World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development
Engineering has always had an essential role in development and human welfare. Ensuring that future generations of engineers and scientists will be able to design solutions for local and global challenges is critical.
UNESCO's General Conference proclaimed the 4 March World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development during its 40th session in November 2019 (40 C/64), to raise awareness of the role of engineering in modern life, which is essential to mitigate the impact of climate change and advance sustainable development, especially in Africa and the small island developing states (SIDS).
In spite of the importance of engineering for our life and future, women have been historically underrepresented in engineering fields, typically making up only 10 – 20% of the engineering work force. Even in countries where the numbers of women studying STI have increased, this trend has not translated into more women entering the workplace. Too many female students who graduate do not go into the engineering profession. The barriers are often connected to persistent gender stereotypes in this field, inadequate policies or educational environments that do not meet their needs and aspirations.
UNESCO is placing a high priority on activities that promote awareness of engineering as a career, as well as on those that demonstrate the importance of youth studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
UNESCO Engineering Report: Engineering for a Healthy Planet
The report highlights the crucial role of engineering in achieving each of the 17 SDGs. It shows how equal opportunities for all is key to ensuring an inclusive and gender balanced profession that can better respond to the shortage of engineers for implementing the SDGs.
It provides a snapshot of the engineering innovations that are shaping our world, especially emerging technologies such as big data and AI, which are crucial for addressing the pressing challenges facing humankind and the planet.
What UNESCO does to support engineering
MESSAGES
Message from the Director-General
"In order to be effective, engineering must also be open, inclusive and collaborative.
This is why UNESCO is committed to reducing inequalities in engineering: in terms of gender, when only 30% of engineers are women; as well as of geography, especially in Africa, where the number of engineers is lower than in any other region of the world."
— Audrey Azoulay, Director General, Message on the occasion of World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development, 4 March 2022
Download the complete message in PDF
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Message from the Assistant Director-General
Messages from partners
Video message from the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO)
Video message from Ray Liu, IEEE President
News
All-girl team from the Philippines wins Sustainable Engineering Hackathon on UNESCO’s World Engineering Day
UNESCO in Brazil celebrates World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development
Young engineers to embark on a hackathon to tackle non-biodegradable waste
Women in Science: UNESCO Regional Mapping Identifies Persistent Gender Disparities
2022 commemoration
Hackathon
The SDGs Hackathon challenges and encourages youth around the world to participate actively in World Environment Day 2022. This event is jointly held by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and its partners.
Engineering students were invited to participate in this worldwide competition and work in teams to present engineering solutions for a global problem on the theme: Build Back Wiser – Engineering the Future. Utilising their theoretical knowledge, students gain first-hand experience to develop their critical thinking, build new skill sets, push themselves out of their comfort zone and build lasting relationships. The finalists will be announced on World Engineering Day.
World Engineering Day 24HRS LIVE
World Engineering Day 24HRS LIVE will follow the celebrations around the world and engage engineers and engineering students in the first ever 24-hour, global coverage of a UNESCO International Day. The programme will be broadcast from 8 locations/time zones as the day unfolds, starting at 12 pm in Sydney (GMT+11).
The event is hosted by the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and its members and partners and will focus on the theme: Build Back Wiser – Engineering the Future.
UNESCO roundtable
4 March 2022, 01:00 - 02:15 pm (GMT+1), Paris, France and online
The roundtable “Build Back Wiser - Engineering the Future”, organized by UNESCO with partners from around the globe, will be opened by Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, Assistant General-Director for Natural Sciences, UNESCO. The topic of the roundtable is “What can we do to Engineer the Future towards the Sustainable Development Goals? What tools are available?”.
It is part of the 24HRS LIVE programming.
Join the celebration
Key messages
- Engineering has been changing the world for millennia, and the new rapidly emerging technologies are an opportunity for positive transformation that leaves no one behind.
- The world is still experiencing, on average, a shortage of engineers in all domains.
- We are still observing a decline of interest and enrollment in engineering by young people, especially women.
- We must address gender segregation in engineering and deconstruct sterotypes by showcasing important engineering role models and developing programmes to encourage more girls to consider engineering as a career.
- The world is still experiencing a brain drain of all qualified engineers from developing countries to developed countries.
- Policy-makers must take into consideration the need and importance of engineering for sustainable development.
- Innovation in engineering is necessary to better adapt and address today’s global challenges and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Engineering is essential for economic advancement and for the implementation of new technologies and the application of science, including for basic needs of food, health, housing, roads and transport, water, energy and management of the planet’s resources.
- Engineer is a vital profession in addressing basic human needs, in alleviating poverty, in promoting secure and sustainable development, in responding to emergency situations, in reconstructing infrastructure, in bridging the knowledge divide and in promoting intercultural cooperation.
Logo
The 17 colours of the UN Sustainable Development Goals are included in the World Engineering Day logo and represent the commitment to the UN 2030 Agenda. The colours at the centre of the image are for the Sustainable Development Goals for Water, Energy, Sustainable Infrastructure and Innovation. These are the areas where engineers are needed most. The goal for Engineering Education is also central as the world needs more engineers with the right engineering skills for sustainable development. The image of the world is incorporated in the logo to show that this is a global day for everyone. The gears of the logo show that engineers are driving the world forward and that engineering is essential for sustainable development.
UNESCO Engineering Report
The second UNESCO Engineering Report, Engineering for Sustainable Development: Delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals, published on 4 March 2021, highlights the crucial role of engineering in achieving each of the 17 SDGs. It shows how equal opportunities for all is key to ensuring an inclusive and gender balanced profession that can better respond to the shortage of engineers for implementing the SDGs.