Envisioning Sustainability in Technical Higher Education: Global Goals, Local Insights

This session presents the outcomes of an 18-month research project focused on integrating sustainability into technical higher education in India, with a particular emphasis on mechanical engineering. Conducted in collaboration with University College London (UCL), the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS), Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India and McGill University, and supported by the British Council’s Going Global Partnerships grant, the project explores how sustainability can be embedded into engineering curricula and practice.

There is an increasing recognition that sustainability must be a core component of all disciplines. In engineering, this becomes particularly relevant as the way engineers frame problems directly shapes the solution they develop. When ethical and sustainability considerations are excluded from this framing, they are often absent from professional practice.

This session responds to the need to reframe engineering education to better equip future professionals for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. The following are this session’s objectives:

– To share key findings from primary and secondary research conducted in India.
– To explore the drivers of change influencing engineering practice from a sustainability perspective.
– To identify strategies for embedding sustainability into technical education, with a focus on mechanical engineering.
– To examine the role of industry in supporting this transformation.
– To foster cross-sectoral dialogue and share experiences across disciplines, scales, and geographies.
– To discuss the creation of a platform or community of practice for ongoing collaboration.

Please reach out to maanya.monnanda@mercedes-benz.com to express your interest in this session.