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Introduction: Environmental education (EE) has been extensively studied and promoted in Latin America, particularly in Colombia, through educational policies and regulations at all educational stages. While EE is well-established, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is gaining increasing global importance, especially with the advent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite this, there remains a lack of knowledge, application, and research of ESD within engineering programs in higher education. This study aims to explore these gaps and assess the acceptance of ESD compared to EE among engineering students in Colombia. Methods: A survey was conducted among 406 engineering students from eight universities in Colombia that offer undergraduate engineering programs. The survey included both Likert scale questions and open-ended questions. The objective was to measure students' knowledge and perception of ESD, identify the roots of EE within engineering programs, and evaluate the progressive integration of ESD in these curricula. Results: The results revealed the deep-rooted presence of EE in Colombian engineering programs and a gradual incorporation of ESD into these curricula. However, significant gaps were identified. The majority of students demonstrated limited knowledge of ESD and Sustainable Development (SD). Furthermore, there was a noticeable lack of academic areas or subjects within the engineering curriculum that specifically promote the knowledge and application of ESD. Students' responses also highlighted the unusual convergence between EE, a traditionally conservationist field, and ESD, which is more developmentoriented. Discussion: This research identifies several critical challenges faced by engineering education in Colombia. The limited awareness of ESD among students suggests a need for enhanced integration of sustainable development concepts within engineering curricula. The lack of academic subjects dedicated to ESD further exacerbates this issue. Based on these findings, a transition strategy is proposed to bridge the gap between EE and ESD in Colombian higher education. This strategy aims to provide a smoother transition and better integration of sustainable development principles within engineering programs, ultimately supporting the development of engineers equipped to address contemporary global challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an emerging emphasis on the role of engineers in achieving the SDGs, there is still a lack of agreement on which competencies should be prioritised to prepare them to tackle future sustainability challenges. By formulating a theoretical framework of key sustainable competencies based on prior studies, this study investigated engineering students’ subjective views on which competencies they considered as the most important to support them in becoming sustainable engineers/designers. Using Q methodology, views were collected from 26 master students in a Sustainable Design programme in a Danish systemic problem- and project-based (PBL) context. Three key competencies were identified: collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and systemic thinking. Competences within the ‘doing’ and ‘being’ dimensions were represented the strongest. There is a hierarchy between the competencies, with collaboration being the highest level, as it demonstrates that it is transversal to the others. These results emphasised the role of PBL in developing competencies for sustainability and in reinforcing the value of Education for Sustainable Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering education is pivotal in driving sustainable development forward, yet many engineers encounter hurdles stemming from insufficient preparation for sustainability challenges. A major factor contributing to this is the lack of a structured and practical framework to guide the integration of sustainability into engineering education. This study addresses this gap by presenting a system-based framework tailored to ‘engineering education as sustainable development.’ The framework outlines a dynamic and inclusive organisational system, incorporating inputs from key stakeholders, a value-and-belief subsystem, throughput processes, and resultant outcomes. These outcomes encompass the cultivation of a new cohort of engineering graduates equipped with sustainable development knowledge, skills, and values/attitudes, thereby fostering the sustainable well-being and prosperity of all stakeholders involved. Additionally, the study examines the intricate relationships, including feedback loops, among system components and concludes by offering insights for practitioners to consider for future action and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green engineering is an important direction for engineering education, especially in the field of chemical engineering, where green chemical is a necessary guarantee for achieving sustainable development in the industry. How to practice the principles of green engineering in curriculum education is a problem that needs to be faced in engineering education, due to the currently educated persons are the future practitioners. The aim of this study is to integrate green techniques into an undergraduate‐level chemical design course, demonstrating how green engineering principles can be embedded in the curriculum to practice green engineering education, and thus disseminate the sustainability concept, resulting in a framework for achieving sustainable development. According to the training programme and design procedure, each student receives a product process design project and is guided by a teacher through the data review and discussion and then integrates green technologies in all aspects of the design, and the design result is evaluated. The good results of the students' design show that the undergraduate‐level chemical design course can well integrate green engineering principles and green technologies in the design, enhance the green standard of process design, broaden the students' design vision and mobilize their engineering creativity. It is a good form of green engineering education that the integration of engineering