University teaching has traditionally been seen as conveying knowledge through master classes, during which the students take notes. That approach is still widespread even today in our universities.
Now, however, adapting universities in line with the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and with the new approach to teaching and learning known as the Bologna Process entails bringing about radical change in the way teaching is seen. In that context, our programmes show a commitment to supporting independent learning by the students beyond the classroom through the development of the new technologies – interactive websites, the Internet, simulations of the milieu of public authorities etc. – while also fostering much more active involvement by the students in their education: finding bibliographical materials, taking part in debating groups, attending tutorials, reading, taking part in continuous assessment and so on. In short, we will be cutting down on master classes and boosting participatory teaching through seminars encouraging much closer and more direct interaction between the students and the teaching staff.
Our Studies of Political Sciences and Public Management also show a commitment to encouraging a technical and applied knowledge of research in the social sciences, running interactive classes in the computer rooms, and using new technologies. In that spirit, the Support Unit for Innovation in Teaching (SUIT) has recently been set up by this Studies programme, it being aimed specifically at the teaching staff, with the aim of fostering research and experimentation involving new approaches to teaching inspired by the philosophy of the Bologna Process.
Thus the SUIT has backed the project "Vilapompeu: 'Ajuntament Virtual" (‘Pompey City: the Virtual Town Council’), which was awarded the Jaume Vicens Vives Distinction for quality in university teaching, an award made by the Government of Catalonia acting on the advice of the relevant government department for universities. "Vilapompeu" is a tool simulating the website and internet of a Catalan town council and serving as a supporting instrument for classwork based ib settling various issues relating to the subject programmes.