Title: From postgraduate to undergraduate students: learning about circular economy

Authors: Pedro Augusto Bertucci Lima; Ana Mariele Domingues; Thalita Lacerda dos Santos; Fernando Bernardi de Souza; Anabela Carvalho Alves

Addresses: Department of Production Engineering, School of Engineering of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, Brazil ' Department of Production Engineering, School of Engineering of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, Brazil ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, Brazil ' Department of Production Engineering, School of Engineering of Bauru, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, Brazil ' Department of Production and Systems, Centro ALGORITMI/LASI, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal

Abstract: This research article presents the development and application of an elective circular economy course that aims to increase the interaction between undergraduate and postgraduate students, offering emergent content for the former group while providing teaching opportunities for the latter. The course was developed by postgraduate students and taught to production engineering undergraduate students. The authors adopted action research during course development and application. The course provided new opportunities for the postgraduate students to practise and reflect on their teaching competencies. The undergraduate students reported they had obtained professional, academic and personal development from the course in addition to interaction with the postgraduate students. This article is one of the first to present a course that was developed by postgraduate students to be taught to undergraduate students. The approach presented is an innovative way to increase the academic interaction between undergraduate and postgraduate students, thereby offering benefits for both groups.

Keywords: teaching competences; higher education; engineering education; sustainability; circular economy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2024.143753

International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education, 2024 Vol.7 No.4, pp.348 - 373

Received: 17 Apr 2024
Accepted: 02 Jul 2024
Published online: 06 Jan 2025 *

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