7 Universities Now Offer Free Engineering Programs for Teens

Fifty high school students in Egypt spent two days last September learning Ohm's law, building circuits, and discovering what engineering careers could look like. Meanwhile, teens in Oman competed to design IoT systems, students in Malaysia explored quantum computing, and kids in Croatia dove into robotics workshops.

They're all part of IEEE TryEngineering OnCampus, a program that brings preuniversity students onto college campuses for free, hands-on engineering experiences. Last year, the program expanded from two universities to seven, reaching hundreds of students ages 10 to 18.

The growth came with funding from the IEEE Innovation Committee, which helped launch new programs in Croatia, Egypt, Oman, Malaysia, and Greece. Universities in Hong Kong continued for a second year, welcoming 55 students from 41 different schools.

At each location, students don't just learn theory. They build real projects, tour research facilities, visit power plants and tech manufacturers, and hear directly from working engineers about their careers.

The University of Zagreb hosted 25 children for workshops on AI, computer science, and astronomy. In Athens, students explored robotics through design challenges and toured university research labs. In Hong Kong, teens worked in small teams on AI-generated images, voice, and music projects, then presented their work to judges and parents.

The results speak for themselves. Nearly 75 percent of Hong Kong participants rated the program 4 out of 5 or higher. One student shared that they enjoyed learning about deep learning and its real-world applications, gaining knowledge that matched their interests perfectly.

The Ripple Effect

These programs do more than teach technical skills. They transform curiosity into confidence, showing young people that engineering isn't just possible for them but exciting.

Universities are investing their facilities, expertise, and time because they see the value in opening doors early. Student volunteers and professors from Imperial College London, local IEEE chapters, and engineering faculties coach participants and share their own paths into technology.

Four universities have already signed up to host the program again this year, including Zagreb, the Arab Academy, Majan University College, and the Hong Kong campuses. Other educational institutions can request to join by contacting the program directly.

What started small is building momentum, one hands-on workshop at a time, creating a generation of young people who see themselves as future engineers.