Environmental education at technical schools and at universities has distinctive features, the profiles of which are tailored according to the teaching models of engineers and academics respectively. In this paper we suggest that the exchange of teachers and teaching methods between polytechnics and universities can be profitable for both parties. For engineers it should bring a broader perspective and more global understanding of environmental systems, while for university graduates it should help them to understand better the practical problems and limits of technical solutions. The forms of exchange and their potential benefits are still not explored sufficiently. Examples of some relatively modest forms of collaboration in environmental education between the Polytechnic of Lausanne and the University of Geneva are given to show that more vigorous exchange would facilitate mutual understanding of graduates in their future environmental careers. Better mutual understanding between engineers and natural scientists clearly will increase the societal relevance of environmental education and increase the efficiency of interdisciplinary teams.