Integration of teaching activities for training in research skills in technical university of madrid

Training researchers entails a process of social interaction that enables an advance in knowledge, know-how and attitudes. Whenengineering students of the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) enrol in an educational cycle consisting of research and post-graduate studies, they are confronted with a need to change the way they conduct their activities, and find themselves unfamiliarwith the research methodology and the nature of the study objectives. The acquisition of research skills at this stage of education isnot usually part of the teaching syllabus. The investigation conducted here is the action-research type, whereby a situation isstudied from the point of view of the participants. It consists of a process of analysis, diagnosis, proposals for change andassessment before the process is re-initiated. The main aim of this experience is to develop the skills associated with researchactivities. The objective results of this experience show that the trainee researchers acquired the skills that were the object of thiswork. These skills were manifested by the subjects resolving a real problem, working as part of a research team, and preparingwork for publication in a variety of channels for the dissemination of scientific output. The opinion of the experienced researcherswas resulted in a very positive valuation of the aspects considered. This action may potentially have a significant impact on the newpostgraduate programmes, as it demonstrates that the planning of joint works covering a variety of disciplines and with datacorresponding closely to the actual situation not only provides high-quality academic results, but is also capable of generatingresults from real research projects. With the logical adaptations, it could also be applied in undergraduate courses.