A biomedical engineering curriculum development: A qualitative study engaging four stakeholders

Abstract

Biomedical engineering is critical in improving people's lives through innovative solutions to biological and medical challenges. In the face of today's rapidly evolving climate, the field of biomedical engineering encounters numerous pressures that demand up-to-date skills and competencies. The (re-)development of curricula aligning with industry and societal needs, students' expectations, and academics' expertise while outlining graduates' knowledge (that) and abilities (how) becomes indispensable despite the challenges and complexities presented by conflicting priorities, tight timelines, and scarce resources. This paper presents a qualitative study conducted by a biomedical engineering graduate school at an Australian university. The study engaged four key stakeholders—industry partners, recent graduates, current academics, and students—in a self-auditing process of an existing biomedical engineering curriculum. This exercise aimed to identify priorities for the future development of the curriculum. The findings reveal the perspectives from the four stakeholder groups, with industry partners and recent graduates focusing on technical and transferable skills and current students and academic staff advocating for breadth and a more practice-oriented curriculum, where transdisciplinarity should inform biomedical engineering education. We propose that this evidence-based and bottom-up approach with multiple stakeholders holds potential implications for fields beyond biomedical engineering education. It provides valuable guidance to educational institutions seeking to (re-)develop their curricula to align with evolving industry and society demands.