In the last decades, combining Industry 4.0 and 5.0 principles together with sustainable values has transformed didactic approaches in higher technical education. This study explores the evolution of digital pedagogy in Material Science courses at Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), focusing on quality education, sustainability, and plurilingualism.

We conducted a comparative analysis of Materials Science training approaches over the past five years within Aerospace Engineering degree instruction. Specifically, the research focused on four key enhancements: using the digital learning platform Poliformat in 2019, adding online Microsoft Teams meetings in 2021, integrating hybrid learning in 2022, and experimental hybrid laboratory interactions at the inter-university level in 2024.

Our findings highlight the connection between innovative pedagogy and development of transversal competences. These innovations have enriched traditional methodologies and integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework linked to plurilingual settings. In addition, they promoted high-quality learning standards in engineering training.

The gradual transition from platform use to experimental hybrid scenarios underscores the importance of effectively adapting to major events and utilising digital tools. This research demonstrates the successful incorporation of sustainability goals (Goals 4, 9, 16, and 17) into the educational context. Connecting learning context to professional development provides the best practices roadmap towards engineering education update.

Keywords: Virtual exchange, sustainability, transversal competences, plurilingualism, technical students, engineering education.