Abstract:

The action of engineering shaped the historical evolution of humanity [1], the relationships between individuals and between nations [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] and the relationship of human beings with the environment [4] [5] [6] [10] [11] [12]. In this context, the influence on the evolution of industrial production and the constant technological innovation that fuels economic development stands out [13] [14], in which electrical engineering played and still has a decisive role. In view of this, it is essential to integrate the ethical dimension into professional engineering practice [15] to respond responsibly to the public trust [16] on which engineering practice depends.

Internationally, many countries encourage or force ethics education component to be included in engineering courses [17]. In Portugal, in 2002 the Ordem dos Engenheiros recognized as fundamental to include ethical and deontological education in access to the profession [18], and the Ordem dos Engenheiros Técnicos also did it in 2012 [19] [20].

In the presented context, a study was carried out with the aim of verifying whether explicit ethical education is present in electrical engineering courses in Portugal. The results were compared with those obtained in 2015/2016 [21], allowing to obtain its evolution. In addition, it was also intended to investigate the value attributed to ethical education from the point of view of the formal and official presentation of the degrees (goals, skills, professional opportunities) which is available on the official websites of each program. The information provided reflects views of the role of engineering and its professionals in society that can be more or less inclusive [22] or adjusted to official engineering objectives, for example, defined by professional orders; as well as the importance they attach to the ethical dimension of engineering.

From a methodological point of view, a documental analysis was carried out of the information and documents available online on the official websites of the respective higher education institutions. In each institution, it was verified whether they taught any electrical engineering program (BSc and/or Integrated MSc) and information was collected on the objectives, competences, employability and curriculum plan. For each course, and when available, the formal Curricular Unit Sheet was consulted in order to identify any reference to competences/objectives or contents in the field of ethical education. In case that education in ethical issues was found, the respective formal Curricular Unit Sheet was collected and analysed.

After collecting the plans, an analysis was carried out in order to identify the curricular units that could potentially include explicit ethical education. The study covered 27 public higher education institutions (non-military). Of these, 11 do not teach electrical engineering courses.

Although the importance of including ethical education in engineering programs is of great consensus [23] [24] [25] [26], the study showed that this training component is still absent from most electrical engineering programs in Portugal. The results also show an ethically neutral conception of the role of electrical engineering. The curricular units that refer to ethics issues, in most cases, only frame it in a normative perspective and associated with the prevention of academic plagiarism.

Keywords:

Ethical education, Electrical Engineering, curriculum plan, conception of the role of electrical engineering.