Queen Mary team members Dr Rehan Shah (SEMS), Dr Atm Alam and Dr Marie-Luce Bourguet (EECS) and Dr Tippu Sheriff (SPCS) from the The Centre for Academic Inclusion in Science and Engineering (CAISE) showcased their faculty-wide education project “Breaking Barriers in STEM: Making Inclusion and Diversity Count” (which was selected among the top 20 global finalist projects in the 'Access, Diversity and Inclusion' category) at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025, held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster, London from 1st - 3rd December 2025.

Dr Rehan Shah, delivered the five-minute pitch presentation on behalf of the team to highlight CAISE’s work, which aims to achieve a radical reimagining of STEM education via inclusive excellence, student co-creation and authentic transformation. Drawing on a three-pillar approach of evidence-based interventions, educator transformation and participatory pedagogy, the project looks beyond traditional metrics to deliver lasting, systemic, change. By positioning diversity as a catalyst for academic innovation, it exemplifies Queen Mary’s ethos of authentic inclusivity, offering a scalable model for influencing educational policy and practice. It also places Queen Mary at the forefront of equitable education, transforming both the student experience and the broader STEM landscape. The project’s mission is to empower every learner to thrive as skilled, confident scientists and engineers by breaking barriers and fostering inclusive excellence in STEM education.

This year led to 1,600 submissions being received across 18 award categories with four very competitive round of evaluations, conducted by more than 800 international judges. The finalists selected to pitch the presentation to the Grand Jury of judges were among the top 20 international projects within their respective categories. The project team are extremely grateful to each other for their valuable contributions as well as to Queen Mary Academy and the university for providing dedicated support throughout this gruelling award process, which has highlighted the significant impact that CAISE's work has within and beyond the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Queen Mary.