A Theory-Based Teaching Concept To Embed Sustainability In The Engineering Curriculum

The implementation of sustainable development and the responsible use of the resources available to us are among the key objectives of our time. To meet the challenges of global sustainable development, young professionals with a growing set of skills are needed. Higher education is crucial in fostering the skills graduates need to become agents of change for sustainable development. Therefore, new teaching and learning approaches are needed in engineering education that link technical and sustainability-oriented topics and integrate education for sustainable development (ESD). Studies show that there is a particular lack in the design and implementation of engineering courses that address the close connection between technical and sustainability-oriented issues and contribute to the promotion of the new required competencies. This paper addresses this gap, in which the authors present a teaching example for sustainable engineering education. The article presents the implementation process of a research-based concept. The aim of the module is to expand and strengthen students\u27 competences in the field of sustainability. Various didactic teaching and learning methods were used. Thus, an attempt was made to combine learning aspects from education, sustainability and engineering and thus to ensure more sustainability in engineering education. The article provides an overview of the structure and the most important components of the module. The knowledge gained will contribute to the evidence-based implementation of sustainability in the engineering sciences. The presented findings should serve as a basis for discussion for the community and contribute to the further development of teaching concepts for sustainable-technical education