Development of a project-oriented and transnational master course for training the engineering competencies

Mobility, multi-locality, and transnational migration are current social developments among the population of the European Union. European society is becoming increasingly characterized by intercultural and cross-border interactions between citizens. This development is observable already within the activities of European companies. Cross-border project work between productions sites as well as transnational cooperation is essential for ensuring the competitiveness of the continent. These social developments in society and companies lead to new requirements for working in the European Union. Teaching and learning in higher education needs to adapt to these developments. Young engineers graduating from universities must be capable of working in international teams. In their future career, they will have to be able to work with colleagues, suppliers, and customers from different cultural backgrounds and in different countries, master the challenges of virtual cooperation in specific engineering tasks and within international value chains. As a result, new and innovative teaching and learning concepts in higher education must provide the competencies for transnational teamwork in the curriculum of tomorrow’s engineers in order to ensure a competitive advantage in their future careers.