green technologies into an undergraduate‐level chemical design course, as demonstrated by the design results, which achieve effective practice of the sustainability concept and develop green education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Considering the relevance of education for sustainable development (SD) to enhancing engineers' abilities to contribute towards sustainability-related issues, this study aims to help understand the global context of the insertion of SD into engineering education and to provide guidelines to further evolve research and efforts towards implementing Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (EESD). Design/methodology/approach: This study performed a longitudinal analysis using bibliometrics and a content analysis via Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate standards. SciMAT software was used to support the bibliometric analysis. Findings: In addition to an increase in the practical aspects presented due to a change in the approaches taken to examine key topics, evidence on important concepts such as "life cycle assessment" and "digitalisation" increased in more recent years. However, it was possible to show that, despite the evolution observed throughout the years, several important opportunities exist for engineering programmes to improve and, for researchers, to fill the related gaps in the research. Originality/value: This study can be used as a guide for future research and as a source of insights for EESD implementation and improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global challenges regarding climate changes, food and energy resources security, poverty and human rights have received serious attention in the recent years. The solutions provided by policy-makers and researchers have clearly not been able to be effective on a global scale. For instance, nearly one-third of the world's population do not have enough access to safe drinking water, the devastating effects of global warming pose threats to environment and people's health and relative poverty and conflicts have spread in many parts of the world. These situations alert global and futuristic perspectives to the sustainable development. Since the concept of sustainability is inherently complex with interdisciplinary nature including economic, environmental and social aspects, it requires sustainable development education in all fields of university study, especially for engineering students. By describing the characteristics of sustainable engineering education and a domestic and foreign literature review in this field, this article tries to provide a scheme to include the interdisciplinary aspects of sustainable development in the curriculum of engineering students. In this regard, the subject of an integrated course was proposed and analyzed with emphasis on strengthening the social knowledge of engineers and increasing their ability to find and understand the mutual effects of different aspects of sustainability. It was argued that such a subject could prepare future engineers to confront and find sustainable solutions to the complex challenges of the modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to discuss how the theory of complex thinking can be considered an interesting element in engineering education, especially in the context in which challenges toward sustainable development are multidisciplinary. Design/methodology/approach: This viewpoint synthesizes the main reflections and discussions generated during a process of debate, research and creation of a proposal for an undergraduate engineering course at a higher education institution in Brazil. The literature on engineering education, sustainability and complexity was considered in an integrated way. Debates were conducted considering the authors' knowledge and experience as professors of engineering courses and researchers in the field of sustainability. A qualitative and reflexive approach was used to organize the main discussions. Findings: The prevailing classical engineering paradigm trains professionals to think from a Cartesian, reductionist perspective, appropriate for solving well-structured problems with known solution paths and convergent answers. However, addressing sustainability challenges requires a different kind of thinking capable of dealing with situations characterized by uncertainty, emergence and incompleteness of knowledge. Complexity thinking can be useful for this purpose as it provides a broad system approach to deal with ill-defined, ill-structured and unpredictable problems. This study can be understood as a call to researchers and professionals to consider the value and importance of complexity thinking to advance engineering education for sustainability. Originality/value: The need to overcome the limits of the classical engineering paradigm is emphasized in the context of sustainability. Complex thinking is considered as a path toward a paradigm shift in engineering education for sustainability. It can contribute to the training of professionals to face pressing challenges now and in the future. This viewpoint provides some insights to enhance debates on education engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze how a tangram activity improved students' abilities to explain sustainability, articulate a positive perception of sustainable design and relate sustainability with innovation in engineering design. Design/methodology/approach: The concept of paradigm shift was introduced in the classroom by using a tangram activity to help students understand that sustainable design requires out-of-the-box thinking. Instructors from three institutions teaching various levels of sustainability courses to engineering majors used the activity to introduce sustainable design, then measured the understanding and appreciation of the concepts introduced through the tangram activity with pre- and post-activity surveys. Findings: Findings from the study indicate that students' perceptions of sustainability significantly improved due to the activity, without regard to the institution. The activity also significantly improved students understanding of the connection between sustainability and innovation, across all three institutions, across all majors