ABSTRACT
In June 2010 we taught on a master’s course in Territorial Development in Rafaela, Argentina. When we were introduced to the students, we noticed that the group was different to the student groups we were used to. Among the students we met were the Technical Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, researchers and managers from the local university, managers from the development agency and competitiveness programme, managers and researchers from technology centres, representatives of a local institute for training and studies on territorial development, a provincial deputy and a broad group from the municipality, including representatives of urbanism, development, innovation and international relations, human resources, employment and social economy, management and participation and relationships with neighbouring areas. In the classroom we were struck by the way abstract discussion of concepts was combined with a discussion of the actual development of Rafaela. Students did not look at the issues discussed from the outside but positioned as insiders. They were problem owners in the learning process.
