Abstract:

University Studies, undergraduate and graduate, have traditionally been based on master classes taught in classrooms. Every day teachers are more aware of the urgent need to boost higher education, increasing the number of cross-cutting activities that could motivate students. It also give to them new knowledge in an area out of the ordinary, making contact with the world of research and companies in the sector, opening new horizons in students´ future as professionals and researchers. Congresses possible to create a space where University and research with the professional world and business could be together. We understand that Congresses are the ideal tool to integrate higher education as a complementary activity to cross traditional methodologies.

The last two years have been held in the UCAM Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia (Spain), the IV National Congress of Students of Technical Architecture and Building Engineering, based in Building Pathology and the International Congress on Intervention Works architectural after Earthquake: L'Aquila (2009), Lorca (2011) and Emilia Romagna (2012). The first aimed specifically at students, and the second was for professionals and researchers in the field of Architecture and Construction. Both of them had a lot of invited lectures, oral communications and posters, which were selected through a process of blind peer-review, and practical workshops were taught by specialized companies, which prepared stands where they could showcase their products and catalogs.

Teaching experience has had very positive results, with broad participation of students of Architecture and Building Engineering degrees and Master degree in Building Pathology and Intervention in Construction. The possibility of acquiring new knowledge in a different context motivates the students, interacting with students from other universities, Knowing professionals in the sector. The most valued by students were the practical workshops, invited papers and talks companies. By teachers and organizers emphasize knowledge sharing, collaboration in new projects of national and international research as well as the creation of international workshops, which arise as a result of such meetings.

Keywords:

Cross Curricular Issues, Teaching Congress, Scientific Congress, University and Company, Research Work.