Study visit to Aalborg University, Denmark

Between 23-29 April this year. Tomasz Szanser - Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Krakow Branch of the WSB University, as part of a project organised by the Ministry of Education and Science called "Leaders in University Management", participated in a study visit to Aalborg University in Denmark (AAU).

AAU is among the world's leading universities that use the PBL (Problem Based Learning) methodology in their activities - both education and research. Given the innovative approach to the application of PBL methodology, UNESCO decided to locate a unit at Aalborg University called: the Center for Problem Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability.

Day one of the visit was devoted to an introduction to the Danish higher education system and the embedding of Aalborg University, which has 20,000 students. During the following days, the PBL methodology was presented, according to which the entire cycle of education at both first and second degree level - in all fields of study - is conducted.

The PBL methodology focuses on defining the problem to be solved. Students - with the selection of appropriate research methods and using available literature - prepare projects in teams of 4-7 under the supervision of an academic teacher, which are then presented before an examination board consisting of both business representatives and lecturers. This enables the best work and its performers to continue their cooperation with industry by verifying the results achieved through implementation.

The decision to introduce PBL as the only method of training at AAU was made back in the 1970s. To date, the methodology has been refined with the active cooperation of external stakeholders - especially companies and also local and central government. As a result, graduates of Aalborg University in Denmark graduate with a package of unique competences that are highly valued by potential employers: working in a cyclically changing team, creative problem-solving, the ability to 'go beyond' the frameworks commonly found in a given organisation or culture.

A study visit to Aalborg University showed that departing from the classical model of student education allows both graduates and academics to achieve above-normal results.

WSB University in Dąbrowa Górnicza, as a leading trend-setting higher education institution in Poland, introduces elements of Problem Based Learning methodology into the curricula of selected majors.