Special Issue on "Towards Post-disciplinary and Transdisciplinary Education Programs Concerning Next-Generation Engineered Systems"

Deadline of submitting titles and abstracts: 15 January 2026
Deadline of submitting initial manuscripts: 15 March 2026

Special Issue Editor:

Prof. Dr. Imre Horváth
Retired from the Department of Sustainable Design Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CE Delft, the Netherlands
Research Interests: development of knowledge in product paradigm-driven disciplines; understanding and exploitation of synthetic systems knowledge; research approaches of post-disciplinary and transdisciplinary scientific disciplines; educational approaches of post-disciplinary and transdisciplinary scientific disciplines; methodologies of autonomous and lifelong learning; artificial intelligence supported approaches of education

Special Issue Information:

Dear Colleagues,

The 21st century is often referred to as the age of complex engineered systems which (i) are results of the subsequent waves of digital transformation, (ii) include hardware, software, netware, cyberware, and brainware constituents, (iii) are software, data, and intellect integrated, and (iv) are extensively used not only in the industry, but also in many domains of everyday life. Such heterogeneous engineered systems manifest, for example, as cognitive-cyber-physical-social-human systems, anthropomorphic robotic service provisioning systems, sustainably embedded socio-technical systems, or physical/embodied artificial intelligence-enabled systems. They are rapidly proliferating while subjects of intertwining evolutionary trends. They are enabled by artificial intelligence technologies too. Their implementation needs extensive integration of technological knowledge, while their operations need ampliative synthesis of problem-solving knowledge. For these reasons, familiarity with next-generation engineered systems is not only an issue for higher education. It is an indispensable attitude and knowledge for everyone in the future, not only for professionals and specialists. Learning next generation heterogeneous engineered systems should start in kindergarten and extend to all levels of education. However, due to the rapidly changing trends, characteristics, and influential factors, they are challenging the current conceptual frameworks, pedagogical approaches, didactic methods, and course contents in the entire education system.

This special issue seeks to address key questions shaping the future of systems engineering education in and throughout various levels of institutionalized and deinstitutionalized education: Where are current programs positioned relative to the emergent needs of heterogeneous engineered systems? Which educational designs, methods, and competencies are needed to prepare learners for these evolving contexts? What exemplary models, best practices, successful experiments, and transferable frameworks already demonstrate post-disciplinary or transdisciplinary value? What dedicated engineering programs and courses are requested? These are the main questions for which this special issue seeks to find answers in the context of post-disciplinary and transdisciplinary systems engineering education. On the one hand, there is a need to include knowledge about heterogeneous engineered systems in basic, intermittent, and undergraduate levels. On the other hand, there is an urgent need to explore post-disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches capable of developing professionals who can think, design, and act across conceptual, methodological, and organizational boundaries. In addition, there is a growing demand and expanding societal expectations for activity models, methodological approaches and learning contents for online, autonomous, and lifelong learning.

Scope and topics of Interest

We invite scholarly contributions including conceptual studies, empirical research, curriculum designs, case studies, and reflective analyses. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Differences between cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches and post-disciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to systems engineering education
Conceptual frameworks for post-disciplinary or transdisciplinary systems engineering education
Curriculum content and approach transformation strategies for next-generation engineered systems programs
Cross-level educational strategies, program structures, and pedagogical approaches
Educational content differentiation according to specialists, researchers, developers, educators, applicators, augmenters, and interested types of learners
Competency models for cognitive-cyber-physical-social-human systems engineering design and implementation education
Innovative pedagogical approaches (e.g., system-first didactics, holistic experimentation, hybrid studios/laboratories, exploration-based learning, challenge-driven learning)
Integration of humanities, social sciences, cognitive sciences, artificial intelligence, and arts into systems design and engineering
Educational strategies, methodologies, and resources for lifelong, self-directed, and autonomous learners
Role of AI tutors, intelligent learning environments, and cyber-physical learning spaces in lifelong, peer-guided, and autonomous learning
Case studies illustrating cross-disciplinary and post-disciplinary teamwork and co-creation in real-world contexts
Frameworks for academic, industrial, and civil knowledge integration and assessment and system thinking proficiency
Institutional strategies and governance for post-disciplinary and transdisciplinary program development with civil stakeholders

Keywords:

post-disciplinary education; transdisciplinary education
educational program and course development
next-generation engineered systems
hybrid systems
challenges and potentials
pedagogical approaches
conceptual frameworks
best practices

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Imre Horváth

Manuscript Submission Information:

Please visit the Submissions Guidelines page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Manuscripts should be submitted online through the online manuscript submission and editorial system. Additionally, please include a cover letter specifying that the manuscript is intended for the Special Issue "Towards Post-disciplinary and Transdisciplinary Education Programs Concerning Next-Generation Engineered Systems" when submitting it online. Manuscripts can be submitted until the submission deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal and will be listed together on the Topical Collection website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract can be sent to the Managing Editor nicole@zycentre.com or Editorial Office editorial-ojs@zycentre.com for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process.

Planned Papers：

1. Tungsram Moon Radar: Advanced Educational Topics for Next-Generation Engineered Systems

2. Beyond Deterministic Design: Rethinking Engineering Education for Generative Systems