‘As part of a major initiative to ensure that the engineers of tomorrow can rise to the challenges of the climate emergency’, the Engineering Professors’ Council (EPC), which partners The Royal Academy of Engineering and Siemens Digital Industries Software, has launched a new free-to-use Sustainability Toolkit to embed new greener approaches into engineering education.
Unveiled on the EPC website, the Toolkit will – the UK’s representative body for engineering academics in higher education says – ‘serve as a valuable resource for educators working in engineering higher education’. It includes 12 guidance articles, 18 different teaching resources including five case studies, and a library of links to sustainability communities and networks that promote collaborative efforts. It will operate as an open-access platform where users can also submit their own resources for review and inclusion. Additionally, it directs users to supplementary materials curated by a team of experts led by Professor Chris Wise FREng, Chair of the EPC’s Sustainability Toolkit Steering Group.
Professor Wise said: “Chairing the EPC Sustainability Toolkit Steering Group has been about our responsibility as engineers. More than just leading, it’s about inspiring a collective commitment to shaping our sustainable future. Through collaboration and our shared passion, we're not only empowering the academic community, but also fostering a culture of environmental stewardship to transcend generations.”
Dr. Sarah Jayne Hitt, Project manager for the Sustainability Toolkit, added: “As Project manager for the new Toolkit, I am committed to equipping the next generation of engineers with the tools and mindset needed to address our planet’s most pressing challenges. It’s about fostering a culture of sustainability that transcends disciplines, inspiring students to become catalysts for positive change in their communities and beyond. Together, we're not just shaping curricula, we’re shaping a more sustainable future.”
Johnny Rich, Chief Executive of the Engineering Professors’ Council, said: “The engineering community must acknowledge our contribution to creating today’s climate emergency – but that also proves we have the power to change our planet. So, if we’re committed to building a more sustainable tomorrow, engineers will be the ones who create it. I’m immensely proud of our collaboration with Siemens and the Royal Academy of Engineering on the new EPC Sustainability Toolkit. We're not just creating educational resources, we’re creating the engineers who will create our future.”
The EPC will host a free introduction webinar, providing individuals with a comprehensive guide to the Toolkit’s resources on 28 March from 9.30-11.00 am.
