Ethical education as a pillar of the future role of higher education: Analysing its presence in the curricula of engineering courses

Abstract

Currently, higher education has lost part of its historical role, and its mission has been substantially altered, as it has focused on providing services to the economic sector. Contemporary challenges and characteristics and the prediction of future challenges demand new roles and missions for higher education. Faced with the challenges of the present and the challenges foreseen in the future, the role of engineering and technology stands out. This study highlights the need for ethical education as a pillar of higher education in and towards the future, particularly in the field of engineering, and describes the main characteristics that this education component needs. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the characteristics of ethical education in the future and towards the future are already contemplated in the curricular units of Portuguese engineering higher education courses with an ethical component. It was possible to conclude that, although ethical education is somewhat present in engineering courses, it is only found in a few courses and still does not present the necessary characteristics of ethical education defended in this paper.