The initiative, originating at the URV's Terres de l'Ebre Campus, has been awarded one of the six Jaume Vicens Vives distinctions granted by the Generalitat de Catalunya Government to recognize the teaching quality of Catalan universities. The Campus Challenge is a project led by an interdisciplinary team of campus faculty.
This learning model allows students to tackle real challenges posed by local companies and entities, working in interdisciplinary and international teams. The initiative enhances teaching quality and fosters a strategic network for educational innovation connecting the university, students, and regional stakeholders.
In its two editions to date, the Campus Challenge has involved 171 students, addressed 32 challenges proposed by 28 companies and institutions, and includes a teaching team composed of faculty from various disciplines and international collaborators, primarily from the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança.
The project's interdisciplinary, international, and social dimensions, along with its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, are key features. It has enabled students to acquire skills such as leadership, negotiation, and social responsibility, strengthening the link between the university and local stakeholders.
Coordinated by Jordi Andreu, a professor in the Department of Business Management, the project was initiated through a call from the URV's Institute of Educational Sciences (ICE). It previously received the URV Social Council Award for teaching quality and was selected for these distinctions, established in 1996.
Each distinction comes with 20,000 euros, which must be allocated to innovation or teaching improvement projects. The awards ceremony will take place on October 2nd, during the official inauguration of the Catalan university system's 2026-2027 academic year at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).
