2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This full paper discusses the need to contextualise Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into engineering education, particularly in non-Western countries such as India. Engineering education, historically based on Western curricula, often fails to equip non-Western engineers with the skills needed to address local problems due to a disjunction between the curriculum and the local context. The paper argues that integrating Indigenous knowledge systems into engineering education can improve the problem-solving skills of students by contextualising engineering practices, thereby providing a more comprehensive learning experience. Despite India's substantial contribution to global engineering, its institutions lack original innovation and research. This is attributed to its dependency on Western-developed theoretical knowledge and the pedagogy of rote learning, with little emphasis on practical application in the local context. This study is significant because engineering problems often arise from local contexts. Without incorporating the study of these local contexts into engineering curricula, even skilled engineers may struggle to solve local challenges effectively. The paper critically engages with various global initiatives that aim to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into engineering education in order to adopt a similar approach to the Indian context. One way forward could be to integrate the study of Pramanas - traditional Indian epistemological tools - into the engineering curriculum, thus bridging the gap between engineering education and the local Indian context. This study demonstrates how integrating local knowledge systems into engineering education can enhance students' learning outcomes and improve their capacity to apply engineering skills in local, real-world contexts. It highlights the necessity of adapting engineering education to local environments, positing that this approach can encourage and promote more innovative and contextually appropriate solutions. This paper argues that incorporating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into engineering education can not only improve problem-solving skills but also create a stronger connection between students and their communities, leading to the generation of sustainable engineering solutions which are equally sensitive to local cultures.