Sustainability Competences and Pedagogical Approaches at the Warsaw University of Technology (Faculty of Production Engineering)

Authors:

• Bartłomiej Gładysz,
• Aldona Kluczek

Abstract

Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) is the biggest technological university in Poland. WUT has since educated many successive generations of engineers, thereby making a signifcant contribution to the advancement of science and technology both in Poland and in the world. Over 500 professors deliver education to almost 31,000 students. The Faculty of Production Engineering (FPE) is one of the 19 faculties of WUT. This chapter presents the results of that Faculty, from nineteen survey respondents. The main focus of the university is put on economic issues, followed by cross-cutting themes, then environmental issues, and social issues. The faculty contribution is medium and the strength is medium. The ranking of the competences shows that Inter-disciplinary work is the highest, followed by Systems thinking and Anticipatory thinking. The ranking of the pedagogical approaches resulted in Lecturing and Project- or Problem-based learning were the highest, followed by Supply chain/Life cycle analysis. The correlation showed that Mind and concept maps, Participatory Action Research, Case studies, and Supply chain/Life cycle analysis developed the most competences. The competences most developed were Personal involvement, Communication and use of media, and Empathy and change of perspective. The results show that there is a wide divergence between the issues of each dimension. The commitment of WUT faculty and educators needs to foster a transformation in teaching to enhance the learning process in sustainability.