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This paper examines the impact of a human rights framework in engineering education on students' perceptions of sustainability and human rights. Recently, scholars have emphasised the need to develop a new engineering pedagogy and an ethical framework for the workforce. This emphasis arises from the fact that, as the engineering workforce has become multicultural and globalised, prospective engineers require new ideas, technologies, perspectives and professional ethics to adapt to the changing world. In this context, scholars have primarily focused on creating sustainable approaches that highlight the coexistence between humans and nature, along with equity, diversity and human dignity, while also developing educational strategies to challenge the conventional notion of engineers as problem‐solvers. The University of Connecticut (UConn) has developed a curriculum that equips students with the core concepts and methodological tools essential for understanding the socially and environmentally responsive roles of engineers and their solutions. This paper examines learning outcomes in an existing course within this curriculum, ‘Engineering for Human Rights’, by analysing original, anonymized exit survey data and anonymized SET evaluations from enrolled students. We also assess the instructors' reflections on the class. The findings of our research contribute to broader discussions of innovation in engineering pedagogy. 

As engineers shape the future of technology and society, embedding human rights into engineering education is essential for fostering ethical practices, enhancing access to technological benefits, and addressing harm caused by engineered products or processes. This research will examine the attitudes of engineering students toward human rights and will explore the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in fostering a deeper understanding of the intersection between engineering and human rights principles. Conducted with a senior design engineering class, the research will use pre- and post-intervention surveys to measure changes in students’ perceptions. The intervention consists of asynchronous online modules that integrate foundational human rights concepts with practical engineering applications, including sustainability, ethics, and social justice. The modules are organized around six key clusters, but this poster focuses on cybersecurity, privacy, and human vulnerability. Using a case study of Emancipatory AI, the poster highlights its potential to empower marginalized groups by breaking down barriers to technology access. This case study illustrates how human rights principles, including equity and accessibility, can guide the ethical development and application of AI to address systemic inequalities and promote social inclusion. We aim for this poster to encourage reflection on the role of human rights in engineering and the ways AI can be leveraged as a tool for the social good. This work reinforces the importance of integrating human rights considerations into engineering practice to create more inclusive and just technological solutions.