‘Engineering for Global Development’ in Academic Institutions: An Initial Review of Learning Opportunities Across Four Global Regions

Engineering for Global Development (EGD) is a growing field in which technology development, design research, and implementation sciences are utilized to support communities worldwide and improve their quality of life. The study area is known by various terminologies worldwide, such as ‘global engineering,’ ‘frugal engineering,’ ‘sustainable development engineering,’ ‘humanitarian engineering,’ and so on. This report aims to provide an initial overview of the breadth of EGD-related opportunities available at universities through a series of regional reviews in four major global regions: (1) Canada and the United States, (2) Australia and New Zealand, (3) Latin America, and (4) Asia. In addition to documenting the types of EGD programs offered at academic institutions, we aim to analyze the ways in which EGD-related educational opportunities are offered across the specified global regions. Importantly, we review and compare common terminologies used in each region. Across the regions explored, we identified 85 intuitions with various EGD-related learning opportunities, primarily in the form of experiential learning and research opportunities. Some universities offer degrees and certificates, but the quantity of degree-granting programs remains relatively small. Future work should explore this increase in demand and quality of available training, especially relevant to SDG 4: Quality Education. Our findings indicate that a robust EGD academic community exists globally. Notably, institutions use a variety of terminologies, and similarities and differences in their usage exist regionally. Ultimately, this report aims to comprehensively review the many terminologies, programs (e.g., undergraduate courses, masters, postgraduate, and innovation centers), and research groups dedicated to EGD-related academic work across the four regions specified. The findings from this study contribute to the growing literature and efforts to expand EGD endeavors and collaborations in academic institutions globally.