Mechanical Engineering Students Project-Based Learning in OUAS

Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OUAS) is in the Norther Finland, in the city of Oulu. It has c.a. 9500 students and 500
staff members. The School of Engineering and Natural Resources as c.a. 2400 students, and c.a. 150 staff members, which
makes it largest of the Schools of the OUAS. This paper introduces project-based learning approach which is used in the
School of Engineering and Natural Resources, Mechanical Engineering department to get local companies to offer project
works to mechanical engineering students. The concept is based on organizing a local event or online event for the
companies to come to OUAS campus to present their challenges needing engineering students to solve. The companies
are then competing, selling or pitching, their problem for engineering students as the engineering students will then
individually select the most interesting cases to be solved, and which has linkage to potential summer job and thesis work
opportunities if projects are successful. The proposed project topics vary from factory level to single mechanical device
building, and industry areas range from high tech industry to healthcare to wood industry, as the application potential of
mechanical engineering is wide. The concept has proven to be successful, and it has been established as traditional event
with many companies returning to the pitching event annually to get their industry problems solved by group of
engineering students.