Abstract:

Higher education is increasingly oriented toward ensuring that future graduates acquire both discipline-specific scientific and technical knowledge, and the transversal competences essential for professional success.

Within this framework, the Food Science and Technology (FST) degree at the University of the Basque Country has launched an educational innovation initiative. This project aims to promote the coordinated and progressive acquisition of four core transversal competences through the curriculum: Use of Bibliographic Sources, Written Communication, Teamwork, and Sustainability and Social Responsibility. Furthermore, the project is aligned with five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda: SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

In the initial phase, the competences and their expected developmental progression across the curriculum were defined, including the formulation of specific learning outcomes and corresponding performance levels. Active learning methodologies were implemented to facilitate the resolution of technical problems of varying complexity, enabling the progressive consolidation of domain-specific knowledge, and the systematic development of the targeted transversal competences. To ensure a coherent, longitudinal evaluation of student achievement, specific assessment rubrics were designed. These rubrics articulate explicit criteria for each learning outcomes and establish four levels of attainment aligned with students’ academic progression.

The project was implemented on a pilot basis in two subjects during the first and second years of the FST programme. To monitor the initiative, questionnaires were developed to collect student perceptions regarding their acquisition of the four competences, complemented by an additional survey administered to the participating instructors. Student academic performance was also systematically monitored.

Preliminary results indicate that students generally perceive most learning outcomes as readily attainable. However, they report greater difficulty with outcomes related to the use of bibliographic sources, specifically citation and source management.

Keywords:

Use of bibliographic sources, written communication, teamwork, sustainability and social responsibility, assessment, higher education, Food Science and Technology.