Implementing 21st century skills in education at NTNU and DTU

NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and DTU (Technical University of Denmark) have established compulsory courses to provide students with interdisciplinary teamwork skills: • The students work in interdisciplinary teams • They work on real-life challenges • At the same time, they take a meta-perspective on their own cooperation in the project.

NTNU’s Experts in Teamwork course is compulsory in all master’s programmes and programmes of professional study at NTNU and is offered to 2,500 students each year. About 100 members of the teaching staff are involved, and 200 learning assistants are employed each year. Innovation Pilot is a compulsory course in all bachelor of engineering programmes at DTU and is offered to approximately 800 students per year.

Some 20 members of the teaching staff are involved, and 10 learning assistants are employed each year. In both courses, the students develop teamwork skills by reflecting on and learning from specific situations of cooperation in carrying out a project in interdisciplinary teams. The students’ own team experience forms the basis for their development –how they and others contribute, and how the team functions, are subjects of discussion, reflection and feedback.

The courses provide students with 21st century skills and are an important contribution to the engineering education field.