INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM EPFL

As concerns regarding sustainability and ethical responsibility in engineering practices continue to rise, it becomes imperative for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to equip future engineers with the necessary knowledge and skills to address these challenges. This practice paper presents the introduction of a mandatory sustainability course for first-year students, designed to foster a deeper understanding of the ethical implications of engineering solutions and promote sustainability in engineering practices. The course is structured to integrate theoretical foundations of sustainability science with practical applications, utilizing innovative pedagogical approaches to engage students in systems thinking group projects and develop critical thinking. Through this course, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) aims at cultivating a new generation of responsible engineers, architects, chemists, mathematicians and physicists equipped to address complex societal and environmental challenges in their future careers.