The Challenge of Teaching Engineering in the 21st Century: Economic and Energy Challenges and the Issue of Sustainability

This paper deals with the training of engineers in Brazil in view of the new challenges of the 21st century. Over the last twenty years, scientific and technological progress has reached Brazil and, with the strengthening of international trade relations resulting from globalisation, the Brazilian industrial sector has had to modernise in order to keep pace with the new consumption habits of the population. With modernisation, new requirements have been imposed on professionals in technical and related fields. These requirements have been reflected in higher education institutions, which are responsible for meeting the demand for skilled professionals, especially engineers from various specialities, requiring skills such as initiative, creativity, leadership, autonomy and problem-solving abilities. This study investigated the current situation of engineering education in Brazil, gathered the opinions and expectations of students and teachers, and discussed teaching strategies and the feasibility of their application in the classroom. It also proposed a reflection on the curriculum model adopted by most educational institutions.