ECO-GT: Engineers Communicating and Collaborating for the Green Transition

The ECO-GT project addresses the need for effective international communication skills among green-transition engineers. Research shows that engineering graduates often lack the ability to communicate and collaborate across various non-technical discourse communities. This includes interdisciplinary research, business, innovation, and especially the interface between technology and policymaking. Without these skills, engineers' potential to influence green transition innovation and combat climate change is limited.

The project develops a framework for international communication competences tailored to green-transition engineers. This framework translates into learning outcomes, educational curricula, flexible mini-modules, and assessment criteria. It aims to build capacity at partner universities and other organizations to sustainably promote these skills in the long term by integrating them into engineering curricula.

The ECO-GT project bridges higher education and the engineering profession, ensuring universities can train engineers in the necessary communication skills for the workplace. The project includes partners from academia and industry, with IEEE acting as a gateway to both the professional engineering sector and the policymaking community. This creates synergy between university courses and professional development, allowing adaptability and transferability of training materials.

Emphasizing international communication and collaboration, the ECO-GT project seeks ways to systematically embed this critical skillset into engineering education, ultimately preparing engineers to make a significant global impact.