TEACHING EXPERIENCES WITH CHINESE STUDENTS IN THE DEGREE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BURGOS (SPAIN)

Recently, University of Burgos (Spain) (UBU) has started to offer a Double Degree program in Civil Engineering with Chongqing Jiaotong University (China) (CQJTU). During this academic year, 2016-2017, a total of 10 Chinese students were received in UBU. According to this Double Degree program, Chinese students study the first two years of the Degree of Civil Engineer in China and the last two years in Burgos. This international program is an important educational challenge for the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Burgos, since it has been necessary to rethink the teaching methodologies to adapt them to the new reality of the classrooms.

This work shows the teaching experiences of some of the subjects included in this double degree, called Reinforced Concrete I, Computer-Aided Structural Design, Construction Procedures, Building Physics and Technology. These subjects, of very different nature, are representative of the overall problem that has been analyzed by the Department.

First, significant methodological differences have been found between the curricula of the UBU and the CQJTU, so that Chinese students arrive in Burgos with an excellent level in basic sciences (physics and mathematics in particular) but with a poor level in basic technological subjects (such as Strength of Materials among others). This makes it necessary to modify the teaching methodology of certain subjects, in order to achieve the desired educational objectives.

According to this, the subjects of Reinforced Concrete I and Computer-Aided Structural Design are the most affected, since they require basic concepts from Strength of Materials.

The subjects of Construction Procedures and Building Physics and Technology require less methodological changes, because they are subjects of a more descriptive character and do not require so much previous knowledge.

On the other hand, it should be noted that some teaching content had to be adapted to include civil engineering aspects of China as well. Thus, for example, the subject Construction Procedures describes the construction procedures commonly used in Spain and Europe and also construction procedures commonly used in China.

During the course, Chinese students were surveyed, obtaining highly satisfactory results. In addition, the teaching objectives of the subjects were successfully achieved.