Why is a course like this needed?
Kristofer Modig, Assistant Dean for First and Second Cycle Studies at LTH:
“Those we educate today will make decisions and develop technologies that influence society for many years to come. They will need not only deep knowledge within their own subject areas, but also the ability to understand consequences, take responsibility, and address complex problems in collaboration with people who bring different perspectives and expertise.”
He believes the course aligns closely with several of the intended learning outcomes for LTH's engineering programmes.
“Students need to understand both the possibilities and the limitations of technology, as well as the role it plays in society. The labour market is becoming increasingly complex, and many of our students will occupy positions where their ability to be wise, forward-thinking, principled and responsible decision-makers will be at least as important as their specialist knowledge”, says Kristofer Modig.
What is the aim of the course?
Carina Fasth, Senior Lecturer and Course Director, and Mirjam Glessmer, Senior Lecturer and Educational Developer, explain:
“The course is part of LTH’s ongoing work to develop its educational programmes and will address key competencies such as systems thinking, values thinking and futures thinking in a systematic way.”
The course is inspired in part by Lund University’s educational strategy, which highlights personal development, sustainability and the ability to navigate a rapidly changing world.
“We believe there is great value in bringing together students from different programmes to work collaboratively on issues that can be viewed from multiple perspectives. This reflects the way complex societal challenges appear in practice.”
Why are questions of power and conflicting interests relevant to engineers?
“Many LTH alumni go on to positions of significant influence, either through leadership roles or by developing products, services and systems that shape society,” says Carina Fasth.
“With that influence comes responsibility. To contribute positively to societal development, it is important to understand how technological solutions affect, and are affected by, social and societal structures.”
What does the course look like in practice?
“The course includes a structured component consisting of literature and seminars, as well as a smaller project in which students apply the course content by working on open-ended questions that require many different aspects to be taken into account.”
“The major challenges facing society are not purely technical. Issues such as AI, genetically modified crops and food production, energy supply, water management, security and privacy all involve technical, economic, political and social dimensions,” says Carina Fasth.
Teaching is delivered in collaboration with academics from several parts of the University, including the Department of Technology and Society, the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE), and the Department of Design Sciences. The course is supported by Lund University’s Sustainability Forum, and it has been developed in collaboration with students.
Interested in getting involved?
LTH teachers who are interested in the course are warmly encouraged to get in touch with the course team.
“You are very welcome to visit one of the course sessions or contact us if you would like to participate as a teacher or facilitator and contribute with project assignments, or take part in further course development in the coming years. A broad and interdisciplinary teaching team is essential for the course’s continued development, institutional anchoring and relevance,” says Mirjam Glessmer.
“The course has been designed so that any interested teacher can take part. For those who would like additional background, CEE offers the two-week course Teaching for Sustainability, where participants can devote part of their time to exploring the course content through a project.”