Enhancing Communication Skills in Engineering Education: Curriculum Development for the Green Transition

Practice Paper Recommended citation: Jylhä, S. K., & Honka, P. M. (2025). Enhancing Communication Skills in Engineering Education: Curriculum Development for the Green Transition. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Järvinen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53rd Annual Conference. European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), Tampere, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631885. This Conference Paper is brought to you for open access by the 53rd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) at Tampere University in Tampere, Finland. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License. ENHANCING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION: CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR THE GREEN TRANSITION S. Jylhä a,1, P. Honka b, a Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Kemi, Finland, 0009-0000-0644-7274 b Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Kemi, Finland, 0009-0005-6117-3575 Conference Key Areas: Engineering skills, professional skills, and transversal skills, Curriculum development and emerging curriculum models in engineering Keywords: curriculum development, green transition, engineering education, communication skills, collaboration skills ABSTRACT The ECO-GT (Engineers Communicating and Collaborating Internationally for the Green Transition) project, funded by the European Union's Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships Programme, aims to enhance international communication skills for engineers working in green transition in Europe. The project involves educators from multiple European universities and focuses on developing an innovative competency framework, implementable learning outcomes as well as tailored assessment criteria. The piloting phase at Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS) included mini-modules designed to improve communication skills among engineering students. These mini-modules, integrated into existing mechanical engineering and electrical and automation engineering curricula at Lapland UAS, were evaluated through surveys and teacher assessments. Results indicated that students recognized the importance of communication skills and found the mini-modules effective in enhancing these skills. The project emphasizes the need for curriculum development in engineering education to equip future engineers with essential communication and collaboration skills for the global green transition. The outcomes of the project will be compiled into a handbook and implemented in a summer school in Portugal in May 2026. 1 Corresponding Author S. Jylhä [email protected] 1 INTRODUCTION Climate change is a real threat all over the world and it has been taken seriously. The European Green Deal project aims to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. (European Commission, 2025). In addition, European countries have set their own climate recommendations. For example, Finland aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and to halt the decline in biodiversity by 2030 (Ministry of Finance Finland, 2025). Both boost the economy through green technology and speed up the transition from fossil energy to renewable energies. The green transition, as well as technological change, geoeconomic fragmentation and economic uncertainty, are expected to change the global labor market by 2030 (World Economic Forum, 2025). The ability to communicate effectively with diverse groups is becoming more and more important in the globalization of organizations (Hirudayaraj et al, 2021). Clear and exact communication decreases errors and misunderstandings, making complex technical requirements accessible to all participants (Simon, 2021). As stated by Li, Öchsner & Hall (2017), it is required from the industry that mechanical engineers today must demonstrate skills like multi-disciplinary knowledge, excellent communication capabilities, and inquisitiveness to be able to compete in the global market. It has been recognized that communication skills have been given limited attention in engineering curricula, which clearly affects engineer’s ability to cooperate with diverse stakeholders. To improve this, educational institutions must develop their curricula and emphasize communicational competences as well as technical knowledge (Nuralievna, 2023). Holik and Sanda (2020) have stated in their research that engineering students need improvement especially in communication and co-operation. An integrated approach to language learning can only help the students to communicate ideas without inhibition or fear as it resembles real life communication. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the work conducted on the ongoing ECO-GT (Engineers Communicating and Collaborating Internationally for the Green Transition) project in the piloting phase, focusing on the work in student interface. The communication skills of engineers are highlighted, and communicative learning outcomes are expected to be found in the future curricula of mechanical engineering and electrical and automation engineering in Lapland UAS. The ECO-GT project provides the educators with practical tools for teaching. 2 CONTEXT AND PRACTICAL WORK The practical work of this paper is based on the ECO-GT project. One mini-module produced during the pilot phase is used as an example. The aim is to provide such clear information on the implementation and results that the mini modules can later be transferred to any engineering education and easily included in the curriculum. 2.1 ECO-GT project ECO-GT is a project funded by the European Union's Erasmus+ Cooperation Partnerships Programme. It unites educators from Lapland University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Gdansk University of Technology in Poland, Fachhochschule Technikum Wien in Austria, Technological University Dublin in Ireland, Istanbul Universitesi in Turkey, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro in Portugal, and Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov in Romania. The project's primary objective is to address a gap in the engineering curriculum by enhancing international communication skills for green-transition engineers in Europe. Through an analysis of professional practices in the field, the project aims to develop an innovative competency framework, implementable learning outcomes, and tailored assessment criteria. (ECO-GT, 2023.) The project materials are designed to support the development and dissemination of green transition innovations within research, business, and policymaking communities. It adopts an innovative approach to curriculum design, equipping engineering faculties and students with adaptable, evidence-based communication skills for diverse contexts. (ECO-GT, 2023.) 