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In this paper we discuss the result of piloting a methodology for Engineering Final Year Projects (FYP) assessment that takes into consideration professional skills acquisition. The FYP is structured around three milestones; skills are assigned to each milestone according to the tasks required in each phase, and a list of indicators have been designed for every phase. The criteria are specified in a rubric and are made available to students. The FYP implementation includes evaluation methods and a homogeneous assessment throughout the project development in order to provide students with valuable project implementation support, to facilitate the project organization, to improve the quality of projects and thereby to reduce the academic drop-out rate. The proposed methodology has been implemented and piloted at the Barcelona School of Informatics, and the conclusions can easily be generalized to any other Engineering degree. This paper presents the results of the FYP for 1,569 students. The average percentage of students finishing FYP in previous degrees was 65% on average, whereas in the case of the Bachelor Degree in Informatics the percentage rose to 90% with the methodology proposed in this paper. In addition, 95% of these students finished their FYP in less than one year, compared to only 65% who finished it in less than one year in previous Degrees.

EDINSOST is a project aimed at tackling the challenges facing society. It is funded by the Spanish R&D+i Program. The objective of the project is to establish a framework to facilitate the training of graduates capable of leading the resolution of challenges in our society through the integration of sustainability training in the Spanish University System. For the training of graduates, it is essential to train teachers beforehand, since most of them do not possess competencies in sustainability. The EDINSOST project involves fifty-five researchers from ten Spanish Universities. It encompasses five engineering degrees and three degrees related to the three dimensions of sustainability, given their great impact on the short-term challenges confronting society. In view of its multiplier and long-term effect, the project also includes the Bachelor and Master’s degrees of five Education degrees, because graduates from these courses will be the future teachers of new generations of citizens. To achieve its objectives, the project has defined a sustainability competency map for thirteen degrees in the fields of education and engineering. On the basis of this map, the most appropriate didactic strategies for sustainability training will be established, the state of the sustainability training requirements in teachers and students will be diagnosed, and finally, proposals will be made for training both groups. In this paper, the objectives of the EDINSOST project are presented, as well as some results of the first objective: the sustainability competency map for engineering degrees. The map is vital for defining the training needs of teachers and students and is easily adaptable to any engineering degree.

The race to put a person on the Moon motivated and captivated the imagination of USA society and the community worldwide. This led to an unprecedented investment in science, technology and the space program, which eventually resulted in a successful Moon landing in 1969. Current estimations state that, for every dollar invested in space technology, there is a return of more than five dollars for the country's GDP. However, public opinion worldwide does not perceive this investment as a benefit for the society. The moonshot was a challenge, an idea, a dream that aligned a whole society towards progress. To change society's vision about space, our proposal is to promote an outrageously ambitious, exciting and motivating Engineering project. While this project may be extremely difficult to implement, it can be envisioned, brainstormed, analyzed, and even brought to the attention of policy makers. It would involve the design of the greatest Engineering work in space, even greater than the International Space Station (ISS). This endeavor would also help to raise awareness in our society about the Earth's sustainability. To that end, the project would drive a circular economy requiring the development of technologies that in the mid-term would reverse climate change. We believe that involving students from different backgrounds in this project would be vital to attract the interest of future generations in Aeronautics and Space research. In order to do this, we propose a number of outreach activities at all different teaching levels. We also propose the organization of an international contest for different ages, in which student groups would submit innovative proposals for different technologies that would be developed throughout the project. Furthermore, in order to raise awareness in our society, the project should generate a debate. The project would consist of the design and construction of a Space Station similar to that of the Star Wars “Death Star”, but without its weaponry and making the most of the publicity around and the revived interest in the Star Wars movies. Its construction would be feasible within a reasonable period of time, and the design would involve international, intercultural and multidisciplinary student teams. This paper outlines the principles that underpin the viability of this project. It also proposes a communication plan for universities as well as an outreach plan for the public at large. Finally, it defines a strategy for developing sustainable projects and assessing the students' learning outcomes.