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MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development

global challenges, engineering solutions
 
EESD15 UBC Vancouver

Dick Fenner and Heather Cruickshank recently attended the 7th International Conference on Engineering Education for Sustainable Development which was hosted by the University of British Colombia in Vancouver from 9-12 June. They presented two papers on the use of games in teaching concepts of sustainable development and on exploring the usefulness of the ESD MPhil to graduates of the programme based on a recently conducted survey of the 411 alumni of the Cambridge course. On the final day they also ran a workshop, togther with Jon-Erik Dahlin from KTH in Stockholm, demonstrating games such as GaSucO, the Power Grid, Dilemma and Fishbanks. In addition Heather gave the key note address to an audience of 300 delegates in UBC's Robson Square facility in downtown Vancouver where the Conference delegates met with local stakeholder groups to engage in a dialogue on issues relating to sustainability.

Heather and Dick also hosted an evening get together of several ESD MPhil alumni who are currently working in the Vancouver area, as well as former ESD students who were delegates to the Conference from as far away as Chile.

Further details of the EESD 15 event can be found at: http://eesd15.engineering.ubc.ca/

Vancouver ESD Reunion June 2015

Photo credit: Fenner

 

Course Overview

Context

The need to engage in better problem definition through careful dialogue with all stakeholder groups and a proper recognition of context.

Perspectives

An ability to work with specialists from other disciplines and professional groups acknowledging that technical innovation and business skills also must be understood, nurtured and combined as precursors to the successful implementation of sustainable solutions.

Change

An understanding of mechanisms for managing change in organisations so future engineers are equipped to play a leadership role.

Tools

An awareness of a range of assessment frameworks, sustainability metrics and methodologies such as Life Cycle Analysis, Systems Dynamics, Multi-Criteria Decision making and Impact Assessment.