Mapping and enhancing sustainability literacy and competencies within an undergraduate engineering curriculum

Lamere, Maryam; Brodie, Lisa; Nyamapfene, Abel; Fogg-Rogers, Laura; Bakthavatchaalam, Venkat

Abstract

CONTEXT There is growing pressure today to tackle complex sustainability challenges of climate change, resource limitations, extreme poverty, to name a few. As part of this drive, today's engineers are expected to deliver technological solutions that maximise social value while minimising environmental impact. Consequently, engineering graduates must be equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to work and live in ways that safeguards environmental, social and economic wellbeing, both in the present and for future generations. PURPOSE OR GOAL The objective of the work reported in this paper was two-fold: first, to map out all the sustainability components in the undergraduate mechanical/automotive engineering curricula at the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) at the time of the study; second, to use the outcomes of the mapping exercise, and best practice from the sustainability literature, to develop a curriculum that equips its graduates with the sustainability skills and competencies now required of them by employers and society at large. APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS The work that we report in this study consisted of a mapping exercise of the undergraduate mechanical/automotive engineering curriculum, followed by curriculum redesign to ensure that the resulting curricula could deliver the required sustainability skills and competencies. Both the mapping exercise and curricula redesign were underpinned by a sustainability framework adapted from the Sustainability Literacy Test for Higher Education institutes by HESI (Higher Education Sustainability Initiative). A survey questionnaire based on the list of topics covered in the Sustainability Literacy Test was developed and sent to Module Leaders of all the 40 modules making up the Mechanical Engineering/Automotive Engineering undergraduate degree programme. Findings from the survey were used to identify sustainability literacy gaps in the curricula. Then, using this mapping together with the sustainability framework, the curricula were redesigned to ensure a throughline coverage of sustainability topics, starting from the first year to the final year of the degree programmes. ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES Topics on sustainability are now much more explicit, and accreditation requirements pertaining to sustainability are now more explicitly evidenced. Students are now engaging more with sustainability, as evidenced by the significant increase in the proportion of students tackling topics on sustainability in their final year dissertation. In addition, the number of students interested in pursuing a career in sustainability after graduation has increased over the past 3 years. The outcome of the study has been highly solicited and shared at faculty level within the university. Universities in the South West England and Wales region have also approached the department to learn how Project-Based Learning can be used to integrate sustainability in the engineering curriculum. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY Sustainability topics have now been given prominence in the undergraduate degree programme. Sustainability literacies and competencies are now covered alongside other relevant and important topics such as climate change, renewable energy, sustainable development and community engagement.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (Published)
• Conference Name: 9th Research in Engineering Education Symposium and 32nd Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference, REES AAEE 2021: Engineering Education Research Capability Development
• Start Date: Dec 5, 2021
• End Date: Dec 8, 2021
• Acceptance Date: Sep 27, 2021
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Jan 9, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 10, 2023
• Volume: 1
• Pages: 298-306
• Book Title: 9th Research in Engineering Education Symposium and 32nd Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference (REES AAEE 2021)
• ISBN: 9781713862604
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.52202/066488-0034
• Keywords: Undergraduate Engineering Curriculum; Engineering; Curriculum mapping, sustainability literacies and competencies, academic accreditation, curriculum reform
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10256738
• Publisher URL: https://www.proceedings.com/066488-0034.html
• Related Public URLs: https://www.proceedings.com/66488.html