Wicked problems in a sustainable context within built environment
The project involves programme development around sustainable development for integration and transformation to achieve the higher CDIO level (3-5). The aim is to equip the students to deal with wicked problems, which is essential for education in built environments.
This development project started in 2023. It is carried out at the School of Architecture and Civil Engineering (ABE) in collaboration with other schools within the framework of the change programme "Future Education at KTH". The project continued during 2024 and will continue in 2025.
Project context
Students need to be challenged and trained more about problems that do not have a clear solution and may not even be possible to define (wicked problems). Training students in critical and independent thinking about complex current and future problems related to sustainable development is essential for education in the field of built environments. It is important to offer opportunities for transformative learning in the education where support is given to identify and question unsustainable conditions of various kinds.
The project includes teachers at ABE, the department for Learning in STEM (LiSTEM) and also a broader group of teachers at KTH from different technical fields as well as students.
Purpose (outcome)
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To naturally incorporate learning activities related to wicked problems into our educational programmes which makes students more trained and prepared for working life, i.e. what you can expect from the engineer of the future.
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The programmes should reach a higher level on the CDIO scale (3-5) by continuing to work with programme development around sustainable development in some of the education programmes at ABE for strong integration and (in the long term) transformation according to the CDIO Standard.
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The teacher faculty should be able to share experiences and help, dare and inspire collective learning in this area.
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To contribute to ensuring that all students at KTH in 2027 have skills for sustainable engineering work and have experience in working both cross- and multi-disciplinary, both with students from other programmes at KTH and other universities. No student should leave KTH (with a degree) without having worked on a project with a complex task that includes a high degree of uncertainty.
Project results (output)
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Current situation analysis based on studies made and organised workshops etc. and delivered courses (project course in building construction)
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Competence development around challenge-driven education (course participation etc.)
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Clear course elements in the educational programmes that support challenge-driven and transformative learning
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Packaged lessons learnt for dissemination via action plan and proposals for measures
Time plan
Start date: 2023-06-01
End date: 2026-06-30
Project documentation
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Project initiation document: Projektdirektiv_FrU25_2302-ABE_OmedgörligaProblem_2025-06-05.pdf (Swedish)