ABSTRACT
The Universidad Paraguayo Alemana (UPA) was founded in 2014 by the German private entity SRH, which manages nine Universities of Applied Sciences SRH Group in Germany and by the Union Industrial Paraguaya a leading industry association in Paraguay. UPA has developed a teaching and learning process fully based on competence-based learning. This constructivist learning approach translates a four-year learning program that integrates theory, exercises, and project-based learning on a daily basis in a particular academic subject such as mathematics, finance, or production. The program also includes a five-month study period at one of the SRH universities and a five-month internship period in Germany. These combined strategies provide a permanent exposure to international trends, people, and experiences contributing to opening up the mental maps of students and lecturers alike. Finally, UPA pays explicit attention to integrate the latest knowledge of social, environmental, and digital tendencies throughout its study programs.
