Initiatives for quality improvement in portuguese engineering education

Abstract

This article aims to illustrate a range of different experiences, all aimed at innovation in engineering education, and in spite of their divergent nature, all related to an increased involvement of students. The different projects, coordinated by the Council of Engineering Courses, will be described to illustrate the variety in quality initiatives taken at different levels of engineering education at the University of Minho. All of the projects described are based on a perceived need for structural change towards more involvement of students in their own learning process. The first project is a Project Led Education experience at the Industrial Management and Engineering course. The second project is aimed at assessment methods that increase involvement and responsibility of students in their own assessment process, whereas the last project, takes place at the Business Informatics course of the University of Minho. This project is aimed at supporting the collaborative learning projects of students. The article will point at the importance of a coordinated approach to innovation, leaving enough freedom of own initiative and interpretation to (groups of) teachers and providing adequate pedagogical support to facilitate educational change.