TRANSFORMING ENGINEERING LEARNING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable development has emerged as a global priority in response to the challenges posed by environmental degradation, social inequality, and economic instability. Engineering plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges, and engineering education is pivotal in creating a sustainable future. To effectively address these challenges, it is imperative to integrate its principles into the engineering curriculum. The incorporation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) into specific courses is a commendable start. However, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not abstract concepts but practical challenges that require real-world solutions. To apply sustainable principles across various engineering contexts, from design and implementation to operation and maintenance, we emphasize the need for a more comprehensive and transformative integration. To adequately prepare engineering students to contribute to the fulfillment of these goals, we propose, in this paper, an approach that aligns with the CDIO framework's principles throughout the engineering learning process. This work is a direct outcome of an initiative at ESPRIT School of Engineering. The teaching and learning process at Esprit is based on active pedagogy and openness to the professional environment, thus fostering the training of operational engineers. We present the process of transforming engineering learning towards sustainable development and identifies key initiatives that have been implemented to achieve this transformation at multiple levels and across diverse disciplines. As a result, a new generation of engineers dedicated to creating a more sustainable world learns how to conceive projects that address environmental, social, and economic issues. The paper explores the benefits of these approaches and the positive impact of these initiatives on student learning outcomes and faculty development.