European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Convergence: Comparison of two Approaches for the Implementation of a Competencies and Student-Centered Learning Framework

Most European Schools are involved in designing learning–oriented curriculums in the process of adapting to the EHEA framework. The ESUP of the University Pompeu Fabra has launched adaptation projects with varying degrees of change in the teaching methodology. In this work two experiences are compared. On the one hand, courses in the engineering management area were fully adapted to an active learning model. On the other hand, a Master’s Program was deployed using a PBL approach but without using active learning resources. Both experiences have led up to distinct adaptation models that are compared and contrasted in this work. The main conclusion to be drawn is that students, contrarily to what some lecturers may think, really prefer active learning methods. In addition they expect an overall implementation and reject a mix of activities from old and new methodologies, where students can only partially cooperate in their learning.