Presentation of the Monograph ‘Dual University Education and Work Placement’

Abstract

Prácticum Journal, driven by its commitment to cutting-edge professional practices, invites its readers to delve into this special issue entitled ‘University Dual Training and Prácticum’. This volume is presented as an essential journey to bridge the gap between the classroom and the professional world, proposing an educational model in which employability lies at the heart of academic quality. Far from conventional practices, dual—or work-study—training demands a bold shared responsibility between the university and the partner organisation, transforming companies into genuine co-trainers with the capacity to teach curriculum content with academic validity.

To understand the transformative potential of this model, it is essential to rediscover its historical roots. Karl Steffens’ work guides us through the German evolution, from the medieval guilds to the consolidation of the successful Stuttgart Model in 1972, which brought dual training into higher education. This international perspective takes on a new dimension with the analysis by Manuela Raposo-Rivas, Norma Torres-Hernández and Bartolomé Pina, who reveal that Spain was already a pioneer with its plans of 1931 and 1967. Those precedents, which included paid work placements and shared projects, place the Spanish tradition at the historical forefront, a position that today regains its full significance.

The effective implementation of these models in the 21st century requires precise communication tools, such as teaching guides. The research by Jesica Abalo, Olaya Santamaría and Miguel Ángel Barberá analyses the guidelines for Final Degree Projects (TFG) and Master’s Theses (TFM), highlighting the urgent need to standardise criteria that ensure the quality of training in the workplace. In response to these challenges, the monograph highlights the success story of the University of Andorra, analysed by Sònia Gili, Bárbara Cerrato-Rodríguez, Alexandra Saz and Virginia Larraz. Its competency-based assessment model, based on continuous feedback or ‘feedforward’, demonstrates that alignment between university objectives and the reality of the workplace is the secret ingredient for high-quality training.

The success of this educational framework depends, fundamentally, on its human agents. Marta Virgós, María del Henar Pérez, José Miguel Arias and Joaquín Lorenzo Burguera focus on the workplace mentor, calling for specific pedagogical training that enables them to design training plans and assess learning rigorously. This human and practical dimension comes to life in the experience described by Josué Prieto-Prieto, Miguel Madruga and Francisco José Ascenso, who demonstrate how work-based learning in Early Years Education strengthens the teaching vocation and enables students to master complex skills in real-world contexts.

Ultimately, this monograph is an invitation to reflect on dual training as a transformative methodology. Through its six thematic strands — ranging from regulations to digital tutoring — a framework for exchange is established that strengthens the link between educational institutions and the labour market. This publication does not seek to be a mere compilation of articles, but rather a catalyst for change to ensure socially committed higher education, adapted to the challenges of a constantly evolving world and written in three languages to foster international dialogue.