and across all years of study except second-year students. Improving engineering students' views on sustainability may lead, over time, to changes in the industry, in which environmental performance is incorporated into the engineering design process. Originality/value: Active learning approaches are needed for affective-domain learning objectives in the sustainability field for students to learn the necessary attitudes, values and motivations to implement sustainability in engineering design. Simple, easily implemented active learning techniques, such as the tangram activity presented here, can be implemented across the curriculum or to the public to introduce the paradigm shift necessary with sustainable design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the differences in first-year and senior engineering students' engineering agency beliefs and career goals related to sustainable development. The authors also sought to understand how topics related to sustainable development in engineering courses affect senior engineering students' goals to address these issues in their careers. This work provides evidence of how students' agency beliefs may be shaped by higher education, which is essential to workforce development. Design/methodology/approach: Findings stem from two national surveys of engineering first-year (Sustainability and Gender in Engineering, n = 7,709) and senior students (Student Survey about Career Goals, College Experiences, n = 4,605). The authors compared both groups using pairwise testing by class standing. Findings: The results indicate that undergraduate studies tend to reinforce students' engineering agency beliefs to improve their quality of life and preserve the environment. Significantly more senior students selected career goals to address environmental issues compared to first-year students. In general, students undervalue their roles as engineers in addressing issues related to social inequities. Those topics are rarely addressed in engineering courses. Findings from this work suggest discussing sustainability in courses positively impact setting career goals to address such challenges. Research limitations/implications: The study compares results from two distinct surveys, conveyed at different periods. Nonetheless, the sample size and national spread of respondents across US colleges and universities are robust to offer relevant insights on sustainable development in engineering education. Practical implications: Adapting engineering curriculum by ensuring that engineering students are prepared to confront global problems related to sustainable development in their careers will have a positive societal impact. Social implications: This study highlights shortcomings of engineering education in promoting social and economic sustainability as related to the engineering field. Educational programs would benefit from emphasizing the interconnectedness of environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. This approach could increase diversity in engineering education and the industry, and by ripple effect, benefit the communities and local governance. Originality/value: This work is a first step toward understanding how undergraduate experiences impact students' engineering agency beliefs and career goals related to sustainability. It explores potential factors that could increase students' engineering agency and goals to make a change through engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to analyse how the materials selection courses of engineering undergraduate programmes can be better aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach: Initially, a content analysis was performed in 39 materials selection course descriptions from 40 engineering undergraduate programmes of Brazilian higher education institutions, and subsequently, Delphi method procedures were conducted with professors that teach or have taught the course and are knowledgeable in the subject of sustainability. Findings: Considering the analysed course descriptions, it was shown that most of the materials selection courses do not consider or present little emphasis on sustainability aspects. Regarding the Delphi method, eight items were evidenced to consider sustainability aspects in the analysed courses. Originality/value: This study contributes to the debates about sustainability insertion in engineering undergraduate programmes. More specifically, the findings presented consolidated information that professors and coordinators can use to align materials selection courses with the SDGs better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to present a methodology for analysing the extent to which students of a university degree perceive that they have received a good education for sustainable development (ESD). The methodology enables us to quantify this perception, which, in turn, allows us to determine: to what extent the objectives related to ESD are achieved in the degree, and to compare the learning in ESD perceived by students of different degrees. The methodology is applied to nine engineering degrees and nine education degrees in the Spanish university system. Design/methodology/approach: ESD is analysed from the students' learning perception. This perception is measured by comparing the responses of first- and fourth-year students to a questionnaire about their sustainability competencies. Two indicators have been designed to analyse the results. The first indicator, learning increase, measures the declared learning difference between fourth- and first-year students. The second indicator, learning percentage, measure the amount of learning as reported by fourth-year students compared to how much they could have learned. Findings: The results show that the average learning percentage perceived by students is higher in engineering degrees (33%) than in education degrees (27%), despite the fact that the average learning increase declared by students at the end of their studies in both areas of knowledge is similar (66%). Engineering students report having achieved higher learning than education students in all sustainability competencies, with the exception of ethics. Originality/value: This paper analyses ESD from the student's perspective. Furthermore, to