LIFELONG SKILLS REQUIRED BY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA

Abstract

Rapid technological change, the global transition toward renewable and smart energy systems, and the expanding scope of the Sustainable Development Goals have placed new demands on undergraduate engineering education, requiring graduates to possess not only technical competence but also durable, transferable lifelong skills. This study examined the lifelong skills required by undergraduate students of Electrical and Electronics Engineering for sustainable development at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (BAMU), Aurangabad, India. Grounded in lifelong learning theory (Knowles, 1975; Delors, 1996; Longworth, 2003) and the engineering-education-for-sustainable-development literature (Azapagic et al., 2005; Mulder, 2006; Segalàs et al., 2010), the study adopted a descriptive quantitative survey design administered to 150 final-year and pre-final-year Electrical and Electronics Engineering undergraduates. Data were collected using a structured, Likert-scaled questionnaire and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results showed that students rated self-directed learning, problem-solving and critical thinking, and digital and data literacy as the most needed lifelong skills for sustainable development (overall M = 4.18, SD = 0.51), while they rated the current curriculum’s development of these skills as only moderate (overall M = 2.89, SD = 0.62), revealing a substantial gap between perceived need and perceived curricular provision. Environmental and sustainability literacy and systems thinking showed the widest gap between need and provision. The most frequently cited challenges were an examination-driven curriculum with limited project-based learning, insufficient industry exposure, and limited faculty training in sustainability-integrated pedagogy. The findings indicate that closing the lifelong-skills gap at BAMU requires deliberate curricular redesign, expanded project- and industry-based learning, and faculty development rather than the addition of stand-alone content modules alone. Five recommendations are offered for curriculum planners, faculty, and institutional leadership.