Challenge-based learning (CBL) engages students in complex, real-life challenges, promoting responsibility for their learning. Existing research has identified several factors that contribute to students’ motivation in CBL environments. However, prior studies have focused primarily on cognitive and metacognitive learning functions in active learning environments in higher engineering education. Further, affective/motivational functions regulate behaviors and emotions that arise during learning and stimulate affective responses that may positively, negatively or neutrally influence students’ learning process, performance, and well-being. Thus, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this qualitative study examines engineering students’ motivation in CBL environments. Twelve Master’s level students from a research-intensive university in Sweden took part in semi-structured interviews discussing their experiences during different CBL courses studies. Analysis combined inductive and deductive approaches, identifying affective/motivational functions emerging from the interviews and analysing them based on SDT concepts. The qualitative thematic analysis identified motivations that emerged such as innovation, entrepreneurship, designing learning, practical experience, real-world problem-solving, and societal contribution through sustainability, grounded by the Self-determination continuum. SDT’s nutritient concepts of autonomy, competence, and relatedness were satisfied through structured tasks, mastery, learning, feedback, and positive social relationships. However, problematic areas such as a lack of rationale in tasks, absence of project choice, insecurity about professional rights, lack of feedback, limited growth opportunities, and negative social relationships frustrated students’ psychological needs. The study suggests practical applications to support motivational needs in higher engineering education, including regulating emotions during learning.

 Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) emphasizes student-centered approaches that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and engagement through real-world challenges, preparing students for professional engineering careers. However, the motivational processes underpinning these outcomes have not been systematically explored. This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize the effects of CBL on student motivation in higher engineering education, guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s protocol. The protocol involved defining the research questions, selecting relevant studies, extracting and analyzing data, and collating and reporting findings. This scoping review examined literature from seven scientific engineering education databases published between 2015 and 2024, resulting in a final selection of 18 articles. The review identified several thematic areas—CBL’s effects on students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, the enjoyment and engagement of real-world challenges application, the role of interdisciplinary collaboration and teamworking, the implications of real-world problem-solving for professional identity formation, and the teachers’ role. The review also revealed the predominance of quantitative methodologies, including instruments such as the SRQ-A and MUSIC® model, in evaluating CBL’s impact on motivation, while qualitative approaches, particularly those grounded in Self-Determination Theory, are notably underrepresented. This methodological disparity constrains a comprehensive understanding of students’ learning experiences and the contextual dynamics shaping motivation within CBL frameworks. These findings highlight the critical elements influencing student motivation in CBL contexts and provide insights into effective strategies for its implementation in higher engineering education.

 Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) emphasizes student-centered approaches that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and engagement through real-world challenges, preparing students for professional engineering careers. However, the motivational processes underpinning these outcomes have not been systematically explored. This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize the effects of CBL on student motivation in higher engineering education, guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s protocol. The protocol involved defining the research questions, selecting relevant studies, extracting and analyzing data, and collating and reporting findings. This scoping review examined literature from seven scientific engineering education databases published between 2015 and 2024, resulting in a final selection of 18 articles. The review identified several thematic areas—CBL’s effects on students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, the enjoyment and engagement of real-world challenges application, the role of interdisciplinary collaboration and teamworking, the implications of real-world problem-solving for professional identity formation, and the teachers’ role. The review also revealed the predominance of quantitative methodologies, including instruments such as the SRQ-A and MUSIC® model, in evaluating CBL’s impact on motivation, while qualitative approaches, particularly those grounded in Self-Determination Theory, are notably underrepresented. This methodological disparity constrains a comprehensive understanding of students’ learning experiences and the contextual dynamics shaping motivation within CBL frameworks. These findings highlight the critical elements influencing student motivation in CBL contexts and provide insights into effective strategies for its implementation in higher engineering education.

This doctoral thesis explores motivation in engineering education through authentic, real-world orientated learning experiences, focusing on Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), Work Industry-related Activities (WIAs), and STEM outreach. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), it examines how these practices can support or hinder students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness across educational stages from pre-university to postgraduate levels.

Study I reveals that meaningful WIAs that are aligned with student goals enhance motivation and professional identity, while employer-driven tasks may undermine it. Study II’s scoping review identifies a predominance of quantitative research on CBL and student motivation, with limited theory-informed qualitative analysis. Study III analyses student experience data using SDT to show that CBL fosters motivation through autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The same data show that frustration of these psychological needs leads to disengagement. Study IV analyzes Nordic STEM outreach, finding strong support for relatedness and competence but highlighting gaps in fostering autonomy and sustaining long-term interest.

The findings emphasize that motivation is enhanced when educational experiences are authentic, relevant, and connected to career aspirations. Motivation, however, is fragile and can be undermined by externally imposed or poorly aligned tasks. Structural tensions arise when pedagogies prioritize market or institutional agendas over student agency, limiting meaningful engagement.

