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doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p13-30 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 13-30 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953
Print ISSN: 2013-8423
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers
defined in Spanish degrees
Cristina Santandreu-Mascarell1, Lourdes Canós-Darós2, Carlos Pons-Morera3
1
IGIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN); 2ROGLE Group - Universidad Politécnica de
Valencia (SPAIN); 3Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN)
; ;
Received December 2010
Accepted March 2011
Abstract:
Purpose: This paper has a double purpose. First, to analyze the competencies and
skills proposed as ideals for an Industrial Engineering degree and identify them in
the current study plans implemented in Spanish universities. Second, to check the
fit between competencies and skills described in Spanish Industrial Engineering
degrees and a real business environment.
Design/methodology/approach: We searched information from universities
through the web www.universia.es and obtained the list of all Spanish Universities,
which have been filtered one by one according to their studies about Industrial
Engineering degree. In addition, to compare competencies with real business world
we have used results provided from the web analysis and from a previous paper in
which a qualitative methodology called grounded theory was used.
Findings: On one hand, we have analyzed and identified the competencies and
skills proposed as ideals for an Industrial Engineering degree in the current study
plans implemented in Spanish universities: competencies as multidisciplinariety and
R&D are considered in all the universities, but commercial or environment are not
so popular. On the other hand we have checked the fit between competencies and
skills described in Spanish Industrial Engineering degrees and a real business
environment. As a result, competencies as rotation, experience, company vision
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers defined in Spanish degrees 13
C. Santandreu-Mascarell; L. Canós-Darós; C. Pons-Morera
,doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p13-30 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 13-30 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953
Print ISSN: 2013-8423
and corporative strategy are in all the analyzed study plans, but competencies as
shared vision, free access to information and involvement of managers do not
appear in new degrees, but they are required in real business.
Research limitations/implications: About the origin of information, we use
official web sites belonging to Spanish public and some private universities, and
corresponding schools. Some universities have not updated the information about
degrees in Industrial Engineering, and they still have old plans information.
Moreover, the comparison we can make between the competencies of degrees and
the needs to develop the Industrial Engineering profession is theoretical because
the introduction of new degrees has just started and there are no graduates.
Practical implications: The principal practical implication is to identify a
professional profile of the engineer common to most Spanish universities and
therefore facilitate the selection of one curricula or another for students. These can
lead to check with the first graduates whether or not the competencies acquired in
University fit in the business world. On the other hand, from a professional point
of view, we open a future line of research by testing competencies acquired by
graduates and competencies required in the professional field, as well as the study
of these competencies in the professional field. In addition, current employees may
decide to recycle their competencies or acquire new ones knowing the design of
new degrees.
Originality/value: There are no comparative studies about competencies a
Spanish Industrial Engineer has to acquire in University to develop his or her
professional work. In consequence, there are not comparative studies about
competencies acquired in University and profiles demanded by companies in real
business world. This paper deals with both topics.
Keywords: competencies, skills, Industrial Engineering degree, Spanish universities
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers defined in Spanish degrees 14
C. Santandreu-Mascarell; L. Canós-Darós; C. Pons-Morera
, doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p13-30 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 13-30 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953
Print ISSN: 2013-8423
1 Introduction
European universities are involved in an important transformation process, which
aims at the convergence between different systems and the adequacy of their
courses and degrees to professional demand. As it is well known, this interest was
reflected by the members of the European Union in different declarations and
conferences, starting with La Sorbonne (1998) and Bologna (1999).
In this context, it is necessary to change and transform the traditional teaching
process to one based on competencies and skills because companies evaluate
future employees according to their competencies. Universities have to base their
teaching-learning processes in a model of competencies and skills associated with
professional profiles (Sastre & Aguilar, 2003).
There are no comparative studies about competencies a Spanish Industrial
Engineer has to acquire in University to develop his or her professional work. Due
to the characteristics of the European convergence, each offered degree at each
University has raised some general, specific and transversal skills, not necessarily
coincident in all cases. However, we believe that the background of an Industrial
Engineer has to have some essential common points independently of the
University in which an individual has obtained the degree. Therefore, one objective
of this study is to identify these commonalities and differences that may exist
between the degrees of the Spanish universities. This can lead to a general
engineer profile as a reference. Moreover, it can guide students to select one
University or another according to the competencies and skills that are designed
into each curriculum (number of skills and quality of specific skills).
Once we identify these competencies it is interesting to see if they adapt to the
reality of business, because new titles are designed with the aim of providing
competent and specialized workers. It's hard to make this comparison. First,
because there are no studies of the competencies required by companies; instead,
there are studies that evaluate workers for their skills. Secondly, because there is a
lack of studies about competencies designed for degrees. Then, we use for
comparison some of our previous works.
