Sustainable Development Goals in construction engineering education: Comparison of current curricula in Denmark, Finland, and Belgium

The construction industry plays an essential role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted in the 2030 Agenda. However, limited research exists on how sustainability is implemented in higher education in construction programs. This study aims to map and compare the SDGs and their targets in the curricula of three construction engineering programs at bachelor level in Denmark, Belgium, and Finland. This was done by sorting the learning objectives of the curricula according to their contribution to the SDGs and targets. The learning objectives in the three curricula were then discussed concerning their contribution to the SDGs. The results show that the SDGs were addressed in all three curricula. Furthermore, all three sustainability dimensions were identified in the curricula. The results provide insights into the sustainable knowledge, skills, and competencies that higher education students are expected to obtain to tackle the sustainability challenges of the Northern European construction industry.