Abstract:

The necessity for university students to develop robust professional competencies and soft skills for complex problem-solving compelled the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) to embark on a targeted educational innovation initiative, addressing the near-nonexistent interdisciplinarity among its 54 specializations. In 2024, a grant-funded project implemented a new interdisciplinarity methodology by combining two marketing courses from the management and industrial engineering programs. This structure immediately placed students in a problem-based learning environment, challenging them to design a comprehensive marketing plan proposal for real Lima business owners. For four months, students engaged in rigorous applied research, investigating community realities and developing strategic and operational plans for local businesses within a politically and socially dynamic national context. The pedagogical design employed a challenge-based learning and collaborative learning approach, utilizing standardized rubrics and clear objectives. Their collaborative learning activities were extensive, including environmental analysis, quantitative research (surveys), qualitative research (interviews/focus groups), process analysis, strategic planning, operational modeling, and financial evaluation. The project was deliberately structured around three core pillars: interdisciplinarity, active engagement achieved through strong university-business linkages, and continuous evaluation using integrated rubrics shared by both academic disciplines.

Across the 2024-1 and 2024-2 semesters, 165 students collaborated with 20 local companies in Metropolitan Lima on applied research projects focused on process improvement, market analysis, business strategy, and evidence-based solution formulation. Teams performed organizational diagnostics, field research, statistical analysis, prototyped proposals, and delivered executive presentations, ensuring the dynamic process generated applied knowledge that enriched the businesses' decision-making processes through this structured academic-professional approach. Qualitative research conducted through focus groups and interviews revealed significant student gains in professional competencies, specifically in research skills, critical thinking, communication, and adaptability. Technically, the collaborative learning strengthened their strategic and operational knowledge. Motivation remained high (80% rating it high or very high), driven by gamified activities and public presentations. Crucially, students recognized that conflicts arising from different interdisciplinarity work methods among specializations were successfully resolved, serving as valuable opportunities for learning new professional approaches and reinforcing the value of university-business linkages in holistic skill development.

Keywords:

Interdisciplinarity, Collaborative learning, Problem-based learning, University-business linkages, Educational innovation, Applied research, Professional competencies, Collaborative and Problem-based Learning.