Diagnostic Evaluation of the Contribution of Complementary Training Subjects in the Self-Perception of Competencies in Ethics, Social Responsibility, and Sustainability in Engineering Students

Abstract

Higher education institutions, as organizations that transform society, have a responsibility to contribute to the construction of a sustainable and resilient world that is aware of the collateral effects of technological advances. This is the initial phase of a research that aims to determine whether subjects in the complementary training area have a significant effect on ethical, social responsibility, and sustainability (ERS) competencies in engineering students at a public higher education institution (HEI). To this end, a quantitative approach was used, adopting a descriptive comparative cross-sectional design and applying a self-perception instrument to a population of 418 students in the first and last semesters of engineering undergraduate programs. As a result, it was found that students that took subjects in the complementary area did not show significant development in social responsibility and sustainability competencies but did in ethical dimensions. Furthermore, in the triad of ERS competencies, there was a significant difference in students over 36 years of age, suggesting that time and academic experience contribute to a greater understanding and application of ethical and moral principles. These results support the idea that ethics and social responsibility are the pillars of sustainability. The findings highlight the importance of intervening in these subjects and complementing them with educational strategies that promote the continuous development of ERS competencies throughout the entire training itinerary, not only in complementary subjects, but as cross-cutting components of all specific engineering discipline subjects.