Characterization of the research network of the LACCEI Sustainability and Social Impact Committee, for an engineering with a purpose

Abstract

Within the framework of the 2030 Agenda, sustainability has become a cross-cutting theme in engineering education, positioning international academic networks as key mechanisms for building capacity and promoting purposeful engineering. However, the literature shows that the lack of systematic diagnoses and empirical characterizations is a recurring limitation in these networks, restricting their strategic management and impact assessment. This knowledge gap is particularly relevant in engineering networks focused on sustainability, due to their interdisciplinary nature and regional scope. In this context, the Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions (LACCEI), through its Sustainability and Social Impact Committee, promoted the creation of a Research Network. The objective of this study is to empirically and systematically characterize the academics who comprise this network, identifying their profiles, research areas, collaboration patterns, and their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design with a mixed-methods approach, integrating descriptive statistics, content analysis, and bibliometric analysis. The results demonstrate sustained growth in scientific output, presence across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—with SDG 9 being the most prominent—alongside an interdisciplinary thematic structure, as well as persistent territorial gaps. It is concluded that the network exhibits an advanced level of academic consolidation and constitutes a replicable diagnostic baseline for academic networks in engineering and sustainability.