Four-Dimensional Learning, a Response to Social Responsibility in Learning

Corporate Social Responsibility can be considered as the integration in an organisation of social and environmental concerns in their operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. Universities, as leaders in higher education and scientific advancement, have long adopted this social responsibility from several points of view, particularly training their students. Our research focuses on effectively introducing the social factor in the training of engineers. In order to do this, four principles or dimensions define our proposal: Project-Based Learning, that uses an engineering project as a central element of learning; Transversal Learning, that uses a project defined between several disciplines; Professional Learning, which takes place in an environment that is very close to the professional context; and Service Learning, in which the academic results not only benefit the learner but also the society. In short, we propose a transversal project-based learning experience developed in collaboration with an external organisation that contributes its problems and collects the solutions developed by the students. As a consequence of this collaboration, the students are introduced to a real professional environment, and provide both a strategic vision of the organisation and innovative solutions to their problems. In addition, the institution has a social character as it is a non-profit organisation that works with disadvantaged people (Spanish Red Cross), which turns the experience into a service learning experience. The result is encouraging and very positive, as evidenced by the opinions of students, teachers and the organisation that hosts the experience.