Looking beyond one´s own nose right from the start: Interdisciplinary study projects for first year engineering students

Interdisciplinary teaching in engineering is often reserved for advanced study terms, research-oriented domains and small courses. In contrast, the Technische Universität Darmstadt teaches interdisciplinary study projects for more than 2000 first year engineering students per annum in order to prepare them for the multifaceted complexity of global engineering. The study projects offer an elaborated didactic concept. Students from various departments work on a real life example, open-ended, complex, typically societal related, design task. They learn about the methodology of their own field and the profiles of other disciplines, take responsibility, and develop their communication and team skills due to a sound program of technical and team assistance. Students assess the interdisciplinary problem approach as effective; they experience the interdisciplinary teamwork as functional and understand the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation for their future professional practice.