​Symposium

AI in Mechanical Engineering Education

18 November 2026, Villa Jongerius | Utrecht

About the Symposium

AI is rapidly reshaping engineering practice, research, and learning. As educators, researchers, and practitioners, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on and to guide how these developments can enrich our educational programs, support innovation, and prepare future engineers for an AI-driven world. To that end, we would like to bring together representatives from all mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering programs, universities, universities of applied sciences, and industry in the Netherlands, to exchange ideas and to explore where a coordinated, national approach can strengthen Dutch mechanical engineering education in the age of AI.

 

We are pleased to invite you to an upcoming symposium dedicated to exploring the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Mechanical Engineering education.

 

Our ambition is to create an engaging and forward-looking event that brings together colleagues from academia, industry, and educational practice to exchange ideas, experiences, and perspectives. The symposium will provide a platform to discuss both the opportunities and challenges that AI presents for Mechanical Engineering education in the Netherlands.

 

The program will feature a variety of interactive formats, including:

  • Inspiring keynote lecture;

  • Interactive demos;

  • Collaborative brainstorming sessions;

  • Exchange of best practices and current initiatives; and

  • Panel discussions.

The Symposium is organized by the Raad voor de Werktuigbouwkunde (Netherlands Mechanical Engineering Council – NMEC).

Organization Committee:

-          Herman van der Kooij

-          Anna de Graaf-van Dinther

-          Anastasiia Krushynska

-          Joris Remmers

-          Menno de Wilde

-          Raf Van de Plas

-          Ruud Henkes

Symposium Chair

The Symposium will be chaired by Anic van Damme. She is a Dutch journalist, moderator, presenter, and podcast host with more than 15 years of experience in technology, innovation, science, and entrepreneurship. She previously worked for NOS, where she presented NOS op 3, and later for RTL's technology platform Bright. Today, she moderates international conferences and events for organizations such as Google, Accenture, and the United Nations Climate Conference, making complex technological developments accessible and engaging for broad audiences. A strong advocate of technology and innovation for societal impact, she is known for her energetic presentation style and ability to bridge the worlds of research, industry, and the public.

Featured speakers

Symposium Program

Location

Villa Jongerius

Dr. M.A. Tellegenlaan 1, 3527 MH Utrecht