the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study that compares the perception of ESD between engineering and education students. This comparison allows us to determine the different approaches that university Professors take to ESD according to the discipline they teach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The master's seminar "Competencies for Social and Sustainable Engineering Design" at RWTH Aachen University is part of the study programs Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Engineering. Focusing on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), this course covers, teaches and reflects relevant competencies for socially responsible and sustainable engineering design. Following a research-orientated focus, the following research question was addressed: "Which competencies are considered relevant by future engineers in the context of sustainable and socially responsible engineering design?". The purpose of this paper is to present this approach and, on the basis of the seminar, to explain how relevant competencies for socially responsible and sustainable engineering design can be acquired by engineers. Moreover, the seminar concept is explained and a methodology for teaching the aforementioned topics is described that can also be transferred to other courses. The evaluation of course-specific feedback allows to present both conclusions and corresponding solution approaches, as well as challenges associated with the concept. Results show that engineering students call for competencies which go beyond pure technical knowledge, and, at the same time, determine that these competencies, like social competencies, are missing in their studies. Accordingly, this leads to implications for future curricula development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to research the ways of integrating sustainable development into study programs of engineering faculties in an international context, as well as to analyse the current state of engineering education for sustainable development at the universities of the Republic of Serbia. Therefore, a desktop research, as well as an analysis of the engineering education curricula, have been conducted. The results of the research indicated to two possible approaches to the integration of sustainable development into the engineering curricula – in the form of special subjects dedicated to the problems of sustainable development in the engineering, or as an integrative approach which implies that sustainable development becomes an integral part of the entire curriculum. Subjects dedicated to sustainable development have been identified at all universities, but not at all faculties where engineers are educated in the Republic of Serbia, they are present at all levels of study (undergraduate, master, doctoral), as well as within applied, integrated and specialist studies, and by status they are most often elective. The results confirm that the engineering curricula open up towards the questions of sustainable development both in international context, and in higher education of the Republic of Serbia and as such, they can serve to the relevant ministries of education and science, universities and engineering faculties as a recommendation in which way to plan and design higher education of engineers in the future in order to provide overall support in the integration of sustainability into the engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Considering the requirements of sustainable development regarding professionals training and the challenges evidenced during Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, this study aims to contribute to the debates regarding the need to insert sustainability into engineering education in the current context. Design/methodology/approach: For this, the literature about sustainability in engineering education was considered, and the need for sustainability insertion in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic was debated. It is important to emphasize that this debate was based on the authors' experience regarding sustainability research and teaching. Findings: The current moment unveiled companies' financial management problems, constantly evidenced by media. In this sense, the interest of engineering students in business management may lead them to believe that companies' survival depends only on financial aspects, neglecting environmental and social aspects. This study is characterized as a reminder to academic staff in the field of engineering to continue valuing the principles of sustainable development with their students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value: The need to make engineering students understand the importance of social projects in the current period is emphasized. The training of professionals to consider all the sustainability aspects even during crisis moments is evidenced now and should be used as a learning lesson for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human world and the biosphere which we inhabit with all other life on earth is a complex socio-ecological system. It is essential to think about the sustainability problem by considering the interventions necessary to achieve our objectives within that system. The paper describes how the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be placed within a systems configuration. In this paper, I outline the development of a dynamic model to explore this system and its plausible trajectories over coming decades and centuries. The results echo the findings of other studies, indicating that urgent action is required to avoid declining average global living standards in the coming century. The key policy interventions required to avoid this are described. The present institutions are insufficient to re-structure the global economy in the timeframe required, meaning that our profession must be elevated in the public discourse, and our voices must become louder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to report on how programme directors address sustainability within engineering education at Swedish universities and engineering colleges. Design/methodology/approach: The study was performed as a survey with follow-up interviews