Handbook of Research on Improving Engineering Education With the European Project Semester

Abstract

In the European Project Semester (EPS), communication is key. It is through continuous communication that project teams can plan and develop their projects, involving supervisors and companies in internationalized contexts. Furthermore, project outcomes are defined in the form of communication artifacts, typically a written report and an oral presentation, both of which are assessed in terms of their contents and communicative value. Set in the context of the EPS programme at UPC, this chapter situates TPC in engineering education and identifies communication practices as part of the professional practices of engineers. After presenting the main approaches to TPC in engineering, the chapter discusses how TPC is approached from a problem-solving perspective. The rationale and organization of the TPC course are presented, together with examples of tasks based on a practical methodology that promotes familiarization, practice, reflection and dialogue. From the principles discussed, a specific proposal is made for integrating TPC in EPS and similar capstone programmes. From an interdisciplinary perspective, this chapter reflects on the importance of TPC in engineering education, the requirements of globalized professional settings and the pervasiveness of digitalization, to discuss how engineering students can effectively engage in international engineering communication.