Future Engineering: Beijing
Discover engineering through hands-on design, electrical circuits, structural testing and real-world challenges.
See what the experience is like
Engineering in action
Could you design a working machine, build electrical circuits and test a bridge to its breaking point, all before you leave school?
Over two weeks at Zhongguancun Software Park in Beijing, students will explore the world of engineering alongside ProEd tutors and UK industry professionals. Through hands-on challenges in electrical, civil, mechanical and energy engineering, they'll discover how engineers turn ideas into working solutions.
From building circuits and programming motors to testing structures and designing mechanical systems, students will learn through practical experimentation. They'll also explore sustainable engineering by planning energy solutions for a city district, balancing cost, demand and environmental impact. Industry visits will offer further insight into engineering within China's technology sector.
The programme concludes with the ProEd Zhongguancun Challenge, where students work in teams to design, build and test a working solution to an engineering brief before demonstrating it to tutors and peers.
Students leave with practical engineering experience, a deeper understanding of potential career pathways, a ProEd Certificate of Completion and a letter of recommendation.
Key highlights
From brief to prototype
Turn a client's brief into a design, build a prototype and discover how engineers test and improve their ideas.
Build circuits & make things move
Explore electrical engineering through circuit design, motors and microcontrollers, bringing your designs to life.
Test structures to their limits
Design and test bridges and structures, predict how much weight they can hold and investigate why they fail.
Engineer smarter solutions
Explore gears, sensors and automation, then tackle sustainable energy challenges that balance performance, cost and environmental impact.
Why Beijing for Summer 2027?
Beijing is one of the world's leading centres for science, technology and innovation, making it an exciting destination for students interested in engineering and its real-world applications.
At Zhongguancun Software Park, students will explore electrical, civil, mechanical and sustainable engineering through practical design challenges in the heart of China's Silicon Valley.
With hands-on learning led by UK industry professionals and visits to technology companies, students gain insight into how engineers design, develop and test solutions to real-world challenges.
Programme timetable
Timetable is a guide only and may be subject to change.
From brief to prototype
- Discover how engineers turn a client's brief into a practical design
- Develop sketches and build your first prototype
- Test your design and identify where improvements are needed
Make it move
- Explore electrical circuits and learn to read circuit diagrams
- Use professional testing equipment to understand how circuits work
- Programme a microcontroller to control a motor
Load it until it breaks
- Explore how forces affect bridges and buildings
- Predict how much weight a structure can support
- Test your design to its breaking point and investigate why it failed
Gears, sensors and feedback
- Discover how mechanical and mechatronic systems work
- Design a drivetrain using gears and mechanical components
- Explore how sensors and feedback systems control movement
Power a city
- Plan an electricity supply for a new city district
- Analyse energy demand and explore sustainable solutions
- Balance cost, performance and environmental impact
Inside China's Silicon Valley
- Explore engineering applications within China's technology sector
- Discover how engineers develop and test new technologies
- Gain industry insight through visits to technology companies
The Zhongguancun Build Challenge
- Work in teams to respond to a practical engineering brief
- Design, build, programme and test a working machine over two days
- Demonstrate your final solution to tutors and fellow students
From brief to prototype
- Discover how engineers turn a client's brief into a practical design
- Develop sketches and build your first prototype
- Test your design and identify where improvements are needed
Make it move
- Explore electrical circuits and learn to read circuit diagrams
- Use professional testing equipment to understand how circuits work
- Programme a microcontroller to control a motor
Load it until it breaks
- Explore how forces affect bridges and buildings
- Predict how much weight a structure can support
- Test your design to its breaking point and investigate why it failed
Gears, sensors and feedback
- Discover how mechanical and mechatronic systems work
- Design a drivetrain using gears and mechanical components
- Explore how sensors and feedback systems control movement
Power a city
- Plan an electricity supply for a new city district
- Analyse energy demand and explore sustainable solutions
- Balance cost, performance and environmental impact
Inside China's Silicon Valley
- Explore engineering applications within China's technology sector
- Discover how engineers develop and test new technologies
- Gain industry insight through visits to technology companies
The Zhongguancun Build Challenge
- Work in teams to respond to a practical engineering brief
- Design, build, programme and test a working machine over two days
- Demonstrate your final solution to tutors and fellow students
The ProEd Zhongguancun Challenge
The programme concludes with the ProEd Zhongguancun Challenge, where students apply their engineering knowledge to a practical, industry-inspired brief.
Your build challenge
Over two days, students work in teams to design, build and programme a working machine. They'll test their solution, identify problems and make improvements before demonstrating their final creation.
How it’s supervised
Guided by ProEd tutors with industry experience, students work through the engineering design process, from planning and prototyping to testing and presenting their solutions.
The Challenge: Can you turn an engineering brief into a working machine and prove that your design works?
What's included
Included in the fee
Breakfast at the hotel; lunch and dinner at selected local restaurants nearby.
All day travel costs covered
Not included
What past students say
Starts 5 Jul