In a study conducted at Linkoping University in 2013, by psychology researcher Chato Rasoal, it was concluded that students in Engineering are often less empathetic than students in other caring programmes like healthcare. The study focused on students’ degree of imagination, ability to see from the perspective of others, and level of caring they had for people around them. With many Engineering graduates often rising to lead large teams and organisations, how can universities, prepare them to make thoughtful decisions?
In what probably serves as a first for Ghana, faculty at Ashesi spent some 18 months thinking through this problem, and understanding the ways in which Ashesi’s new Engineering programme could set an example for solving it. The project was funded by the John E. Fetzer Institute, which seeks to encourage people to pivot from an ego-centered world, to one grounded in oneness and love. The resulting Engineering programme, launched at Ashesi in 2015, is already helping students see beyond the confines of their classrooms and labs, to the broader world.
“Even in our first few Engineering classes at Ashesi, we have had a lot of conversations about ethics and concern for others,” says student, Eugene Jamu ’19. “In one of our assignments, for example, we had to research some of the world’s biggest engineering disasters, and understand the lapses that caused it. So we are not only learning about engineering skill, but also how to positively influence our communities with those skills. I am grateful for that.”
Establishing a community of caring
The Ashesi-Fetzer Institute project, focused on identifying the ways in which love, compassion and forgiveness can be shown both in the content and teaching of an Engineering academic programme. “We want to engage students in a broad Engineering education,” explains faculty member Aelaf Dafla. “We want them to understand their society, engage their community, and be Engineers that solve their societies problems.”
The faculty-led team focused not only on teaching students, but also faculty, about the importance of being empathetic. Throught the project, a 3-member team, led by Provost Dr. Suzanne Buchele, attended a week-long workshop at the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, titled, “Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century: Designing for Student Engagement.” During the workshop, the team learned about building engagement with students by understanding their motivations, and designing learning activities to support them. Since then, 3 other faculty have been through the workshop, and Olin faculty Ben Linder came to Ashesi with three students and graduates of Olin to deliver elements of the same workshop to all Ashesi faculty.
“The whole profession of Engineering is about uplifting society,” says Dean of Engineering, Dr. Fred McBagonluri. “The job of an Engineer is to understand how their work will affect human lives, and if we can firmly establish a set of principles for teaching that, we would have done a great job.”