Exploring Liberal Education Strategies for Enhancing Engineering Literacy to Address Future Crises: A Case Study of an AI-Based Interdisciplinary Course

This study explores the potential of engineering literacy as a core competency in liberal education for students across all disciplines, particularly amid rising social risks driven by digital transformation. Focusing on a project-based course that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the research qualitatively examines learning outcomes among students from diverse majors. Findings indicate that students engaged deeply with engineering literacy elements—such as problem definition, creative problem solving, and systems thinking— while developing ethical awareness of technology’s societal impact. Team-based projects also enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration and social responsibility. The study proposes an applied model for integrating engineering literacy into liberal education and discusses the institutional challenges and opportunities involved. It underscores the need for education that fuses engineering thinking with ethical responsibility, aiming to cultivate civic-minded individuals equipped to navigate a complex digital society.