Compreensões sobre as dimensões do desenvolvimento sustentável: um estudo de caso na engenharia ambiental e sanitária

Abstract

The article discusses Sustainable Development in the context of Environmental and Sanitary Engineering education. In order to investigate whether the training process has been able to build and expand understandings about the environmental, economic and social dimensions of engineering solutions, the methodological proposal was based on applied research with a quali-quantitative approach and was developed from a case study. The collection of information was carried out through the application of two questionnaires - one for underclassmen students and another for students graduating from the Environmental and Sanitary Engineering course at the Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Chapecó/SC campus - and the resulting categorizations and analyzes were made, mainly, using the Content Analysis methodology. In an attempt to define Sustainable Development, graduating students, in contrast to underclassmen, reveal more consistent and critical positions. Regarding the potential/responsibilities of the profession in promoting solutions within the scope of Sustainable Development, there was also a tendency for the graduating to present more relevant positions. However, the difficulties of thinking/proposing actions in the field of practice are still evident. In this sense, it is necessary to advance in the articulation of training strategies – consistent, permanent and methodologically structured – for discussion and, mainly, for the implementation of technological solutions in the context of relations between the environment, economy and society.