Towards a sustainable design-based engineering education

The engineering sciences were conceived at a different time, and for different
priorities. One of the main problems with the engineering sciences is that design
has been excluded from their teaching curriculum; hence, they lack creativity and
have a narrow problem-solving focus with too much emphasis on mastering mathematical equations. Their standardization across the globe has failed to address the urgent need for designing for sustainability. In this research note, we outline what
a Sustainable Design-Based Learning model/framework based on three levels of
ambition, would entail: first, readjusting the engineering sciences to include design
and sustainability as core elements; second, rethinking the engineering sciences
to support a program with sustainability as a core value; and third, rethinking
the program with Sustainable Design as its prime objective. We illustrate level
of ambition one with the changes we have introduced in our program, ‘Sustainable
Design Engineering’, at Aalborg University in Denmark. We discuss how levels 2
and 3 could be addressed in the future.