oa The Deliberative and Dynamic model for engineering education curriculum renewal

This paper will assist engineering educators around the world to prepare graduates that can contribute to a number of the grand challenges for engineering. Responding to the understanding that it will be critical that engineering educators evolve curricula and pedagogy to meet new demands of the 21st century, the paper focuses on preparing graduates to assist society to respond to climate change. Based on the 2014 book, ‘Higher Education and Sustainable Development’, the paper outlines the first comprehensive model for achieving program wide curriculum renewal to embed sustainability topics into higher education. Examples of each aspect are drawn from efforts to embed energy efficiency into engineering programs. This model has been trialled in a number of universities and peer-reviewed by over 70 leaders in engineering education. The paper presents a strategic and optimistic approach to engineering education curriculum renewal that will provide a valuable tool for engineering education around the world. The paper overviews a model for rapid curriculum renewal, including a focus on six core elements: 1) Developing a curriculum renewal strategy. 2) Identifying graduate attributes. 3) Mapping learning pathways. 4) Auditing learning outcomes. 5) Develop and update curriculum, and 6) Implement program. The purpose of the paper is to provide academic staff with an overview of tools and insights to rapidly align program offerings with the needs of present and future generations of engineering students.