The Model of Project Management as a Sustainable Pedagogical Device: Case Study Research in the Tertiary Education Environment

Abstract

The objective of the research was to analyse the use of project management as a sustainable pedagogical device capable of fostering in tertiary education students the development of those transversal skills that enhance their sustainable employability. The qualitative research design was the emergent grounded theory, applied through a case study methodology (first exploratory and then explanatory). The “Seven-factor model of project management as a sustainable pedagogical device” for the development of transversal skills in tertiary education was the main result presented. It is composed of the factors that can be transposed from practice into the context of tertiary education and contains a description of the method for this translation. Moreover, the “holistic project management integration approach in tertiary education” was presented, and it was explained why it is an effective top-down transformation process for integrating project management in every program or academic level. Learning project management proves effective in enhancing students’ employability by fostering a process of critical reflection that enables them to develop a sustainable career aligned with their expectations and personal growth as individuals, professionals, and sustainable citizens.