Embedding sustainability into engineering education in Southeast Asia.
The project is no longer presented only as dense text. These visual blocks highlight the main scale and workstreams first, then the reader can continue into the detailed narrative.
The Green Gecko project tackles the urgent climate‑change challenge by embedding sustainability into engineering education in Southeast Asia. It responds to two pressing problems identified in the region: engineering curricula rarely address climate change, and links between universities and industry are weak.
Green Gecko unites twelve universities—four from Thailand (Burapha University, Kasetsart University, Silpakorn University and Ubon Ratchathani University), four from the Philippines (University of the Philippines, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and Xavier University) and four from Europe (Université de Montpellier, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Politecnico di Torino and UNED).
These partners work alongside industry associations such as the Council of Engineering Deans of Thailand and the Thai Refrigeration Association.
The project builds on the earlier GECKO initiative and adopts an empowerment approach. It will develop ten innovative training modules covering topics like climate change & sustainable development, life‑cycle assessment (LCA), carbon footprinting for products and organisations, voluntary sustainability standards and ESG reporting, climate change policies and mitigation mechanisms, strategies to reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions, energy management & renewable energy, eco‑design for sustainable products, green innovation management and the local dimensions of sustainable development.
These modules collectively correspond to a three‑credit course and will be delivered through a mix of online and in‑person learning, with remote participation to minimise travel and emissions.
Green Gecko will train about 40 teachers from partner universities through “train‑the‑trainer” sessions led by European and ASEAN experts, creating a pool of educators who can continue the programme beyond its three‑year funding period.
Approximately 400 students will test the modules during the pilot phase. By developing teaching materials, strengthening academia–industry collaboration and fostering a network of Southeast Asian and European institutions, Green Gecko aims to equip future engineers with the skills needed for carbon neutrality and to make the model transferable to other universities facing similar challenges.