Sustainability competence and mindset is necessary if we want to educate engineers for the future, and ensure that they are equipped with knowledge, competences, and values needed to transform society towards sustainability. It is common to hear that Technology and Science are fundamental to solving sustainability challenges and problems. However, knowledge and competences are handicapped without the integration of sustainability values and without a whole system approach when developing sustainable solutions. That said, the mission of the SIG on Sustainability is to use sustainability principles, competence, and transformative mindsets, as catalysts to create awareness, engagement, and action towards a more sustainable engineering education among the SEFI community.
The main objectives are:
- Establish a network of students, educators, practicing engineers, and other stakeholders, who want to develop further the integration of sustainability in engineering education;
- Stimulate discussions and debates about the state of the art of educating engineers for sustainability, and how to move forward.
- Share experiences, practices, resources, lessons learned, and research outputs, in education for sustainability, and in leading change towards sustainability education.
The activities to achieve the proposed objectives are:
- Organize, or support the organization of, themed workshops at the SEFI Annual Conference
- Co-organised joint activities with other SIG groups, namely SIG on Ethics, such as the Ethics Spring School
- Organize online activities, such thematic workshops, debates, seminars.
- Create an open directory for members interested in share more about themselves and interests in sustainability
- Periodically, disseminate events, resources, and knowledge related to education for sustainability through SEFI monthly newsletter.
- Promote collaboration among engineering education community and institutions by facilitating joint research initiatives (e.g., joint articles, comparative studies, projects)
SIG SUS Updates
Educating for Sustainability: Beyond Knowledge and Technology | Sustainability Engineering Education for One Earth (S.E.E. EARTH)
Date: 30 April 2026
Time: 11:00–13:00 CEST
Local: online
Description: Educating for Sustainability: Beyond Knowledge and Technology | Sustainability Engineering Education for One Earth (S.E.E. EARTH)
Educating for sustainability goes far beyond transmitting knowledge or creating technological solutions that are detached from real‑world contexts and the communities they are meant to support. It also requires nurturing values, aspirations, and meaningful relationships.
Socio‑emotional competences—such as collaboration, empathy, resilience, adaptability, and flexibility—are essential to shaping a sustainable, eco‑centric engineering mindset.
Despite growing awareness, key questions remain: How can engineering curricula meaningfully integrate and assess socio‑emotional competences beyond traditional, knowledge‑based approaches? And what roles do accreditation, engineering education research, and other key actors play in enabling this shift?
This year’s S.E.E. Earth theme, Educating for Sustainability: Beyond Knowledge and Technology, invites us to explore these questions. During this two‑hour event, researchers, accreditation representatives, and practitioners will share insights on:
- Current research on socio‑emotional competences in engineering education for sustainability
- Practical strategies for embedding these competences in engineering programs
- Persistent challenges—and the untapped potential to push further
Join us as we reimagine what it means to educate the next generation of engineers for a sustainable future.
Organizing committee: Aida Guerra (Aalborg University, Denmark), Valentina Rossi (EPFL, Switzerland), Sarah Hitt (NMITE, UK), Kirsten Williamson (CEO LEX), and Cindy Cooper (The Lemelson Foundation, US).
Initiative: Sustainability at Scale in Engineering Education (only for SEFI members)
Date: 19 November 2025 onwards
Local: online
Description: The Initiative Sustainability at Scale in Engineering Education was launched on 19 November under the umbrella of the Sustainability SIG. Originating from efforts to improve large-scale first-year courses in Engineering Higher Education Institutions, it provides a space for practitioners integrating sustainability — whether through individual activities, modules, or full courses — to co-create collaborations and learn from each other’s experiences. 20 registered participants from 13 different countries gathered on Zoom and went through the first two phases of co-creation.
If you want to know more or be involved in the next phases, register here: https://forms.gle/cWzhMtRaC8E9ZU4G8
S.E.E. Earth: Sustainability Engineering Education for one Earth – April – public event
Date: 22 April 2025 (past)
Time: 11:00 – 13:00 (CEST) and 11:00 – 13:00 (MDT) Please note that this event is organised in two parts for two different timezones.
Local: online
Description: Join us to celebrate the international earth day and share knowledge, practices, experiences and resources in educating engineers for sustainability.
Download the programme here
Contact person: Aida Guerra (ag@plan.aau.dk)
Watch programme 1 here: https://youtu.be/hQlOxzP5Bg8
Watch programme 2 here: https://youtu.be/9vguIjiAVJ8
SIG Junior initiative – May (only for SEFI members)
Date: 27 May 2025
Time: 15:00 – 16:00 (CEST)
Local: online
Description: New initiative led by the young members of the SIG. The network offers space to share research ideas, discuss challenges and methods, present ongoing work, and connect around common themes. It also aims to inspire small joint projects that could be developed annually, such as SEFI articles or workshops. More information in this document.
Contact persons: Julia Sundman (julia.sundman@aalto.fi) and Gillian Guerne (gillian.guerne@leuphana.de)
Register here: https://forms.gle/JVJAi8fci5UrQFX56
SIG Spring General Meeting – June – (only for SEFI members)
Date: 13 June 2025
Time: 11:00 – 12:00 (CEST)
Description: SIG would like to invite its members for its general spring meeting. The meeting will be held online, and its main purpose is sharing the present year action plan, inform of progress and open for sharing ideas and eventual new initiatives.
Contact person(s): Aida Guerra (ag@plan.aau.dk) and Andre Baier (andre.baier@tu-berlin.de)
Register here: https://forms.office.com/e/KYqfVjPcNz
Sustainability at Scale in Engineering Education Initiative: First meeting (only for SEFI members)
Date: 19 November 2025
Time: 11:00–12:00 CET
Local: online
Description: The Sustainability at Scale in Engineering Education Initiative facilitates the exchange of pedagogical approaches, practices, and knowledge related to teaching sustainability in engineering education. Originating from efforts to improve large-scale first-year courses in Engineering Higher Education Institutions, it provides a space for practitioners integrating sustainability – whether through individual activities, modules, or full courses – to collaborate and learn from each other’s experiences. Participants will communicate their interests, set goals and timeline through a facilitated co-creative process.
Contact person: Valentina Rossi valentina.rossi@epfl.ch
Register here: https://forms.gle/hkjK6hKdNcnHafgu6
An agenda will be sent closer to the meeting date to all registered participants.
OPEN DIRECTORY
Educating for Sustainability: Beyond Knowledge and Technology | Sustainability Engineering Education for One Earth (S.E.E. EARTH)
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