DESIGNING COLLABORATION, NOT ONLY PROJECTS. EMBEDDING PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO FOSTER COLLABORATIVE TEAMWORK IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Collaboration and project-based learning are central to design and engineering education, yet their integration often lacks systematic pedagogical support and explicit instructional design. This paper investigates how instructional innovation can strengthen the integration of collaboration and project management within a multidisciplinary and international PBL course. It presents the iterative development of a teamwork-focused module in a Design & Engineering master’s programme at Politecnico di Milano, initially introduced to foster collaborative competences and later expanded to incorporate project management practices. Over six years and three research-through-instructional design (RTID) cycles, structured tools, peer review formats, visual frameworks, and a digital platform were implemented to make team processes visible, coordinated, and reflective. The study draws on qualitative analysis of voluntary student feedback (n=18 in the final cycle), focusing on self-reported learning and course appreciation. Findings show that collaboration and project management are mutually reinforcing students framed teamwork as a professional responsibility while developing organisational and relational competences. Those reporting gains in planning and workflow organisation also valued collaboration most strongly. The iterative cycles enabled consolidation of effective practices while sustaining ongoing refinement. The findings highlight the importance of systematic teaching staff self-assessment in fostering inclusive, adaptable, and relationally grounded PBL environments.