VUCA AND RESILIENCE IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION – LESSONS LEARNED

Abstract

As future system designers and decision-makers, engineering students should be trained to anticipate and navigate the unknown. These days, engineers often operate in professional, social and societal environments characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). Therefore, besides traditional engineering skills, educational programs must also provide students with future skills that are needed to address VUCA situations. This requires the competence and vision to design and manage systems that are resilient to unexpected, unstable and drastic events. This paper presents, compares and discusses teaching and learning activities addressing VUCA and resilience, occurring at different curriculum levels. Key lessons include the need to integrate VUCA and resilience training in a progressive manner, from freshman level to that of professional engineers. Recommendations are made for how engineering programs can better prepare graduates through the use of effective learning methods that are aligned with specific learning outcomes. Elements to extend an educational framework are suggested with curriculum integration based on examples of authentic experiences.

Affiliations

IMT Atlantique, France

RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

Reykjavik University, Iceland

University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Authors

Siegfried Rouvrais, Ann-Kristin Winkens, Carmen Leicht-Scholten, Haraldur Audunsson, Cecile Gerwel Proches

Authors (new)

Siegfried Rouvrais

Ann-Kristin Winkens

Carmen Leicht-Scholten

Haraldur Audunsson