World Engineers Summit 2025

At the World Engineers Summit 2025, Mr Toh Ser Khoon, Senior Director of Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic, delivered a keynote titled “Developing Future-Proof Engineers by Fostering Solution-Mindedness with Human and Digital Skills.” His presentation was part of Track 4: Engineering Education Transformation, which brought together global thought leaders to address how engineering institutions must evolve in response to rapid technological and societal shifts.

“Big Wave of AI Impacting Industry and Education” – exploring autonomous agents, multimodal cognition, and curriculum shifts.

Mr Toh’s sharing was grounded in the reality of megatrends—AI, cybersecurity, sustainability, remote collaboration, and the rise of a skills-based economy—that are reshaping both industry and education. He emphasized the need to rethink what we teach and how we teach it.

“Preparing Engineers for Future Challenges” – emphasizing lifelong learning and career agility.

Key Highlights from Mr Toh’s Presentation:

• The I.M.P.A.C.T Engineer: SP’s vision for future engineers includes being technically competent, mindful of context, principled and empathetic, adaptable, AI-savvy, and sustainability-conscious.
• CDIO + Design Thinking Pedagogy: SP integrates the CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) framework with Design Thinking to develop engineers who can solve real-world problems with empathy and creativity.
• Self-Directed Learning: SP’s model encourages students to take ownership of their learning, supported by flipped classrooms, learning analytics, and differentiated instruction.
• Solutioning Internships: Students engage in industry-based projects that require them to apply engineering principles to authentic challenges, preparing them for immediate workplace contribution.

Mr Toh’s keynote reaffirmed SP’s commitment to nurturing graduates who are Life-Ready, Work-Ready, and World-Ready, equipped to lead in a world of complexity, disruption, and opportunity.