This research extends SDT’s application in engineering education beyond classrooms to complex, interdisciplinary contexts. It advocates for “need-liberatory pedagogy” that empowers students as active knowledge co-creators, fostering curiosity, sustainability, and ethical responsibility. Practical implications include designing pedagogies aligned with SDT, promoting inclusive outreach, and embedding psychological metrics in policy and evaluation.

The thesis calls for sustained, participatory educational frameworks and outlines future research on autonomy-supportive teaching in CBL settings to deepen understanding of motivational support.

Doktorsavhandlingen undersöker motivation inom ingenjörsutbildning genom autentiska, verklighetsnära lärandeupplevelser med fokus på Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), arbetslivsrelaterade aktiviteter (WIAs) och STEM-outreach. Med utgångspunkt i Self-Determination Theory (SDT) analyseras hur dessa metoder stödjer eller hindrar studenters grundläggande psykologiska behov av autonomi, kompetens och samhörighet över utbildningsnivåer från föruniversitär till forskarutbildning.

Fyra sammanlänkade studier använder kvalitativa metoder och litteratursyntes. Studie I visar att meningsfulla WIAs som är i linje med studenternas mål ökar motivation och professionell identitet, medan uppgifter styrda av arbetsgivare kan underminera motivationen. Studie II:s översikt identifierar en övervikt av kvantitativ forskning om CBL och studentmotivation, med begränsad teoriinformerad kvalitativ analys. Studie III tillämpar SDT och visar att CBL främjar motivation genom att tillgodose behov av autonomi, kompetens och samhörighet, men att frustration av dessa behov leder till minskat engagemang. Studie IV analyserar nordiska STEM-outreach-aktiviteter och finner starkt stöd för samhörighet och kompetens, men framhäver brister i att främja autonomi och att upprätthålla långsiktigt intresse.

Resultaten betonar att motivation stärks när utbildningsupplevelser är autentiska, relevanta och kopplade till karriärambitioner. Samtidigt är motivationen skör och kan försvagas av påtvingade eller dåligt anpassade uppgifter. Strukturella spänningar uppstår när pedagogik prioriterar marknads- eller institutionsagendor framför studenters handlingsutrymme, vilket begränsar kritiskt engagemang.

Forskningen utvidgar SDT:s tillämpning inom ingenjörsutbildning bortom klassrum till komplexa, tvärvetenskapliga sammanhang. Den förespråkar en “need-liberatory pedagogy” som ger studenter möjlighet att vara aktiva medskapare av kunskap, och som främjar nyfikenhet, hållbarhet och etiskt ansvarstagande. Praktiska implikationer inkluderar att utforma pedagogik i linje med SDT, främja inkluderande outreach och integrera psykologiska mått i policy och utvärdering.

Avhandlingen efterlyser långsiktiga, deltagande utbildningsramar och presenterar framtida forskning om autonomistödjande undervisning i CBL-miljöer för att fördjupa förståelsen av motivationsstöd.

This study investigates the question of how Engineering education in the Nordic region responds to the challenge of educating future engineers who are ready for professional practice in a digital world. Particular interest is put on identifying who is responsible for the implementation of digital knowledge and what and how subject content is addressed. Our study draws on Bernstein’s pedagogical device model (Bernstein, B. 2002. “Editorial: Basil Bernstein’s Theory of Social Class, Educational Codes and Social Control.” British Journal of Sociology of Education 23 (4): 525–526). The study focuses on the questions of if/how digital transformation leads to change of engineering education content and/or pedagogical approaches. Narratives of 20 university teachers have been collected and analysed. Findings reveal three areas of consideration; there is a connection between how digital knowledge is valued and how the subject is introduced in engineering education, differences in digital knowledge can be linked to the generation gap and, universities are seldom seen as the driving force for digital innovation. It is concluded that education must reflect on the purpose for which digitalisation takes place, continuous training targeting digital transformation should be offered to senior teachers and, universities need to provide increased focus and dedicated time for educational development.

While the demand for employment in engineering is growing, most Nordic countries are struggling to attract enough adolescents to study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Previous studies have identified outreach activities as an essential tool for sharing information about STEM education, but their effectiveness in motivating adolescents to apply for engineering education is difficult to measure. To counteract the decline in recruits, universities are looking for ways to improve the effectiveness of their STEM outreach activities. This study examines how different university-led STEM outreach activities are designed to support adolescents’ interest development in STEM subjects. The data is based on semi-structured interviews with the organisers of 10 Nordic outreach activities, ranging from one-day events to nationwide umbrella organisations involving universities. The resulting 100 descriptions of supporting interest development in STEM subjects are analysed using content analysis. The findings identify common practices for supporting interest development in STEM subjects by supporting relatedness, strengthening competence, promoting autonomy, raising awareness, and building knowledge in STEM. The present study reveals the significance of applying both affective-emotional and cognitive-rational practices to create engaging outreach experiences that motivate participants to study engineering.

