How to Include Sustainability in Engineering Education: The "Green Challenge" at DTU is One Way

Sustainability and climate change are high on the global agenda. In the wake of the United Nations Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December 2009 there seems to be more disagreement and obstacles than concord and solutions, partly because of political and economic sectional interests. 

Besides the need for a political agreement on how to meet the climate change challenge the development of new technical solutions is required. Engineers will play a pivotal role in the transition towards a sustainable society. Future engineers must be capable of developing new ideas and solutions on how to turn the tide on the global challenges. An important goal in engineering educations is, then, to ensure that all students will achieve the ability to formulate sustainable solutions. To a certain degree this is done already in education programs at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), but in order to be able to lead the field and set the spotlight on sustainability DTU has launched GRØN DYST (Green Challenge) – a study conference for DTU students on sustainability, climate technology and the environment which is to be held at DTU June 25, 2010.