An Evaluation System (Assessment Center) for Disciplinary and Transversal Competencies of Engineers in Scenarios Linked to the Professional Practice

Any change in the educational sector under the context of competencies-based education requires a consistent evaluation process that contributes to the solid and comprehensive development of competencies in higher education students, accentuating their constant updating, which undoubtedly leads to the competencies redefinition and curriculum development process. Thus, the evaluation in a validated process is of great relevance for confirming the knowledge, skills and values acquired and developed by the undergraduate students at the end of their study programs. The present work integrates an implemented methodology in undergraduate students through unconventional experiential environments focusing on the measurement and ensuring of the development degree of disciplinary and transversal competencies before undergraduates' graduation. The Assessment Center (AC) was established in the context of the methodologies Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) paradigm and case method technique for solving real problems. The guidelines were established under a collaborative environment connected to work real situations, promoting the participation and the interaction through reflection, critical analysis, group discussion, and decision-making. This initiative allowed the students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations. A survey was designed and applied to the performance observation and analysis process with input from academics, employers, consultants, and human resources experts. The deployment of this exercise was carried out at the end of the Chemical Engineering (CE) curricula at Tecnologico de Monterrey during the fall semester in 2020. Under this evaluation system, the students located their level of competence development, a comparative of his/her individual performance with the team and cohort performance, opportunity areas and complete feedback through a report. The present work establishes the basis for a curriculum evaluation, future improvement, and update using an integral evaluation exercise linked to the professional practice in an engineering program.