Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0001-6789-7009

Document Type

Report

Disciplines

5.3 EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES

Publication Details

Project Report PR1: produced as part of the PROFESS 12 research project, funded by HEA, DFHERIS, The Shared Island Fund and the North South Research Programme in Ireland, 2022.

doi:10.21427/vfdp-0q66

Abstract

Engineers of the future must be technical experts, able to solve problems in an integrated way, a systems thinker, a holistic thinker, a critical thinker, someone who can work with diverse people in multidisciplinary teams. Excellent communication skills and being able to work across cultural boundaries are key components of the engineers toolbox. They must also have a good ethical conscience, grit, adaptability and the ability to challenge the status quo. Finally, the engineer of the future must have sustainability-friendly attitudes and values and a focus on social responsibility so that they can do their part to achieve the SDGs. They will need to understand the impacts of their innovations not only on the environment or the economic bottom line, but upon society in general.

This report outlines the seminal literature on the global view of skills needed for sustainability. It describes key findings from research undertaken to determine what skills engineering graduates will need to help achieve sustainable development in the form of key sustainability competences. It also describes some of the European and National policies which inform education for sustainable development.

Accrediting body requirements are highlighted to show the focus on sustainability competences for engineering education. The final study presented looked at engineers specifically, from the viewpoints of academics, students and employers and lists a nuanced view of competences for engineers in order to solve the SDGs in particular.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21427/vfdp-0q66

Funder

HEA, DFHERIS, Shared Island Fund

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.


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