by Dr. Homeira Shayesteh
It was a privilege to present three papers at IEEE EDUCON 2025 in London, each highlighting a core commitment of my work: embedding sustainability in engineering education, creating inclusive and meaningful learning environments, and empowering students through real-world opportunities.
The first paper, “Integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into Engineering Education: A Practical Framework for Developing Future Leaders in Sustainability”, received the Best Paper Award; an honour that was both humbling and deeply affirming. As a solo-authored contribution, the paper reflects not just academic rigour but a strong personal commitment to advancing sustainability within engineering education. The core of the paper is a practical and adaptable framework designed to embed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) across engineering curricula, encouraging institutions to reframe technical education with an ethical and global perspective.
The recognition highlighted the growing urgency and appetite for actionable strategies that move sustainability from the periphery into the heart of engineering education and practice. It also reinforced the idea that engineers of the future must be prepared not only to solve problems but to do so within a framework of planetary and social responsibility.
Beyond the accolade, the experience was energising in the way it sparked meaningful dialogue with peers and educators from around the world. It has already led to opportunities to collaborate, share best practices, and refine the framework based on feedback and new research. I see this as not just a professional milestone, but a turning point in how I approach curriculum development, prioritising systems thinking, cross-disciplinary learning and long-term societal impact.
The second paper, “The MDX Living Pavilion – Making a Collaborative, Sustainable Learning and Wellbeing Space on Campus”, was co-authored with Tong Yang, Kate Fregene, Paul Beaty-Pownall, Shahrokh Zandi, Mehmet Karamanoglu, and Zuzana Botkova. It focused on the creation of a co-designed, interdisciplinary space on campus that acts as a living lab, fostering sustainable thinking, promoting wellbeing, and engaging students as active participants in shaping their learning environments. The Pavilion is more than a physical structure; it is a pedagogical approach that makes sustainability visible and experiential.
The third paper, “Enhancing Employability and Engagement in a Student-Centred Learning Environment: Insights from the MDX Internship Scheme”, co-authored with Ramona Trestian, Jack Tims and Purav Shah, examined the impact of real-world, structured internship experiences on student confidence, engagement and graduate outcomes. We explored how mentoring, reflective practice and interdisciplinary collaboration can significantly enrich learning and support a smoother transition into the professional world.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to share these projects, and even more inspired by the global community of educators pushing the boundaries of what teaching and learning can achieve. The conference reinforced that education when rooted in purpose and partnership, can be a powerful agent of change.
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