Purpose Currently, higher education institutions are in charge of the complex task of connecting the knowledge that students acquire in the classroom to the requirements of the working world, preparing the students to face complex situations inherent in professional life. For this reason, the Tecnológico de Monterrey has included as part of the training of its students the modality, Semestre i, sustained through the teaching methodology of challenge-based learning. Recognizing this new way of learning, the purpose of this paper is to address the study of four basic constructs: student engagement, teacher–student relationship, teamwork and time management. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory factor analysis was performed on the factors associated with the Semestre i, as well as a correlational analysis between these and the academic achievement of the students in the 2017 August–December period. Findings The results indicate that the four constructs analyzed were potentialized under the modality, Semestre i – time management showing the least difference of the four when compared with the educational experience of students being traditionally taught throughout their semesters. Originality/value Semestre i is an innovative educational proposal where the undergraduate students learn in immersive, real-world contexts by experiencing semester challenges planned for them by the teaching body of the institution. Recognizing this new way of learning, this research addresses the study of four basic constructs: student engagement, teacher–student relationship, teamwork and time management.

In 2020, universities worldwide migrated abruptly from face-to-face education to an emergency remote distance format to respond to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The present study aimed to assess this type of learning experience from higher education students' perspectives. A mixed-method design was conducted with 796 students from six different disciplinary schools. The questionnaire included five constructs (Pedagogical, Collaboration, Learning Resources, Time Management, and Functional Features) with 17 quantitative items rated on a 1-5 Likert scale (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.955). Answers from two open questions were coded into two categories: Positive Experiences and Aspects to Improve. The highest constructs were Functional Features (3.60) and Time Management (3.15). The lowest score was Collaboration (2.77). Students appreciated the digital experience using Zoom and Canvas and their flexibility with time and space in their selfmanagement. They recommended improving the interactions among peers and teachers with shorter and more interactive synchronous sessions. Even though there was only one week to prepare for the change from face-to-face to emergency remote distance learning, the students successfully continued their education. An updated distance teaching method was improved and implemented after reviewing the results of the present study. Since August 2020, more than 50 thousand higher education students have been taught via this enhanced digital educational modality. Keywords: Educational Innovation, Higher Education, digital education, flexible education, Zoom, Canvas, SARS-CoV-2