The Centre for Engineering Education is an initiative to support the educational aims of Engineering at The University of Sheffield, and open to all, and especially the many and varied people who support these aims. In this post Emma Kenny-Levick, a Senior Administration Officer at The University of Sheffield and super power behind the CEE blog, shares how scholarship led her to challenge her assumptions, and to make time for reflection that changed on her own practice.
When I first joined Multidisciplinary Engineering Education (MEE), a recurring block of events appeared in my calendar titled “Red Line Week.” I didn’t really know what it meant. I knew it was something to do with scholarship and personal development, two terms that, at the time, felt distant from my day‑to‑day role. I was new, busy and focused on learning the practical realities of my job. Taking time out to think about scholarship didn’t feel relevant.
I was a professional services member of staff so why was scholarship relevant to me?
So, like many others across the Faculty of Engineering might have done, I ignored it. I didn’t read the emails. I didn’t consider attending the sessions. Not even when hot refreshments, pastries and lunch were offered.
If only I’d known then what I understand now.
With hindsight, I can see clearly what Red Line Week was always intended to be and why it has become such a valuable part of our engineering education community today, now known as Engineering Education Scholarship Week (EESW).
Drawing a line through the working week
Red Line Week was developed and championed by Dr Matteo Di Benedetti, Senior University Teacher in MEE and Co‑Director of the Centre for Engineering Education (CEE). The idea was simple: draw a red line through your work calendar and use that protected time to focus on your own development.
At the time, I associated development with formal training courses or mandatory requirements, not with taking space to think, reflect, write or talk with others about how I did my job and how I could do it better.
And I certainly didn’t see how scholarship related to me.
“What is scholarship and what has it got to do with my role?”
For me, scholarship felt abstract. It sounded academic, theoretical, something for university teachers, not for someone in professional services.
It wasn’t until my third year in MEE that something shifted. I looked more closely at the programme and spotted a session on effective evaluation, something directly relevant to my work. I decided to attend.
That was the moment the penny dropped.
I realised that scholarship wasn’t about doing something extra or becoming someone different. It was about developing ideas to improve practice. About taking what you do every day and looking at it more critically with the aim of making it better. Scholarship wasn’t separate from my role, it strengthened it.
Space to think, not just sessions to attend
What I came to understand is that EESW isn’t just about workshops or keynotes, though those matter. It’s about creating space.
Space to sit in a room with like‑minded people.
Space to reflect on what works (and what doesn’t).
Space to talk openly about teaching, learning, evaluation, identity and confidence.
Over time, the programme has grown from strength to strength. What began as Red Line Week has evolved into a rich programme that now includes:
● Keynotes and workshops on engineering education, scholarship, academic identity, writing and open practices
● Engineering and Teaching Shorts (EATS)
● Education Themed Networks (ETNs) bringing colleagues together around shared interests
● Dedicated scholarship spaces for focused thinking, discussion and writing
● Sessions delivered in partnership with colleagues from across the University, including Elevate and Student Support
Crucially, EESW welcomes academics, researchers, GTAs, professional services and technical colleagues. It recognises that improving engineering education and the student experience, is a shared endeavour.
Seeing the value of time taken out
Now, when I see EESW in my calendar, I see it very differently.
I see the benefit of stepping away from routine tasks to think about what I do and how I might do it better. I see how confidence grows when people realise that their experiences and ideas matter. And I see how investing time in staff development feeds directly into stronger teaching, better support services and richer learning for students.
I also see something else: permission.
Permission to slow down.
Permission to reflect.
Permission to invest in yourself without feeling that you should be doing something else.
In a sector that often feels pressured and reactive, having structured, protected time like this is not something to take for granted.
Why I wish more people would give it a try
If you’ve ever looked at EESW (or Red Line Week, as it once was) and thought, ‘this isn’t for me’, I understand that reaction as I had it too.
But my experience has taught me that taking time out for personal and professional development isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. It sustains good practice and strengthens not only how we work but how we work together.
Engineering Education Scholarship Week is, at its heart, about people: their ideas, their growth and the space to develop both.
If you’re curious about what that looks like in practice, here are a couple of highlight videos from past programmes:
● Why Engineering Education Scholarship week and the benefits of attending
● EESW July 2025 Highlights Video
● EESW January 2026 Highlights Video
And if you’re on the fence next time it appears in your calendar, my advice is simple: draw the red line and see what happens.
When citing this work, please use the following citation:
Kenny-Levick, E (2026). “From Red Line Week to Engineering Education Scholarship Week: Why Taking Time Out Matters” Centre for Engineering Education Blog, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. May 2026. https://ceesheffield.co.uk/2026/10/27/redlineweek/
