Engineers for Sustainability: Exploring theintegration of sustainability in engineering education : Towards more integration in engineering programmes in Sweden

Abstract: For society to move towards sustainability, competent engineers able to tackle systemic socioecological challenges are needed. To ensure this, integrating sustainability in engineering education is instrumental. This research aims to examine the current state of sustainability integration within Swedish engineering programs, as well as identifying challenges, needs, and drivers for integrating sustainability from the perspective of educators. Using a survey (P=55)and interviews (E=7) with educators of engineering master’s programmes in Sweden, the findings showed that: - Sustainability is not being strategically integrated. Tools as the framework of Sustainability Competencies have potential to help with the integration. - The main challenges inhibiting integration include a lack of resources, time, relevant sustainability teaching materials, and perceived relevance of sustainability to engineering courses. - The main drivers of integration are management directives, funding, educator’s personal convictions, and the increase of sustainability as a topic in common discourse. - Some main needs include building competence in educators, increased collaboration with sustainability experts, and learning from other universities regarding the process of integration. Whilst all educators show sustainability awareness, most educators lack knowledge and right conditions for integrating sustainability into engineering education. Considering the interconnectedness of all factors, adopting a systemic approach is necessary in order tostrategically integrate sustainability in engineering education.