The DEBATE project was designed with the main objective of fostering the development of crucial skills and competencies for university students, specifically their critical thinking skills and employability. It seeks to create collective learning environments where students can practice and improve these skills through the use of debate as a pedagogical methodology. This methodology not only promotes critical judgment, but also encourages active and reflective participation, allowing students to question, evaluate, and construct arguments in a coherent and evidence-based manner. All of this encourages motivation to learn. In addition, the project pursues other key objectives, such as improving the quality and efficiency of education and training at the university level, while promoting active and engaged citizenship. In a broader context, the project is also expected to contribute to the enhancement of students' creativity and innovation by exposing them to different points of view and ways of thinking and to better prepare them for the challenges of the modern labor market.
The project was requested with the aim of introducing debate as a pedagogical tool in higher education. This methodology will make higher education more attractive to potential students, who consider that a theoretical approach is predominant in these institutions at the moment. New methodologies are urgently needed to increase the attractiveness of higher education among young people. This educational methodology fosters critical thinking, empathy, and students' ability to listen and consider different points of view. In addition, the project seeks to address the need to improve students' active participation in class, promoting a more dynamic and engaged education. In the current context, where polarisation and lack of dialogue prevail, it is crucial to equip young people with skills that enable them to debate constructively and reflectively on relevant issues. The project also responds to the need to train teachers in debate techniques and in the implementation of dynamics that stimulate dialogue in the classroom. It will also meet the needs of the project partners as they will be able to use it to improve their teaching methodologies.