This article outlines a proposal from universities to achieve efficient and accountable infrastructure projects in the country. To do this, we provide a context for environmental research in Colombia; followed by a discussion of the achievements and challenges of environmental licensing; and finally, we shed light on the fact that engineering has a lot to contribute in this direction, together with other knowledge and disciplines, to improve these processes, and ultimately, to contribute to actions of prevention, mitigation, correction, compensation and management of the environmental effects of the projects, works or activities, as required by the Unique Environmental Decree.