CODESIGNING AN EXPEDITION LEARNING SEMESTER AROUND EUROPE FOR FUTURE RESPONSIBLE ENGINEERS

Abstract

Decarbonization is a major objective of the European Union (EU) to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As an example, for the transport sector, shipbuilders and engine manufacturers are exploring prototypes and designs for ships powered by alternative propulsion systems to fuel energy, like wind-assisted propulsion. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), through their science and technology curricula, must now prepare the next generation of responsible engineers to support these ecological transitions. To guide educational program leaders and curriculum designers, the active workshop presented here permits to codesign a pan-European Master level semester on energy EU sovereignty and decarbonization. The context is a 5-month expedition in an imagined cruise ship, a nomadic university which provides accommodation for the students with learning and teaching workspaces. This low-carbon ship, as a floating Lab, is to travel between several European cities, to meet various academic, scientific and industrial communities during the itinerary. This paper reviews the activities and phases of this exciting workshop, operated several times in 2024, e.g. during the SEFI 2024 conference at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. In sub-groups, participants propose their itinerary on a given geographical map and sketch out an original joint curriculum with the aid of a canvas of nine components elaborated in a project funded by the European Commission. No prior knowledge or expertise in energy topics are needed, just openness to new ideas and creativity in collaborative curriculum design.