Sustainable development education: long-cycle model, international benchmarks, and student self-assessment

A study evaluated a long-cycle engineering education model against education for sustainable development principles, analyzing its curriculum, international benchmark alignment, and student self-assessments. The research aimed to determine the model's relevance for sustainability-oriented engineering training, utilizing frameworks from UNESCO, ABET, and IEA for interpretation.

Why it matters

This research contributes to understanding how educational models can effectively integrate sustainability principles into professional training, which is crucial for developing future capabilities addressing global challenges. It highlights the importance of aligning curricula with international standards and student perceptions to ensure the relevance and quality of educational outcomes.

Key insights

• The study assessed the quality characteristics of a long-cycle engineering education model.
• It focused on the model's relevance to education for sustainable development.
• Analysis included the documented curricular architecture and its alignment with international engineering-education benchmarks.
• Student self-assessments were incorporated as a component of the evaluation.
• The evaluation aimed to provide convergent evidence of the model's suitability for sustainability-oriented engineering training.
• Interpretation of findings was informed by frameworks from UNESCO, ABET, and the International Engineering Alliance (IEA).

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1893832