The Role of Bioethics in Environmental Engineering Education

Rad pruža osvrt na potrebu uvođenja kolegija koji bi se bavio bioetičkim konceptima u visokoškolskom obrazovanju na primjeru studijskog programa Inženjerstvo okoliša na Geotehničkom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. Radi se o studiju iz polja Temeljnih tehničkih znanosti gdje se moralno-etički principi često samo načelno podrazumijevaju, najčešće u vidu tehničke etike. Iako profit tu igra veliku ulogu, moramo sagledati struku u širem kontekstu. U sklopu studija postoje kolegiji koji se u određenoj mjeri dotiču integrirane bioetičke tematike, ali u nedovoljnoj mjeri. U posljednje vrijeme počinje se prepoznavati mjesto koje bi bioetika mogla i trebala zauzimati u obrazovanju budućih inženjera okoliša s obzirom na to da će oni svoj profesionalni rad usmjeravati prema različitim aspektima. Pri tome treba imati na umu da njihovo inženjersko djelovanje utječe na kvalitetu života i zdravlje ljudi, kao i na dobrobit drugih živih bića s kojima smo neraskidivo povezani.This paper offers a reflection on the need to introduce a course that would deal with bioethical concepts in higher education, based on the example of the Environmental Engineering study programme at the Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Zagreb. This study programme is in the field of fundamental technical sciences, where moral and ethical principles are often only generally implied as technical ethics. Although profit plays a huge role here, the profession needs to be viewed in a broader context. Currently, there are some courses which, in a certain measure, touch the integrative bioethical subjects, but that is not enough. Nowadays, it is obvious that bioethics could and should take place in the education of future environmental engineers since they will direct their profession towards different aspects. By doing so, they must be aware that their actions influence the quality and health of human life, as well as the wellbeing of other living creatures