Developing students’ skills through real projects and service learning methodology

Abstract

In the present times companies demand professional skills from the candidates, desirable attitudes and values that go beyond knowledge and skills. In order to provide students with an experience that encourages the development of these kind of profiles, it has been proposed a service learning project in collaboration with public funded business incubators where the students could meet real customers whose businesses are within creation processes. This paper shows the experience of the students of Industrial Design and Product Development Engineering Degree at the University of Zaragoza challenged to fill a need (by social request), while studying Graphic Design and Communication. The students evaluation reveals that it has been a positive and enriching experience. Such initiative is transferable to other studies degree to increase student motivation and involvement and enhance the image of a socially committed university. Entrepreneurs have assessed the experience as helpful to show students the companies’ needs, facilitating the University to approach business’ environments as well as to provide an image of the Degree open to the society.