Training the engineer of the 21st century: the engineer as an ethical actor

Purpose Applied ethics is critical for preparing engineers to navigate complex technological dilemmas, yet most ethics education research remains focused on Western contexts. This pilot study explores the potential relevance of European sociological and ethical frameworks – including Morin’s “complex thought,” Touraine’s “ethics of the Subject” and Rendtorff’s principles of cosmopolitan ethics – within the unique multicultural environment of Gulf engineering education. Design/methodology/approach A pilot survey of 32 first-year engineering students in Kuwait assessed ethical sensitivity using scenario-based questions aligned with professional codes of conduct. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted, including factor analysis, cluster analysis and gender-disaggregated t-tests. Findings Findings reveal that 51% of students consistently rated unethical behaviors as “very unethical,” with significant gender differences emerging in areas such as gift-giving (p = 0.038) and pilfering organizational resources (p = 0.021). Comparisons with previous Western studies highlight both universal principles and culturally-specific nuances, with gaps identified in competence awareness and collegial support. Research limitations/implications The study’s small sample (*n* = 32) limits generalizability but provides a foundation for longitudinal work. Future research should: (1) expand to Gulf-wide cohorts, (2) track ethical development post-graduation, and (3) compare current data with Western/Asian contexts to test cultural variability. The survey’s prescriptive format may overlook nuanced reasoning; follow-ups should include interviews or vignettes. Theoretical implications include refining Morin’s “reflexive responsibility” for non-Western settings and validating Rendtorff’s cosmopolitan ethics in stakeholder-driven economies. These limitations highlight the need for larger-scale, mixed-methods studies to bridge sociology and applied ethics in engineering education. Practical implications The study proposes actionable reforms: Curriculum: embed ethics across all levels (e.g. link thermodynamics to sustainability ethics); Pedagogy: use gender-sensitive peer mentoring (leveraging female students’ higher Q5/Q11 scores) and stakeholder role-playing (Bonnafous-Boucher and Rendtorff, 2023); assessment: implement ethics audits for senior projects (Jonas’ long-term accountability); Faculty training: address gaps in professors’ ethics instruction (Jutras, 2013). Social implications By cultivating “cosmopolitan engineers” (Rendtorff, 2017a), this research addresses societal challenges in the Gulf’s megaprojects (e.g. AI ethics in smart cities, sustainability in oil/gas). Findings reveal tensions between wasta (nepotism) and global professional standards, suggesting reforms could reduce corruption risks. Gender differences highlight opportunities to leverage women’s ethical leadership in STEM. The framework’s emphasis on reflexive responsibility (Morin) promotes equitable technology deployment, benefiting marginalized communities. If adopted, these recommendations could position Kuwait as a regional leader in ethical engineering education, bridging collectivist traditions with transnational accountability – a model for post-colonial STEM development. Originality/value The study contributes an initial, non-Western exploration of European ethical theory and offers practical strategies for embedding ethics across engineering curricula. It proposes a scaffolded approach – from bachelor’s to PhD levels – that fosters “reflexive responsibility” and aligns with Kuwait’s national vision for sustainable development. This work underscores the value of integrating theoretical depth with empirical insight to cultivate ethically engaged engineers in globalized contexts.