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Enhancing sustainability normative and ethics competences in engineering education: insights from a needs analysis systematic literature review
Segalas, Jordi Tejedor, Gemma Lazzarini, Boris Martín, Carme Martínez, Johanna Sureda, Barbara
Segalas, Jordi
Tejedor, Gemma
Lazzarini, Boris
Martín, Carme
Martínez, Johanna
Sureda, Barbara
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2025
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Abstract
As global challenges intensify, the demand for engineering graduates with sustainability normative and ethical competences has become increasingly urgent. These competences enable individuals to critically reflect on sustainability principles, evaluate ethical dilemmas, and align professional practices with societal goals such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Green Deal. The Transformative Learning for Sustainability and Ethics in STEAM Higher Education (TL-SEEDS) project addresses this need by identifying the key competences required for engineers to act as ethical change agents in their professions and communities. This paper presents the preliminary findings of an extensive literature review conducted as part of a broader needs analysis. Using the PRISMA 2020 methodology (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses), the review systematically identifies and synthesizes existing research on sustainability normative and ethical competences in engineering education. The methodology includes developing a comprehensive search strategy, defining inclusion and exclusion criteria, and extracting key data from selected studies. The literature review focuses on understanding societal, institutional, and professional expectations of sustainability normative and ethical competences in engineering graduates. Key findings highlight persistent gaps in integrating these competences into higher education curricula. Despite widespread recognition of their importance, engineering education often fails to provide students with the tools to navigate complex ethical dilemmas or critically engage with sustainability principles. By focusing on sustainability normative competence, the findings underscore the importance of equipping students with the ability to critically assess sustainability frameworks, anticipate the long-term impacts of engineering decisions, and integrate ethical considerations into technical solutions. Ethical competence, meanwhile, emphasizes the capacity for moral reasoning, empathy, and the ability to address conflicting stakeholder interests in engineering practice. These insights will guide the development of transformative learning strategies tailored to address the identified gaps. The ultimate goal is to create educational environments where sustainability normative and ethical competences are seamlessly integrated into engineering curricula, ensuring graduates are prepared to lead sustainable transitions and ethical innovation. This ongoing research represents a crucial step toward bridging the gap between educational practices and the competencies required for sustainable development. By embedding sustainability normative competence as a core component of engineering curricula, we aim to prepare graduates who can lead responsibly, innovate ethically, and contribute meaningfully to a just and sustainable society.
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Keywords (free text)
UN SDGs, engineering ethics, equity, diversity & inclusion, engineering education, engineering for sustainable development, education for sustainabilty, sustainability in engineering