Democracy in Engineering Education - SEFI Spring School 2024 - 10 > 12 April 2024 - TU Berlin

From April 10 to 12, 2024, the SEFI Spring School on Democracy in Engineering Education took place at the Technical University of Berlin. The Spring School was organized for the first time jointly by the two SEFI Special Interest Groups for Ethics and Sustainability and addressed the provocative key question: “Do we need ethics or sustainability in engineering education – and how do we make this decision?” Inspired by the children's book “Kroko oder Krake? Du musst dich entscheiden!” (Crocodile or Octopus? You Have to Decide!), the event playfully yet seriously addressed the issues of freedom of choice, responsibility, and participation in technical education. One of the Blue Engineering lecturers actively participated, exchanged ideas with the participants, and contributed perspectives from the Berlin seminar.

Over three days, 52 participants from 30 institutions in 14 countries discussed the role of democracy in engineering education and beyond. In addition to traditional discussions, great importance was placed on shared experiences and collective responsibility: rooms were tidied up together, meals were prepared, artistic work was done, and questions were repeatedly asked about who is actually allowed to ask questions and who can give which answers. Instead of prepared lectures, sessions were developed co-creatively in small groups. Topics ranged from post-normal science and mathematics beyond counting to social justice and feminism. In the end, it became clear that a high degree of co-creation and responsibility was not only worthwhile, but also made the Spring School an intense and moving learning experience. The answer to the initial question was ultimately: “Both crocodile and octopus—ethics and sustainability belong together and must be considered together.”