How can curriculum analytics help improve the first year of higher education? This question was at the heart of Selina Reinhard’s contribution to the IEEE Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference, which took place in Paphos, Cyprus, from 11–14 October 2026. The international conference brings together researchers and educators to discuss current developments in engineering and computing education.
Selina presented the full paper, “Enhancing the First-Year Student Experience with Curriculum Analytics: A Scoping Review”, which synthesises findings from 52 publications to examine how curriculum analytics can help understand and improve the first-year student experience in higher education. It identifies methodological approaches, key challenges, and opportunities for supporting students during the study entry phase.
Beyond presenting her own research, Selina took the opportunity to explore a broad range of perspectives on educational research and practice. Session topics included the first-year engineering experience, curriculum design, and K–12 STEM outreach. Further highlights were a hands-on workshop on team formation based on personality traits, a special session on educational stressors, and interesting keynote talks. These sessions provided valuable insights into current research and methodological approaches.
Selina’s conference participation was supported by the IEEE Education Society Student Travel Award and a conference attendance grant from the TU Wien Faculty of Informatics through its “Doktorandinnen der Informatik ans Rednerpult” programme.
