This paper critically examines the ongoing implementation of a policy of multilingualism and multiculturalism for global competence development within an engineering-focused European University Alliance (EUA), situating it within broader discussions of European values, global citizenship and sustainability. Through the lens of a newly developed policy and its accompanying implementation guide, we aim to assess whether and how these initiatives contribute to what might be termed a pedagogy of hope - a framework that can help to foster reflective critical consciousness, justice, and humanisation alongside technical competences.

Engineering and technical education, traditionally firmly rooted in an instrumentalist paradigm, often neglects explicit engagement with values or emotional dimensions, despite its central role in addressing global sustainability challenges. In the context of the EUA, the policy under review seeks to promote inclusive multilingual and multicultural practices that foster gratitude, empathy and intercultural understanding, referring to European values and the EU motto ‘united in diversity’, but perhaps thinking more in terms of Freire’s concept of ‘unity in diversity’. By linking policy work to global citizenship and sustainability, the paper asks to what extent such frameworks can shift educational priorities from the mere production of solutions to the development of reflective, empathetic and globally competent individuals. 

Based on participatory action research and focus group workshops with students, educators, and staff, preliminary findings suggest that the policy can foster reflective practices, empathy, and interpersonal curiosity. It also shows potential to help reframe technical education as a force for transformative change that goes beyond technical solutions. However, its implementation faces significant challenges. These include overcoming bureaucratic routines, entrenched monolingualism of international education initiatives, and the technocratic ethos that persists in engineering education. Ultimately, the study contributes, from a Nordic perspective, to an understanding of how a pedagogy of hope - where gratitude, diversity, and sustainability converge - might emerge in the context of engineering education.