore, Director of the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering at the University of Toronto; and Professor Nancy Black, Vice President and Secretary General of the International Ergonomics Association.

Photo with Professor Nancy Black at the CEEA 2025 Annual Conference

This visit significantly deepened mutual understanding between ICEE and international organizations as well as renowned overseas universities. It broadened consensus and opened up new avenues for continued collaboration, laying a solid foundation for jointly building a global engineering education community founded on the principles of equality, inclusiveness, development, and mutual benefit.