2.2 Piloting in Lapland UAS One objective of the ECO-GT project is to pilot communication exercises, referred to as mini-modules. Each mini-module takes approximately one hour to complete. The project piloting included a table of nearly 100 communication competencies in its entirety. The competencies were divided into four categories, which were communication means, communication tasks, language and communication competences and underlying mindsets. Each partner selected 9-10 competencies for internal piloting. The table of competencies was based on interviews with industry representatives. At Lapland UAS, the selection of competencies was guided by their suitability for Finnish engineering students and their compatibility with mechanical engineering and electrical and automation engineering curricula. One criterion for selection was their adaptability to both Finnish language and communication and English courses, as the language teachers were involved in the ECO-GT project. Furthermore, in the mechanical engineering education at Lapland UAS, Finnish language and communication and English as subjects are integrated into professional subjects, such as semester projects. This integration allows language teachers to actively participate in these courses. The piloting started in September 2024. A major part of piloting was done until April 2025 and it will continue throughout the spring semester of 2025. All competencies, courses, used language and available number of students are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Piloting competences and courses Competence Course Language Students Meetings New Industry Communication Finnish 32 Videos Project skills Finnish Coming in spring semester 2025 Pitch to a potential investor English for Mechanical Engineering English Coming in spring semester 2025 Facilitating communication in teams English for Electrical and Automation Engineering English 17 Communication guidelines (internal) Project Skills Finnish 21 Describe problems and solutions English for Mechanical Engineering English Coming in spring semester 2025 Explore ideas Project Skills Finnish 45 Audience adaptation and technical modulation English for Mechanical Engineering English 23 Ensuring shared understanding Project Skills English 45 Understanding the green transition New Industry Communication Finnish 12 As seen in the table above, the competencies were selected from different areas of communication skills. There are both oral and written tasks connected with group communication. Many of the competencies suited well on project work, for example exploring ideas, videos, communication guidelines and ensuring shared understanding. The language of piloting was Finnish or English, depending on the course. All the piloting materials were translated into English after the piloting was finished. The number of students varied depending on the course. The results of piloting are based on questionnaires for students and teacher evaluations. The questionnaires were conducted at the beginning of each piloting and also after their completion. Teachers' evaluations were completed after every mini-module. In total, the piloting in Lapland UAS included 10 questionnaires and evaluations. 2.3 Practical Example of Piloting – Ensuring Shared Understanding Effective communication of technical requirements is crucial in any project, especially when working with diverse teams. Hence explaining technical requirements in English to a group of people, e.g. project group, could be mentioned as one practical example of piloting the mini modules. The task was included in Project skills course for second year Mechanical Engineering students. The aim of the lessons was to practice communication skills and English language; hence the session was facilitated by English and Finnish lectures. The students were divided into four groups, of which three were adult students (9, 12 and 16 students) and one was young students (9), the total number of students being 46. The task was designed to be completed in 45 minutes. The process was divided into four main steps: preparation and vocabulary work, explaining, confirming understanding and feedback. Step 1: Preparation and Vocabulary Work (10 minutes) The first step involved preparation and familiarization with key terms. Each member of the group received a drawing of a wind turbine. A designated explainer was also given a picture that included the technical requirements. The picture is shown in figure 1. The group was also provided with a glossary of key terms necessary for the task. The group then studied the glossary together, ensuring that all members understood the terms and concepts. Fig 1. The structural requirements picture given to the designed explainer Step 2: Explaining (20 minutes) In the second step the person chosen to explain the technical requirements presented the requirements clearly and concisely in English, while the rest of the group listened attentively and made notes on their drawings. After the presentation, the group members had the opportunity to ask questions to clarify any points that might have been unclear. Step 3: Confirming Understanding (5 minutes) The third step involved confirming that all group members had a consistent understanding of the technical requirements. Together, the group reviewed the technical requirements and compared their drawings to ensure they all had the same dimensions and details. Step 4: Feedback (10 minutes) This step was a joint feedback session with the entire group. During this session, the group reviewed the original drawing and discussed any differences or misunderstandings that were identified in the previous steps. Step 5: Questionnaire After the group activities the students were asked to answer the questionnaire to get their opinions of the piloting. The questionnaire is based on skills and attitudes listed in the table of nearly 100 competencies. In the first questionnaire, at the beginning of the piloting, the students were asked how important the following communication skills are for an engineer. In the second questionnaire, after the completion