Practical undergraduate projects within the BRSU race academy: An example for conducting a new tutored peer-teaching learning approach

In this contribution we briefly recap the general concept of the BRSU Race Academy. We then concentrate on and demonstrate how practical projects can be set up and executed within this framework. We discuss what is needed to train the members of the Race Academy properly and how the faculty advisor could change his course of action during the projects. The feedback and the results of such projects have been extremely positive so far: The Race Academy members have been perceived as role models to their peers, and an efficient peer-group atmosphere could be set up that facilitated learning. With their experience, solid user knowledge and the close contact to several industrial partners, a productive, authentic and practical working atmosphere has been established. We will give examples of how to use our new teaching approach to surpass the qualities of classes held in the traditional way. Furthermore, it is shown that the technical understanding is improved, as well as the personal experience to work with and integrate into a professional team.