around the following core questions: to what extent do programme directors possess a deep understanding of the subject of sustainable development? Which are the core competencies in sustainable development that programme directors identify as important for their engineering students to acquire during their basic training? To what extent are those competencies integrated into engineering education today and what kind of support do programme directors receive from their department to integrate these competencies into the curriculum? Findings: Programme directors believe that learning for sustainable development is important mainly based on their personal convictions. However, out of 10 potential learning objectives extracted from the literature, only four-six are implemented in degree programmes. Learning objectives and activities are not always aligned, as students are required to learn about interdisciplinary collaboration without working with students from other faculties. The programme directors receive some support from the department, but they express a need for additional support. Examples of support that they suggest are faculty training, efficient teaching material and incorporation of sustainability in the quality assessment instruments for degree programmes. Originality/value: This study is the first comprehensive, national survey of what programme directors think about sustainability in higher education. Their views are important in the attempt to accelerate the integration of sustainability in higher education curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: An analysis of the extent to which sustainability is present in the syllabi, project briefs, report templates, and student final reports of the three Iberian European project semester (EPS) providers, over a five-year period. Background: EPS is a one-semester capstone project framework that adopts project-based learning and multicultural, multidisciplinary teamwork. Educating engineers for sustainable development requires fostering critical and ethical thinking and a desire for equity, solidarity and preservation of natural resources, and cultural and genetic diversity. Existing engineering capstone design programs emphasize solving real world problems, hands-on training, and soft skills, but few focus on sustainability aspects of engineering design. The three Iberian EPS providers adopt project-based learning and teamwork methodologies, promoting the development of transversal skills and addressing sustainability in a multicultural and multidisciplinary background. Intended Outcomes: To show that the three Iberian EPS providers follow these recommendations and contribute to raising students’ awareness of sustainable development. Application Design: The proposed sustainability learning assessment method collects evidence from syllabi, project briefs, report templates, and final reports to extract faculty and student perspectives. The sustainability-related terms collected were processed into word cloud format, allowing a simple and intuitive interpretation of students’ understanding of sustainability, and in co-occurrence network format, to understand if sustainability has a pervasive or confined presence within the reports. Findings: Iberian EPS faculty and students are aware of the social, economic, and environmental impact of their projects, in terms of quality of life, social responsibility, the use of resources, and environmentally friendly technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent Systems in Engineering Education for Sustainable Development is the order of the day in the field of construction, operation, maintenance and retirement of the product development. Always we are talking about multi-disciplinary engineering fields. As per the future needs the technology may replace all the existing fields and interdisciplinary and intra-disciplinary will come into the force with new shape called Intelligent Systems. The reason behind this proposal strictly speaking, there always the need of connective fields with the facts and reasoning. As per the Engineering Education System the main theme will be focused on developing a product the product to solve the problems faced by society. That means the intention should be serving the needs in an effective way. According to this system, it needs to assist and manage the people needs to provide an effective solution as per standards. Hence, the current work will show a path how engineers will collaborate together with disruptive intelligent systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid strides made in technological advancements call for a paradigm shift in engineering education. Disruptive engineering education involves identifying problems and finding solutions through unconventional, out of the box, methods. This approach requires simplicity, convenience, accessibility and affordability for sustainable development. The role of mid-career academicians is even more critical as they are often being groomed to take over from senior academicians and also acting as mentors to newly recruited members of the faculty. The study has investigated the perceptions of mid-career academicians about the disruptive engineering education. An online survey was conducted among mid-career academicians working with different institutions in India. 58% faculty are females and 42% males comprise the respondents of which 14.7% are PhD holders. Their challenges, perceptions and concerns with solutions are presented here in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering education underpins local capacity. As such, it forms a key component of sustainable engineering for development. While education is needed at all levels, this paper focuses on the tertiary level where it is assumed that graduating students aspire to become professional engineers. In much of Africa, however, university engineering education is criticised for being little changed since the early independence period. It uses outdated pedagogy, lacks professional relevance and fails to attract a diverse range of students. Through contrasting case studies, the paper examines, therefore: (i) the potential to move curriculum towards a problem‐based learning pedagogy where students focus on real‐world problems and associated engineering solutions; and (ii) the contribution of diverse case studies to this pedagogy and the content of courses. We argue that these twin shifts will broaden the curriculum beyond its habitual industry and physical infrastructure focus, is attractive to a wider range of students and links to human development as expressed through the United Nations sustainable development goals. It is also a major component in the pursuit by African institutions for international recognition of the quality of their engineering programmes. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview on how the European Project Semester capstone programme offered by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (EPS@ISEP) fosters learning by challenging engineering, business and product development undergraduates to address sustainability issues afflicting cities and communities nowadays. This will be done by analysing the reports and the learning journey of three multicultural and multidisciplinary EPS@ISEP teams during the design, development and test of a smart billboard, a self-oriented solar mirror and a level monitoring system for waste oil bins. These three projects were conducted within EPS@ISEP, a project-based learning framework dedicated to the development of key engineering skills, namely multidisciplinary teamwork, intercultural communication, ethical and sustainability-oriented problem-solving. The involved students contributed, not only, to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, one of UNESCO's sustainable development goals, but learnt and practiced together sustainabilitydriven design, while searching for an innovative solution for a smart city problem. This conclusion is supported by the analysis of the content the three project reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Encyclopadia Britannica, the establishment of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge (Royal Society), the "oldest national scientific society in the world," was on November 28, 1660. In 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the first professional engineering body, was also set up in London. Ten years later King Georges IV granted ICE its Royal Charter. Throughout the past 200 years, the world, and Western societies in particular, have experienced deep social changes. The engineering profession has not been an exception, and today its ethos is much broader and complex than the roots and conditions that were found at its origins. What elements are required for professional self-awareness in 21st century engineers? Our goal here is to outline these potential characteristics of contemporary engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to deal with the skills for sustainable development in engineering courses. The main objective is to identify which competences should be developed in these courses to contribute to the resolution of conflicts related to sustainability, as well as the means used by universities for their development. Design/methodology/approach: The research is divided into two strands: a theoretical and an empirical one. Concerning the theoretical part, the webibliomining method was adopted, to select the articles that were relevant to the theme, and 22 works were selected. Regarding the empirical study, structured questionnaires were applied to 30 specialists in the field, aiming at validating the competencies found in the literature. Findings: In the literature, eight main competencies required to the engineering professional, related to sustainability, were found. The empirical study showed that some competences are considered more relevant than others by the interviewees. Practical implications: The competencies verified in the present study and the relative relevance between them found in the empirical study can contribute to the engineering courses that wish to develop the sustainable behavior of the engineers in their professional or daily life. Originality/value: The originality of the work consists in presenting to engineering students and teachers as well as professionals of the market and the government the competencies that can contribute to the formation of an engineer capable of bringing adequate solutions to the conflicts of sustainability in the twenty-first century. This paper also presents learning teaching methodologies indicated for this purpose. No other works were found with these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to report on a case study concerning the development of sustainable energy partnerships involving engineering faculty and undergraduate students at the University of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Design/methodology/approach: Faculty were motivated to seek partnerships with public and private entities in the local area for the purposes of realising mutually beneficial outcomes. The educational programmes of future engineers, when sustainability is considered, are analysed. Education for sustainable development has to include multidisciplinary active learning as a desirable competence. Active learning can be obtained when problems are based on real life because they are most motivating for students. Constructive alignment component is obtained because learning objectives are linked with learning activities related to the needs of public and private entities. Findings: Through the provision of technical expertise, the adoption and success of renewable energy projects was facilitated on the one hand, while final year undergraduate students benefited in terms of hands-on experience in helping to bring these projects to life, drawing on the knowledge and skills they had acquired throughout their degree programmes. These works are addressed to students by faculty members with the aim of developing and promoting renewable energies. Outcomes from partnerships surpassed expectations; not only were different benefits realised as were initially hoped for, but this success led to partnerships being sustained over time. Originality/value: Fossil fuel-based energy systems are associated with a myriad of negative environmental and social externalities. It is difficult to overstate the importance of transitioning towards alternative low carbon energy