of the piloting, the students were asked how well the mini-module suited practicing those skills. The questions were the same in both questionnaires. The students were asked if they agreed or disagreed with the following statements (questions 1-4): Q1: Engineers can adapt communication for different target audiences when explaining technical requirements. Q2: Engineers can present only the necessary information for the target audience and leave out irrelevant details. Q3: Engineers can consider questions raised during the presentation and ensure that all have been answered. Q4: Engineers can choose the appropriate vocabulary or clarifying examples for a specific target audience. The questions were graded on a scale of 1-5, where 1 meant “strongly disagree” and 5 meant “strongly agree.” The last question was an open-ended question, where the students were asked to identify the three most important aspects they learned from this exercise. In conclusion, this structured approach to explaining technical requirements in English ensured that all group members had a clear and consistent understanding of the project. By following these steps, preparation and vocabulary work, explaining, confirming understanding, feedback and questionnaire, teams effectively communicated complex technical information and worked together more efficiently. 3 RESULTS AND INSIGHTS As stated in chapter 2.2., the results of piloting are based on questionnaires for students. The total number of answers were 46. Both questionnaires were anonymous. The following presents one example of piloting. 3.1 Results of Questionnaire: Ensuring Shared Understanding As the result of the first questionnaire at the beginning of piloting, the students were asked about the importance of communication skills. Most of the students agreed or agreed strongly that all the skills were important (Fig 2). For example, in question 3, in which the importance of engineers considering the questions during presentations and answering was asked, the number of “strongly agree” answers was 15. Fig. 2. Importance of communication skills (questionnaire 1) It could also be seen, that engineer students think that engineers should adapt communication for different target audiences and present only the necessary information. In the second questionnaire after the completion of the piloting, as seen in figure 3, most students agreed or agreed strongly that this task suited for practicing communication skills mentioned in chapter 2.2. For example, in question 3, 17 students strongly agreed, that the task suited well for practicing the skills of considering and answering questions during the presentation. Fig. 3. Task suitability for communication skill development (questionnaire 2) As conclusion of the questionnaire 2, the students thought that this piloting exercise suited well in practicing adapting communication to different target audiences. In the last question the students were asked to identify the three most important aspects they learned from this exercise. The research findings underscore the importance of English language proficiency, the acquisition of new vocabulary, and the significance of collaboration. Mastery of English is crucial, particularly in understanding technical terms and explaining projects. Several respondents reported learning new English words and terms, such as wind turbine components, and found the integration of vocabulary into drawings beneficial. Listening and reading comprehension exercises contributed to improved understanding, while practicing English pronunciation and writing was deemed valuable. Teamwork and collaboration were emphasized, with respondents noting that significant achievements can be realized through cooperative efforts. Effective communication and clear messaging were highlighted as essential, especially in ensuring that all participants comprehend the given instructions and requirements. 3.2 Teacher’s evaluation Once the mini-modules were finished, the teachers participating in the piloting filled out an evaluation form. The form was divided into two parts: planning and implementation. The planning section included preparations for the task, such as literature and resources. Additionally, all ideas on how this particular competence could be taught were listed. The implementation section contained specific information of the learning event, such as academic level, teaching hours, ECTS value, number of students, language of instruction, teaching methods and assessment methods. It was also asked if the task was integrated into the existing technical course or non-technical course or if it was a development of a new course of workshop. This section included details of session contents, which were presented step by step, as mentioned in chapter 2.3. The teachers' evaluation forms will later be used in the finalization of the ECO-GT handbook, in which all the mini-modules will be compiled. 4 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS In conclusion, the engineers of the future will work globally in green transition. Consequently, they also need wider communication and collaboration skills, as well as language skills. This highlights the global need for curriculum development in engineering education. The piloted mini-modules provided the ECO-GT project with valuable information on the students´ attitudes, skills and knowledge. Overall, the students found communication skills to be vital work-life skills. They also regarded the piloted minimodules as corresponding well with the learning objects and working well in enhancing their communication skills. The ECO-GT project work will be continued with compiling the final set of minimodules to be implemented into use in the summer school in Portugal in May 2026, where the students of the participating universities have an opportunity to apply. The summer school will take the piloting to an international phase as the mini-modules will be taught to student groups formed from various nationalities. The outcomes of the project will also be collected in a handbook that will be readily available to other engineering education organizers. 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The piloting was done as part of the Erasmus+ funded ECO-GT project. We would like to thank all the participants. REFERENCES ECO-GT. (2023). About the project. https://ecogt.eu/about-the-project/ European Commission. (2025). The European Green Deal. https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europeangreen-deal_en