Maintaining entropy : developing skills to help graduate sustainable engineers lead change

Evidence is drawn from the 411 alumni of the MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development professional practice programme at University of Cambridge to examine whether the sustainability dimension of their education has i) provided them with a mix of skills which they use on a regular basis, ii) equipped them to be more effective in the roles they fulfil, and iii) given them confidence to act as agents of change in developing sustainability thinking and seeking out solutions that satisfy multiple constraints within their organisations. The relevance of the content of this sustainability programme is assessed and frustrations experienced by graduate sustainable engineers and the barriers to change are discussed.