Pedagogical model
inaglobe's pedagogical model converts STEM students into social impact professionals. Our pedagogy is grounded in situated, relational learning, combining social innovation, humanitarian engineering, and design research to help students become reflective practitioners equipped to navigate complex, real‑world challenges.
Recognising the formative stage of engineering students, inaglobe integrates project‑based learning into the curriculum, connecting students with real‑world problems sourced from grassroots initiatives. This method aligns academic pursuits with meaningful, practical challenges, bridging the gap between theoretical education and impactful, practical work.
Bridging the skills gap
The divide between the academic knowledge imparted by university curricula and the practical skills demanded by today's workforce is a growing concern in higher education. Traditional educational models often emphasise theoretical frameworks, leaving graduates unprepared for the practical challenges they face in their professional lives.
The problem
While universities excel at developing analytical abilities, they fall short in providing hands‑on experience crucial for workplace readiness. Students seeking meaningful social and environmental work often encounter abstract, de‑contextualised projects disconnected from the realities of communities on the ground.
Our approach
We embed real‑world project‑based learning into curricula, immersing students in actual social innovation projects. Through long‑term engagement with partners and communities, students develop critical thinking, adaptability, collaborative skills, and the confidence to navigate complex, unfamiliar contexts.
Core commitments
Our pedagogical model is built on four core commitments that ensure learning is situated, relational, and justice‑oriented:
Experiential & project‑based
Learning happens through long‑term engagement with a real brief and partner, not hypothetical case studies alone. Students work in multidisciplinary teams with partners in different regions, supported by educators and an open resource of methods, tools, and case studies.
Justice‑oriented
Students examine power, histories, and the ethics of intervention, not only technical feasibility. Learning starts from the lived realities of partners and places, inviting students to slow down, listen, and work with (not on) communities.
Interdisciplinary
Teams bring together different disciplines, backgrounds, and forms of expertise. This cross‑disciplinary approach mirrors the complexity of real‑world challenges and prepares students for collaborative work across diverse cultures and fields.
Reflective
Regular reflection, documentation, and peer feedback are built into the rhythm of each project. This reflective practice helps students develop metacognitive skills and a vocabulary for discussing their learning and impact.
What students develop
Through inaglobe's pedagogical model, students develop a combination of practical skills, ethical frameworks, and adaptive mindsets that prepare them for impactful careers:
Practical skills
- Confidence working in unfamiliar contexts and disciplines
- Hands‑on experience with collaborative methods from the inaglobe resource—from mapping and interviews to prototyping and evaluation
- Ability to navigate complexity and work across cultures
Ethical frameworks
- A vocabulary and practice for talking about power, ethics, and responsibility in engineering and design
- Understanding of systemic inequalities and how innovation can address or reproduce them
- Commitment to situated, relational approaches that centre community needs
Long‑term benefits
The long‑term benefits of practical training through inaglobe's pedagogical model are substantiated by research. Studies show that graduates with experiential learning backgrounds command higher starting salaries and are more likely to receive job offers than their peers without such experience.
More importantly, project‑based learning enhances long‑term career outcomes by fostering critical thinking, adaptability, and collaborative skills. Testimonials from inaglobe participants affirm the transformative effect of this approach, with many alumni attributing their career successes to the competencies and confidence they gained from inaglobe projects.
Career outcomes
By equipping students with the hands‑on skills required in today's dynamic and complex professional landscape, inaglobe plays a critical role in shaping the innovators and leaders of tomorrow. The incorporation of practical skills training into university education is not just beneficial but essential for preparing students to navigate and succeed in the rapidly evolving workforce.
How this connects
The pedagogical model works in tandem with our innovation model to create learning experiences that are situated, relational, and justice‑oriented. Together, they operationalise our mission and vision of bridging the gap between theoretical education and impactful, practical work.
For more on how we work with students, partners, and educational institutions, see How we work. Tools, methods, and case studies from our pedagogical practice are documented in the inaglobe open resource.