Introducing PBL to Foreign Studentsin International Engineering Programs

Universities in the globalized world are facing challenges arising from the increase of cultural diversity. The challenges are particularly pronounced in the case of a Problem Based Learning (PBL) environment, such as, for example, at
Aalborg University (AAU), Denmark, where students are expected to develop process competencies (i.e. skills in project
management, collaboration, communication, etc.) in addition to technical skills. This paper presents the development of a course, the Project Organized Learning (POL) course, which has been designed to assist students in international engineering programs to develop process competencies from an intercultural perspective. The POL course has had positive effects in terms of helping foreign students understand PBL and develop learning strategies in a PBL setting. However, our experiences show that issues arising from cultural diversity in educational settings are more complex than only integrating foreign students into existing programs. More efforts and better strategies are needed to improve intercultural competencies for teaching staff and students, foreigners as well as locals, in engineering education.