Examining the Effectiveness of a Summer School to Equip Engineering Students with Competences Required to Achieve the SDGs

In today's landscape of global challenges, the role of the engineer is experiencing a significant transformation. The expectations of engineers are no longer confined to traditional technical expertise; they are increasingly acknowledged as key players in driving sustainable development agendas on a global scale. As nations endeavour to achieve the ambitious targets outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it becomes imperative to equip engineers with a diverse skillset capable of addressing increasingly intricate and multifaceted projects, often characterised as “wicked” problems. The PROFESS 12 research project was conceived to address the gap between traditional and required skills by piloting a summer school which sought to expose students to opportunities where they can develop some of the required skills. This paper describes the design of the summer school and provides evidence from student feedback of its value and effectiveness in addressing learning outcomes. The resources from the design of this summer school can be used by educators who wish to contribute to activities to enhance skills in engineering students.