Embedding Ethics and Sustainability in Engineering Education
Engineering education is evolving to meet the demands of a complex, interconnected world. Today’s engineers need more than technical expertise; they must understand sustainability and ethical responsibility from the very start of their studies. While many current curricula focus on environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, this project takes a broader view, integrating social, cultural, and ethical dimensions into first-year engineering education.
Led by Dr Jully Tan from Chemical Engineering at Monash University and Rinkal Desai from WMG at the University of Warwick, the initiative explores how Project-Based Learning (PBL) can bring real-world challenges into the classroom. By working on practical projects and newly developed online learning, students will engage deeply with issues such as sustainability and ethics, developing the awareness and competencies needed to tackle global challenges.
The project will examine how these themes can be meaningfully embedded in first-year courses, assess the effectiveness of PBL in fostering engagement, and compare perspectives between Monash and Warwick students. Through this approach, the team aims to create a more holistic and inclusive model for engineering education, one that prepares graduates to make responsible decisions in a rapidly changing world and enhance their employability.
Ultimately, the findings will inform future curriculum design and contribute to broader discussions on how universities can shape socially responsive, ethically aware engineers for the 21st century.