sources for climate change mitigation which are less centralised compared to the status-quo for energy security and energy independence. By actively facilitating the development of decentralised renewable energy sources in Catalonia, the projects reported herein are of significant value in social environmental and educational terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The paper aims to examine the current status and development of sustainable development in Finnish engineering education.Design/methodology/approach The study consists of interviews with key stakeholders supplemented with the analysis of documented material. Development is discussed in relation to the findings of collaborative strategy process in the year 2009.Findings The paper observes that the Finnish universities providing engineering education are committed to sustainable development in their strategies. However, a lot of work remains to be done before the strategies are implemented and sustainable development is integrated to all degree programs. Explicit knowledge and individual learning in clearly defined disciplinary boundaries have been the main focus of engineering education.Practical implications The paper suggests that engineers need to be provided with mental tools to cope with uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Key competencies include holistic understanding, communication and collaboration skills, ability and willingness for critical and reflective thinking, creativity, innovativeness and entrepreneurship. Thus, collaborative learning, open dialogue and innovation are at the heart of education for sustainable development.Originality/value This paper has a relatively wide approach as it analyses sustainable development in the context of Finnish engineering education both on institutional and societal levels and is based on a national project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability issues are increasingly important in engineering work all over the world. This article explores systematic differences in self-assessed competencies, interests, importance, engagement and practices of newly enrolled engineering students in Denmark in relation to environmental and non-environmental sustainability issues. The empirical base of the article is a nation-wide, web-based survey sent to all newly enrolled engineering students in Denmark commencing their education in the fall term 2010. The response rate was 46%. The survey focused on a variety of different aspects of what can be conceived as sustainability. By means of cluster analysis, three engineering student approaches to sustainability are identified and described. The article provides knowledge on the different prerequisites of engineering students in relation to the role of sustainability in engineering. This information is important input to educators trying to target new engineering students and contribute to the provision of engineers equipped to meet sustainability challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on faculty engagement in computer science and e-learning environments is limited. Students in computer science majors and courses often cite the lack of engagement of their faculty as a reason for their decision to switch majors, drop out or perform poorly. With the shift to e-learning associated with the current global pandemic, reports of faculty engagement across countries and higher education systems converged to indicate a reduced level of interactivity. Using a cross-sectional sample of 39 lecturers and professors from a southern public university in Saudi Arabia, this manuscript documents empirically the low levels of computer science faculty engagement during the 2020 spring semester (March–May). The study found support for the hypotheses linking higher levels of empathetic instruction, an exhibition of exemplary performance traits, utilization of community building strategies and use of storytelling and students' engagement. The study also found that many faculties need immediate and significant training on making their online instruction more interactive and exciting. Theoretically, the evidence presented confirms the importance of faculty engagement as the main predictor of desirable students' outcomes across e-learning, as well as computer science learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although UNESCO and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals have articulated the critical role of engineering in achieving sustainable forms of development, there remains the need to analyze the design, features, and nature of sustainability-focused initiatives in engineering education. To date, few studies have identified the main knowledge gaps in this sector of higher education. At the same time, there is no known research exploring student and graduate learning outcomes in particular contextual settings. To address these gaps, this article uses a realist scoping review to map and analyze how engineering education has approached sustainability in higher education institutions since the 1990s. Our study explores the approaches of curricula, teaching, and learning renewals promoted in higher education engineering programs identifying critical differences between the expected and actual learning outcomes. Key findings drawn from a range of international contexts include broad evidence that engineering education providers desire to approach sustainability from an integrative perspective. However, this approach typically demands more administrative resources to develop formal and hidden curriculum mechanisms. As a result, engineering education struggles to foster the associated intra- and inter-cultural learning characteristics expected within integrated sustainability education. Findings also suggest re-evaluating the connotation and senses of 'being and becoming an engineer', including social responsibilities in engineering education, to empower students as active agents of change. Implications for practice, policy, and curriculum development of nine approaches to engineering education for sustainability are also offered, alongside possibilities and priorities for future research. [Display omitted] • Shows how scoping reviews can enrich research on higher education for sustainability. • Identifies nine approaches to how engineering education has approached sustainability. • Discusses key mechanisms and contextual factors for each of the nine approaches. • Finds the 'triple bottom line' is prevalent and directed towards economic progress. • Illustrates why cultural perspectives need engaging to support sustainability goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For sustainable engineering to contribute to sustainability, curricular reforms are needed to train sustainability-conscious engineers. Examining student perceptions of sustainability education can provide insights for benchmarking the current quality of a curriculum and for identifying strategies for reforming a curriculum. