Abstract:

In 2024, Universitat Jaume I (UJI) implemented a pilot Dual University Training (DUT) pathway within the Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, designed in close partnership with leading companies from the Castellón chemical and ceramic clusters. This initiative aims to narrow the gap between university education and industrial practice by combining advanced coursework with extended, contract-based work-based learning in real professional environments. The pilot required a comprehensive curriculum adaptation in the fourth year, the definition of 48 ECTS of dualized training, and the joint design of learning outcomes and assessment rubrics by academic tutors and company supervisors. The selection of a small cohort of highly motivated students, together with a limited number of committed companies (FACSA, INEOS COMPOSITES, TORRECID), made it possible to closely monitor the process, align training itineraries with each industrial context, and ensure consistency in the acquisition of competencies across settings. Students combined 25–30 hours per week of in-company training with afternoon classes at the university, under formal alternance contracts that reinforced the professional nature of the experience and clearly differentiated it from traditional, unpaid internships. Early results indicate high levels of satisfaction among students, faculty, and companies, as well as immediate employability for all participants and growing interest from new applicants and industrial partners. The case illustrates the feasibility of dualizing a scientific–technical degree within the current Spanish and European regulatory framework and highlights key enabling factors such as regulatory clarity, institutional commitment, and shared responsibility between academia and industry. Overall, the pilot positions UJI as a reference in dual university education and offers a scalable model for engineering programs seeking to integrate work-based learning as a core component of their curriculum.

Keywords:

Chemical engineering, curriculum innovation, dual education, employability, industry collaboration, learning outcomes, university-industry partnerships, work-based learning.