Development projects as an integral element in the education of mechatronics engineers

In the education of mechatronics engineers several didactic elements are used to give these engineers a good basis for their professional life. In addition to the standard learning situations such as lectures, exercises, lab experiments, tutorials, seminars, e-Learning, placement semesters (also abroad) or internships and finally the bachelor thesis with a colloquium, we have introduced development projects. The paper presents the didactical approach for development projects, the realized Mechatronical projects and the teaching results by integrating all different learning situations in such a development project.