STEAM-based education is the way forward

Single-discipline thinking is no longer enough. To equip work-ready graduates, we must invest in developing technical expertise alongside creativity through interdisciplinary learning. 

By embedding real-world interdisciplinary learning into curricula and deepening industry involvement in education, we strengthen the nation’s intellectual capital and cultivate a workforce that is ready to innovate at pace. 

So how do we put this into practice? The answer lies in STEAM-based education which integrates science, technology, engineering, the arts and humanities and mathematics. For me, STEAM is not a slogan or a superficial add-on, but a principle and practice woven systemically into the development and delivery of learning and teaching. It bridges analytical and imaginative modes of thinking, yields vibrant educational programmes and enriches the student experience.

I translate my work in STEAM into priorities and actions, listed below. These may guide colleagues in pursuing similar endeavours: 

Define your philosophy. What do you stand for? At my institution, I emphasise that a “learning-for-earning” approach is integral to what we do.  A foundational aspect of this is nurturing and developing students into highly capable, entrepreneurial, work-ready graduates through applied research and industry-informed teaching. Students develop competencies of real value to employers. The philosophy provides a basis for collaboration and the creation of a motto around which STEAM and interdisciplinary work occur.

Re-evaluate your pedagogy and seek to change it. Identify the motivation for STEAM work – for instance:

• To move away from siloed education towards a model that blends cross-disciplinary and cross-sector thinking
• To foster innovation, curiosity and practical solutions
• To encourage academic-business co-creation
• To encourage multi-modal experiential learning
• To foster research-informed practical scholarship
• To build problem-solving skills. 

Create roles for innovative pedagogy. Examples include:

• Strategic and leadership roles, such as pro vice-chancellor for STEAM/interdisciplinary education; director of interdisciplinary research and innovation; director of innovative pedagogy; STEAM integration lead (per faculty or department) and head of experiential and applied learning.
• Academic and pedagogical roles, such as interdisciplinary curriculum designer; practice-based professor and professor of STEAM practice.
• Student focused roles, such as STEAM student champions or ambassadors. These roles enable the championing and sharing of good practice and turn academic staff into ambassadors, brokers, enablers and practitioners. Creation of these roles also demonstrates institutional commitment to the STEAM and interdisciplinary agenda. 

Build an inclusive educational innovation ecosystem. Ecosystem players such as businesses from across sectors; community groups; public or civil sector groups; innovation support organisations and professional or accrediting bodies all bring something unique to the table, resulting in new interdisciplinary collective thinking, new avenues of learning and the creation of mutual value and impact. This type of ecosystem provides a strong context for learning with real-world impact and gives students a powerful sense of meaning and purpose; they develop an understanding of where their learning fits with industry and societal contexts. 

• Spotlight guide: A focus on interdisciplinarity in university teaching
• How to balance tension in interdisciplinary teaching and learning
• How to get students interested in interdisciplinary work

Design courses in which interdisciplinarity is intrinsic, not an optional extra. Build interdisciplinarity into the core curriculum to ensure that students encounter a blend of technical and creative learning. At my institution, we use STEAM as a basis for a scaffolded approach in certain courses – we have implemented a collaborative project-based module that is studied at Level 4, and students build on Level 5 and 6 modules that follow.

Cultivate vibrant, engaging educational practice fuelled by collaborative co-creation and practical learning. This means designing learning experiences that expose students to the challenges of their professional environment of interest. Manifestations of this include micro-placements, student start-ups, joint lab sessions with businesses and live projects with public and private sector entities on and off campus. These immerse students into real interdisciplinary innovation processes. 

Showcase student work by creating institutional platforms. For example, several years ago, I launched Innovation Fest, an academic staff-led celebration and demonstration of creative student talent to solve real-world problems through applied thinking, research and innovation. The event platforms the collective work of students, staff and university partners. It is a high-impact enactment of our philosophy and demonstrates interdisciplinary innovation in action.

Seek targeted investment for incubation spaces, maker labs or interdisciplinary research centres. When students share space with entrepreneurs and industry partners, ideas collide, and the meeting of minds often leads to new initiatives, collaborations, and outcomes that re-energise education. When seeking funding:

• Align projects with institutional and regional priorities (for example, skills development priorities or industry sector growth)
• Demonstrate clear demand, interdisciplinary value and impact
• Build partnerships with industry, civic, and cultural organisations
• Create sustainable financial, governance and growth plans
• Demonstrate the impact of existing STEAM/interdisciplinary pilots to show track record and credibility
• Facilitate and support academics with workshops on bid guidance
• Provide internal resources to support the writing and submission of bids.

The future of education will increasingly be driven by collaborative efforts between academia, industry and the community, resulting in more meaningful partnerships and more directly relevant curricula. Interdisciplinary education will evolve and become normalised, strengthening critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving capabilities. The design of effective STEAM and interdisciplinary programmes is within our reach, and we need to be confident to do it, even if that means disruptive change.

Hanifa Shah is pro vice-chancellor for research, enterprise, engagement and STEAM at Birmingham City University.

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