Resumen de Environmental education for future engineers at the university of the Basque Country
Rikardo Mínguez Gabiña, Javier Muniozguren Colindres, Agustín Arias Coterillo, Jokin Gorozika Bidaurratzaga, Néstor Goicoechea, Jose Ignacio Zuazo Urionabarrenechea, Egoitz Sierra Uria
Since 2002, the University of the Basque Country has supported the Ecodesign Educational Program in collaboration with some local Institutions. The purpose of the so-called Basque Ecodesign Hub is to promote environmental education at the Faculty of Engineering of Bilbao as well as other universities of the region. Its activities are specifically designed to provide ecodesign training for future product manufacturing engineers. This Ecodesign Hub aims at creating a data bank of ecoindicators and software tools comprising technical and environmental data adapted to the region, and it is responsible for setting a national benchmark for ecodesign research. In 14 years, the Ecodesign Classroom has developed more than 140 industrial and research projects. Therefore, it has become a regional reference in its goal of promoting ecodesign and sustainable development among future engineers. Many of these projects place a special emphasis on their innovation level and their impact on the industrial sector. Therefore the Basque Ecodesign Hub has become the forefront of Environmental Education in the Faculty of Engineering, placing a clear focus on the technological transfer with companies at the expense of the general Education for Sustainable Development.
