Using the learning factory for the integration of sustainability in the engineering curricula in higher education

Sustainability, gaining prominence due to perpetual population expansion and rapid depletion of resources, emphasizes economic prosperity, environmental conservation, and social equity. Students in higher education, especially those in engineering disciplines, play a pivotal role in the adoption and implementation of sustainability principles in, both, business and society. Within this context, the systematic integration of sustainability into engineering education is of paramount importance, thus helping to provide the students with awareness of the socio-economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development in addition to improving their technical skills. However, the process of embedding sustainability in the curriculum of higher education faces challenges from various stakeholders, including students, educators, and the higher education institution. The attitudes of students toward the subject, educators’ proficiency in sustainability, and the institutional frameworks’ support (or lack thereof) for this integration are some of the prominent challenges. Learning factories, serving as educational platforms that simulate real production environments and bridge academia with industry, emphasize competency development, facilitating participants in acquiring in-depth knowledge about industrial practices. In this research, the authors delve into the potential of learning factories as a platform to overcome the challenges faced during the sustainability integration process in higher education curricula, and to help foster students’ competency development. A literature review was conducted to thoroughly investigate the challenges of integrating sustainability into higher education. Based on these findings, a comprehensive framework is presented, highlighting how learning factories can address these challenges and enhance students’ competency development.