Engineering education has evolved over the years as the engineer’s role adapted to the needs of developing communities. Engineers now need both technical expertise and “soft skills” to work abroad.
Undergraduate, minor and master’s degree programs on engineering for sustainable development have been integrated into major engineering schools around the world, driven mostly by university professors advocating the shift from grand to small-scale yet life-changing projects.
“In the last 20 years, there’s been an explosion for the need of technology-oriented professionals that are able to understand the cultural context and impact of what they do and … to work in a diverse environment,” said Thomas Colledge, director of the Pennsylvania State University’s humanitarian engineering program.