Curriculum design for sustainable engineering-experiences from the international master program "Global Production Engineering"

Engineering can be characterized as the exploitation of potentials for useful applications. It is oriented towards solutions within a framework of limited resources. Education is needed to enable engineers to act as “change agents”. It is their responsibility to innovate in the development, manufacturing and marketing of products throughout their full life cycle, to fulfill the needs of humankind, protecting public health, welfare, and environment. Productivity of learning and teaching has to be increased by a new curriculum including innovative methods and forms for engineering education. This paper will analyze which competence domains a curriculum towards sustainable development should have and how the education in the international master study program “Global Production Engineering” is accomplished. This best practice from Germany can be a pioneer for further countries in the world that target to construct a knowledge-based economy like the United Arab Emirates. The paper shows possibilities of a master program to motivate students with bachelor degrees and initial work experience to walk paths in their careers combining professional success and global responsibility