NEW TRENDS IN FINAL DEGREE PROJECTS: TOWARDS TO THE INTEGRATION OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION (R&D&I) ON THE INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS FORMATION

The Final Degree Project (FDP) is the last step in the training process of engineers on which the students test all the skills and knowledge acquired through their formative time. On the last years, we have observed an evolution of the typology of projects presented from the classic engineering projects (installations, processing plants, etc.), to more theoretical-experimental works (research projects and innovations works), or technical, organizational and economic studies (consulting projects)[1].

This evolution has allowed, on several cases, a coordinate development of the academic and research activity for the university work teams what has been traduced on scientific papers, patents, congress contributions… and other results, usually considered “research results” or R&D&i activities. The efforts integration has encouraged, in small universities, the scientific advance of young research groups, with scarce economic resources. Many of these projects have emerged from university-industry collaborations under the Article 83 of the Organic Law of Universities[2], providing solutions to the problems posed by the closest industry and it is an interesting platform for encouraging the job creation.

Having exanimate the advantages for all stakeholders of these projects (student, academic tutor, research group, university, society..), we think about the most representative characteristics of R&D&i projects in the university teaching field; the stages for its execution, which abilities and skills are developed in the subject and the best strategy for value enhancement the results. It is important make a reflexion about the author’s Rights and intellectual property of these works. Finally, we describe three FDPs recently defended in Burgos University that follow the guidelines pointed out in this paper.

1. Ortiz-Marcos, I., M.J. Sánchez Naranjo, and J.R. Cobo Benita, Evolution of final degree projects at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. International Journal of Engineering Education. 26(1): p. 162-168.
2. Ley Orgánica de Universidades 6/2001, de 21 de diciembre. 2001.