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Embedding sustainability in engineering education through a multi-disciplinary postgraduate research methods module
Masood, Maryam Schrock, Lauren Iqbal, Asima
Masood, Maryam
Schrock, Lauren
Iqbal, Asima
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EESD2025_#57_Masood.pdf
Adobe PDF, 395.42 KB
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Editors
Date
2025
Educational Level
ISCED Level 6 Master's or equivalent
Curriculum Area
Geographical Setting
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Abstract
A key strategic aim of higher education is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to address global challenges effectively by embedding sustainability in the curriculum. To achieve this aim, this paper presents a case study on the continuous innovations to embed sustainability within a multi-disciplinary postgraduate research methods module from the 2022/23 academic year to 2023/24. This module is delivered to full-time postgraduate students on six distinct courses, ranging from engineering to business disciplines. In 22/23, sustainability was strategically introduced as a contextual framework to enhance engagement and relatability in the design of the module, which is delivered to postgraduate students to develop essential research competencies and transferable skills. As a result, a phased approach was formulated to embed sustainability in teaching, learning, and assessment: first, to increase students' awareness of the role of sustainability in their respective discipline and expose them to prevailing research trends. Sustainability-related examples and case studies were incorporated across the module content relevant to the multiple disciplines. Second, to provide students an opportunity to investigate sustainability and develop relevant sustainability competencies. In the following academic year (23/24), another assessment was developed that required students to conduct a literature review and create research proposals addressing real-world sustainability issues, necessitating the application of research methodologies within an interdisciplinary and sustainability-focused context. The development of a research proposal relevant to sustainability challenges encouraged students to apply their critical thinking skills in development of research, apply scenario-planning to anticipate future implications of their work (anticipatory competence), and critically reflect on the ethical dimensions of their research (normative competence), aligning the module learning outcomes to UNESCO's sustainability competencies (UNESCO, 2017). This integration was further supported by innovative pedagogical strategies, including problem- based learning and reflective practices, which deepened students' understanding of research methodologies while fostering connections to sustainability goals. To evaluate the success of this practice, informal feedback from educators affirmed the efficacy of this approach, highlighting the balance achieved between content relevance and workload management. The paper provides the details on the phased approach and a discussion on the challenges and successes of embedding sustainability within research education, offering actionable insights for educators seeking to integrate sustainability competencies into engineering curricula. This case study serves as a model for developing sustainability-oriented engineering education aligned with global development needs.
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Keywords (free text)
case-based learning, program assessment, curriculum integration, engineering education, engineering for sustainable development, education for sustainabilty, sustainability in engineering