The main objective is to improve the level of technical competencies in engineering studies through the use of educational platforms for practical training. To achieve this goal, several intermediate objectives were established to ensure its fulfillment: [O1]. Select the institutions, study programs, and courses from different countries that are aligned with the technical competencies used as case studies in the project, also available in ESCO (https://esco.ec.europa.eu/). [O2]. Design and implement a tool to identify weaknesses in the various competencies based on feedback from professionals in the industrial sector. [O3]. Design, prototype, and document the different educational platforms aimed at improving competencies. [O4]. Conduct teaching experiences using the different platforms and analyze their contribution to competency improvement. [O5]. Create an open-access digital repository containing all information related to the experimental platforms, available to the academic community. [O6]. Develop a procedure for competency certification and promote the creation of a dedicated network for improving engineering competencies to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.
In our research group, we engage in numerous development contracts with companies and have extensive experience in knowledge transfer. Our close relationship with industrial companies has allowed us to observe that, according to professionals in the sector, there is a significant gap in the acquisition of practical technical skills. This project arises from the need to enhance technical competencies among engineering students. The curricula of the various engineering degrees are supervised by different national agencies, making it impossible to modify them in a coordinated manner. However, the development of practical, accessible, open, and continuously improvable teaching materials makes it possible to strengthen the acquisition of practical technical skills without altering the official curricula, thus meeting the needs of the industrial sector. Moreover, the development of this material will help standardize practical content and facilitate student exchange, among other benefits.