We investigated how research project objectives my be integrated into student projects and how student projects may be aligned to the broader institutional goal of sustainability. The engineering standard and quality of products are seen as the factor by which success is measured. However, an individual Engineer's success in the workplace just as frequently depends on their mastery of "soft skills", such as teamwork, flexibility, professionalism and leadership, since few industrial Engineering projects are completed by a single person working on their own. Therefore, industry has placed increased emphasis on developing these skills, especially in an environment of global competition.