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine student interest in, knowledge of, and experiences related to sustainability in civil and environmental engineering (CEE) at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). A survey was developed and administered to students () enrolled in CEE capstone courses. The results indicated that although students are interested in sustainable development, there is potential for further enhancing sustainability learning. In addition, students reported that CEE courses strongly impacted their learning, which underscores the importance of curricular quality. Finally, although students were generally satisfied with CEE sustainability education, they cited the need for more guidance on integrating sustainability into the design process. Although this case study provides feedback to improve CEE sustainability education at Georgia Tech, it also serves as an example for other programs interested in evaluating their curricula from a student perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order for society to achieve a sustainable future, engineers must equally consider issues of the environment, society, and economy. For years engineering education has taken a behaviourist approach, assuming a student's mind is an empty slate that needs to be filled with a finite amount of knowledge, transmitted from teacher to student. Here we demonstrate how a team of engineering and public policy students can construct their own knowledge while developing sustainable construction materials that could be used in the developing world. Our education model is assessed by several direct and indirect methods; including evaluation of course deliverables, student surveys and comparison to more traditional design projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept "sustainable engineering." It mentions that the concept sustainability was embodied to egalitarianism within and among generations, and environmental preservation and protection. Although the term was classified as modern mythology, the author declares that it is based on scientific and technological discourse. The term was later applied in engineering and technology management. However, due to complexity of engineering and overcrowded curriculum, the author declares that it lacks room for additional material, which makes the teaching of sustainable engineering difficult to institutionalized. He suggests development of courses that emphasize the economic, environmental, social and cultural domains.

Sustainable energy development is satisfying the energy needs of the present generation without compromising future generations in satisfying these same needs. It encompasses three areas: economy, environment and society. Producing energy in a sustainable manner can be accomplished through energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy, among others. Sustainable energy education must be structured in an interdisciplinary manner whereby engineering modules are complemented with legal social economic, managerial and environmental coursework. Seminars complement academic instruction. Developing skills in these non-engineering areas is achieved through group projects with non-engineering students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the need for sustainable energy engineering degrees and the problems found in establishing appropriate curricula contents. Proposals are made for developing adapted energy engineering degrees. Relevant contents are provided for these curricula, which should train engineers to deal with current and future problems. This need for updated curricula is established in view of the paradigm shift taking place in the energy sector, which includes a considerable increase in renewable energies and the need to radically address sustainability issues. A detailed description of potential contents is presented, which is supported by a critical review of the existing literature. Three parallel issues may lead to the identification of new contents. First, new contents may arise from the identification of changes in conventional energy engineering education. Such changes result from the increasing relevance of unconventional energy systems and of energy management issues. Second, new contents may arise from the need to include sustainability topics in engineering degrees. Third, new contents may become relevant when focusing on underserved regions and energy poverty niches, in view of the need for specific alternative technologies for those conditions. Once a detailed description of curricula contents is made, an analysis of a sample of current curricula in higher education institutions, based on the relative content weight of the main modules, is presented. The analysis shows a clear lack of consensus on the appropriate contents for energy engineering, an insufficiency of sustainability topics, and an absence, when dealing with underserved regions, of addressing the need for appropriate, affordable, and sustainable technologies. Certain proposals are made to address these problems. • Alternatives are discussed for coherent degrees on sustainable energy engineering. • Contents on fundamentals, renewables, management, and sustainability are discussed. • Content weights of a sample of current degrees are analyzed, showing poor coherence. • Current degrees lack contents on sustainability, management and even on renewables. • Affordable and sustainable solutions for energy poverty are seldom addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]