The field of engineering education research is shifting towards a more nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between curriculum structure, student performance, and external factors. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of considering the structural constraints of engineering programs, such as rigid curricula and strict regularity rules, in predicting student dropout. The use of agent-based simulation environments and causal analysis has also emerged as a key approach in identifying effective policy interventions to reduce dropout rates. Additionally, research has shown that macroeconomic shocks, such as academic staff strikes and inflation, can have a significant impact on student outcomes, particularly when interacting with curriculum friction and financial resilience. Noteworthy papers in this area include: CAPIRE Intervention Lab, which presents an agent-based simulation environment for testing policy interventions in engineering education. Regularity as Structural Amplifier, Not Trap, which challenges the notion of a'regularity trap' in engineering education and instead suggests that regularity rules can amplify pre-existing student vulnerability.