Educators’ perspective on integrating sustainability in higher engineering education: a case study within an electronic engineering study programme

Abstract

Current societal challenges require engineers not only to be experts within their technological field, but also to have the competences needed to understand and consider sustainability in all aspects of their work. However, a better integration of sustainability competences in the curricula of engineering programmes is still needed. Simultaneously, meaningful integration approaches for sustainable development in higher education have proved difficult. Despite the central role of educators in promoting sustainability in the curricula, there is a need to understand better how to involve them. This paper presents the educators’ perspective on integrating sustainability in an electronic engineering MSc programme with an approach that aims for integration and transformation. A case study approach is used to shed light on how educators perceive, experience and reflect upon the integration process. The main results indicate a conflict between the educators’ goals and actions and reveal a set of drivers and barriers.