DOI

Summary
This study is proposed to be utilised for the enhancement of sustainable development education within the Conceive Design Implement Operate (CDIO) syllabus which is relevant to engineering education. Rosén et al. assess the extent of which UNESCO’s key competencies for sustainability are found in this engineering syllabus. The authors follow two steps to evaluate the syllabus. (1) Topics, concepts and terms in the CDIO syllabus that align with UNESCO’s key competencies are assessed. (2) A qualitative discussion is held to highlight components that could be better utilised or enhanced in the syllabus. Opportunities for knowledge transfer and methods between Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The paper goes on to assesses and reports on the mapping of the key competencies throughout the syllabus. Table 2 presents a visual representation of step 1.  

The various concepts and competencies are discussed in the following sections and give rise to a number of gaps in knowledge but generally conclude that the CDIO syllabus fairly robustly represents the key competencies from UNESCO.

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This study is relevant to complex systems knowledge from a sustainable development context with attention given to systems thinking. The study itself may provide guidelines for a different syllabus assessment regarding the key competencies for sustainable development from UNESCO.

Key competencies for sustainable development are described as ‘competencies that, within the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) domain, are considered necessary for all learners to cope with the increasingly diverse and interconnected world and to enable them to contribute to the urgently needed transformations towards a sustainable society’.

In table 1, Systems thinking competency is described as the ability to; recognise and understand relationships, analyse complex systems, think of how systems are embedded with different domains and different scales and also the ability to deal with uncertainty. This description of systems thinking is listed among the eight key competencies for sustainability in UNESCO (2017). Figure 2 depicts a visual aid for ‘Integrated problem-solving competency’ and the 8 key competencies that surround it. This table may act as useful reference for the teaching systems thinking and its 7/8 related competencies.

The CDIO syllabus was found to strongly represent the collaboration aspect of the key competencies, particularly with a focus on teamwork. However, the syllabus fell short of interdisciplinary collaboration material (normative competency and critical thinking), mentioning how to deal with values and the need to develop participatory problem-solving skills.

Point of Strength
Table 1 provides a clear cut, concise description of systems thinking in the context of the eight competencies for sustainable development from UNESCO. This may provide a valuable resource for teaching.

The study describes a methodology for syllabus assessment under the context of the key sustainable development competencies with attention given to systems thinking. This studies methodologies may be replicated under the context of a different field of study.

The findings of a lack of interdisciplinary collaborative material in the CDIO syllabus may be reflective other fields of study.