In this paper we present a review about Spanish universities that are implementing
specific degrees in Industrial Engineering, in order to know the real professional
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers defined in Spanish degrees 15
C. Santandreu-Mascarell; L. Canós-Darós; C. Pons-Morera
provided by UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p13-30 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 13-30 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953
Print ISSN: 2013-8423
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers
defined in Spanish degrees
Cristina Santandreu-Mascarell1, Lourdes Canós-Darós2, Carlos Pons-Morera3
1
IGIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN); 2ROGLE Group - Universidad Politécnica de
Valencia (SPAIN); 3Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN)
; ;
Received December 2010
Accepted March 2011
Abstract:
Purpose: This paper has a double purpose. First, to analyze the competencies and
skills proposed as ideals for an Industrial Engineering degree and identify them in
the current study plans implemented in Spanish universities. Second, to check the
fit between competencies and skills described in Spanish Industrial Engineering
degrees and a real business environment.
Design/methodology/approach: We searched information from universities
through the web www.universia.es and obtained the list of all Spanish Universities,
which have been filtered one by one according to their studies about Industrial
Engineering degree. In addition, to compare competencies with real business world
we have used results provided from the web analysis and from a previous paper in
which a qualitative methodology called grounded theory was used.
Findings: On one hand, we have analyzed and identified the competencies and
skills proposed as ideals for an Industrial Engineering degree in the current study
plans implemented in Spanish universities: competencies as multidisciplinariety and
R&D are considered in all the universities, but commercial or environment are not
so popular. On the other hand we have checked the fit between competencies and
skills described in Spanish Industrial Engineering degrees and a real business
environment. As a result, competencies as rotation, experience, company vision
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers defined in Spanish degrees 13
C. Santandreu-Mascarell; L. Canós-Darós; C. Pons-Morera
,doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p13-30 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 13-30 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953
Print ISSN: 2013-8423
and corporative strategy are in all the analyzed study plans, but competencies as
shared vision, free access to information and involvement of managers do not
appear in new degrees, but they are required in real business.
Research limitations/implications: About the origin of information, we use
official web sites belonging to Spanish public and some private universities, and
corresponding schools. Some universities have not updated the information about
degrees in Industrial Engineering, and they still have old plans information.
Moreover, the comparison we can make between the competencies of degrees and
the needs to develop the Industrial Engineering profession is theoretical because
the introduction of new degrees has just started and there are no graduates.
Practical implications: The principal practical implication is to identify a
professional profile of the engineer common to most Spanish universities and
therefore facilitate the selection of one curricula or another for students. These can
lead to check with the first graduates whether or not the competencies acquired in
University fit in the business world. On the other hand, from a professional point
of view, we open a future line of research by testing competencies acquired by
graduates and competencies required in the professional field, as well as the study
of these competencies in the professional field. In addition, current employees may
decide to recycle their competencies or acquire new ones knowing the design of
new degrees.
Originality/value: There are no comparative studies about competencies a
Spanish Industrial Engineer has to acquire in University to develop his or her
professional work. In consequence, there are not comparative studies about
competencies acquired in University and profiles demanded by companies in real
business world. This paper deals with both topics.
Keywords: competencies, skills, Industrial Engineering degree, Spanish universities
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers defined in Spanish degrees 14
C. Santandreu-Mascarell; L. Canós-Darós; C. Pons-Morera
, doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p13-30 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 13-30 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953
Print ISSN: 2013-8423
1 Introduction
European universities are involved in an important transformation process, which
aims at the convergence between different systems and the adequacy of their
courses and degrees to professional demand. As it is well known, this interest was
reflected by the members of the European Union in different declarations and
conferences, starting with La Sorbonne (1998) and Bologna (1999).
In this context, it is necessary to change and transform the traditional teaching
process to one based on competencies and skills because companies evaluate
future employees according to their competencies. Universities have to base their
teaching-learning processes in a model of competencies and skills associated with
professional profiles (Sastre & Aguilar, 2003).
There are no comparative studies about competencies a Spanish Industrial
Engineer has to acquire in University to develop his or her professional work. Due
to the characteristics of the European convergence, each offered degree at each
University has raised some general, specific and transversal skills, not necessarily
coincident in all cases. However, we believe that the background of an Industrial
Engineer has to have some essential common points independently of the
University in which an individual has obtained the degree. Therefore, one objective
of this study is to identify these commonalities and differences that may exist
between the degrees of the Spanish universities. This can lead to a general
engineer profile as a reference. Moreover, it can guide students to select one
University or another according to the competencies and skills that are designed
into each curriculum (number of skills and quality of specific skills).
Once we identify these competencies it is interesting to see if they adapt to the
reality of business, because new titles are designed with the aim of providing
competent and specialized workers. It's hard to make this comparison. First,
because there are no studies of the competencies required by companies; instead,
there are studies that evaluate workers for their skills. Secondly, because there is a
lack of studies about competencies designed for degrees. Then, we use for
comparison some of our previous works.
In this paper we present a review about Spanish universities that are implementing
specific degrees in Industrial Engineering, in order to know the real professional
Competencies and skills for future Industrial Engineers defined in Spanish degrees 15
C. Santandreu-Mascarell; L. Canós-Darós; C. Pons-Morera
