ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN THE ERA OF GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) offer a framework for addressing global challenges. To contribute to these goals, engineers need a range of competencies, including technical skills, effective communication, and critical thinking. We suggest using the SDGs as an integrating theme in engineering programs, unifying various modules into a cohesive, multidisciplinary curriculum. The interdisciplinary nature of engineering makes it suitable for such integration. Achieving clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), for example, requires expertise in fluid mechanics and skills in communicating solutions to stakeholders. Ensuring access to affordable and sustainable energy (SDG 7) demands an understanding of energy systems and an ability to evaluate societal and environmental impacts. The SDGs can act as a unifying thread, linking subjects and skills in a way that reflects the real-world complexities engineers face. By integrating these goals into the curriculum, we address the concerns and interests of younger generations who are deeply concerned about environmental issues and the future of the planet. This approach also helps students to understand the interplay of technical, ethical, social, and environmental factors in creating sustainable solutions. In this paper, we propose a straightforward method for constructing engineering curricula that use the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guiding thread. We'll apply this method not just to cross-disciplinary or specialised modules but also to basic courses like maths, physics, and algorithmic. Our goal is for students to see that these fundamental subjects are key to tackling environmental problems around the world. Integrating the SDGs can also invigorate teaching methods, promoting active learning and critical reflection. Project-based assignments on SDG challenges enable students to develop technical and interpersonal skills, preparing them as competent engineers and global changemakers, while also resonating with their desire to engage in work that contributes to sustainable and ethical development.