This pilot study explores engineering students’ motivation for learning and studying through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Five postgraduate students from a research-intensive Swedish university participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews about their study experiences from different Challenge-Driven Education (CDE) courses. It adds to the limited, existing literature on CDE and is the first to study it from a purely motivational perspective. As this is a pilot study, the primary intent of the data analysis concerns the first two phases of Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis approach - familiarisation and immersion in the data and generating initial codes. A combination of inductive and deductive approaches to analysing the data were used, and preliminary motivational factors emerged from the interviews are illustrated according to the SDT concepts. A variety of motivations for learning and studying, such as innovation, real-world problem solving, contribution to the society, and trial for following master thesis projects, emerged from the data and positioned on the self-determination continuum in which different types of regulations are guiding students’ behaviours simultaneously. Furthermore, autonomy in the choice of a project, feedback and assignmentdeadlines, and relationships within group work, enhanced or/and undermined the three psychological needs defined by SDT; autonomy, competence and relatedness. Preliminary findings are discussed in relation to the SDT literature, and practical applications are suggested for supporting the motivational needs of engineering students. Finally plans for a continuation of the study are discussed in light of this initial phase.

A number of key graduate outcomes related to industry-based interventions and work-industry-related activities (WIA’s) are specified by the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance for all Engineering Degree Programmes. A paucity of research regarding student perceptions of these WIAs and their role in student’s motivation for learning motivates the current study. Understanding student perceptions of WIA is critical to ensuring the effective integration of WIAs into engineering education. This study explores the perceived motivational effects of WIAs with which students engage through the lens of self-determination theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nineteen master’s students studying in two research-intensive Swedish universities. Six themes emerged from thematic analysis. The themes describe the impact WIAs can have on student motivation in terms of their perceptions of (1) relevance for the development of knowledge and skills, (2) influence on the student’s future profession identity, (3) utility for gaining industrial experience, inclusive of research experience, (4) relevance to student’s programmes of study, (5) industry marketisation agendas, and (6) alignment with industry needs over the student’s own needs. The motivating and demotivating aspects of WIA’s based on these themes are discussed to improve the collaboration between industry and academia in engineering education.

This Work in Progress paper describes considerations relative to the development of a follow-up exploratory quantitative design for examining student motivation in higher engineering education. The intent of the current work is to build on the outcomes of a previous qualitative study exploring the perceptions of students with regard to work industry-related activities included as part of their formal study experience in Swedish university settings. In the follow-up study design discussed in this paper we focus on a quantitative approach to assessing the impact of such experiences on student motivation. Findings from our previous study indicate both that how these different work industry-related activities are conducted and how the different relationships that are present can effect students’ motivation for learning in tertiary engineering education. However, while the earlier study provides understanding of which scenarios can affect student motivation, there is a need to consider relative effect sizes. To address this issue in this paper, we present considerations for a survey design and discuss the determination of population and sample size and study variables for a preliminary survey instrument. We also propose methods with which to establish validity and reliability, as well as presenting a data analysis plan. At this juncture, the development of a follow-up exploratory quantitative study will contribute to a better understanding of students’ perceptions about work industry-related activities which is currently a prime concern in higher engineering education, providing guidelines for a more critical planning of these activities in the future.

This full research paper aims to investigate the nature of industry-related activities engineering students encounter at a Swedish university, as well as the impact these activities have on their motivation to study engineering. Over the last decade, many studies have been conducted concerning university-industry engagement which chart the landscape of activities, educational approaches, and challenges that students face when involved in industry-related activities. Despite the existing close collaboration between Swedish engineering universities and industry, it seems that not only the feedback from the industry to universities is missing, but also students' perceptions of their industry experience and their needs are not taken adequately into consideration by the other two actors. As a consequence, there is a gap among the above three actors preventing the advancement of engineering education in terms of industrial interventions. Furthermore, there is a lack of research about students' perceptions of university-industry engagement activities. This study adopts a qualitative and exploratory research perspective, intending to gain a deep understanding of students' perceptions of industry-related activities which were integrated into their education. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine master's students studying on five-year long engineering programmes in a large research-intensive Swedish university. An inductive thematic analysis was employed, and social cognitive theory was considered as an interpretive tool through which to explore student motivation. The interviews indicated that the students participated actively in various industry-related activities, such as guest lectures, field-trips, internships, summer schools, and masters' theses in collaboration with industry partners which give context to the findings which highlight how industry-related activities can either positively or negatively affect students' motivation for studying and learning in engineering education.