The course will be taught using a challenge-based learning methodology (CBL). It will combine theoretical explanations, case analysis, gamification and teamwork. The central component of the course will be the development of a CBL project linked to a smart and sustainable city challenge, designed in collaboration with a public institution working in the fields of urban innovation, data, sustainability, mobility, energy, public space or digital transformation.

The methodology aims to familiarise students with the actual workings of a city council. Each team will therefore be expected to act as a technical unit responsible for preparing the project.

The learning activities will include:

• Theoretical and practical classes on municipal organisation, local powers, urban planning, public procurement, grants, data, transparency and artificial intelligence.
• Gamification workshops and the resolution of cases relating to smart urban projects.
• Teamwork to prepare the CBL project.
• Reading and analysis of legislation, institutional guidelines, tender specifications, grant calls and municipal documents.
• Legal clinic sessions and project review.
• A final oral presentation in a simulated institutional setting.

Course documentation, teaching materials and communications will be made available through the Virtual Campus.

Consideration will be given to the possibility of organising an external visit to the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition of the Government of Catalonia will be considered.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

The course provides for two assessment methods:

1.- Continuous assessment: Assessment will be based on continuous assessment and will consist of three main activities: the resolution of practical cases and gamified activities carried out as part of the theoretical and practical sessions (45%), the preparation of the CBL project (40%) and the oral defence of the project (15%).

Continuous assessment will consist of the following activities:

• Three practical cases and/or gamified activities carried out as part of the theoretical and practical sessions (individual and group activity). Throughout the course, three applied activities will be proposed to assess students’ ability to identify legal and institutional issues linked to smart city projects. Two of them will be group assessment activities and one will be an individual assessment activity. These activities may involve the resolution of short cases, simulations of municipal decision-making, identification of the competent public authority, analysis of a call for grants, preparation of a basic procurement strategy, analysis of the occupation of public space, assessment of risks arising from the use of urban data, or resolution of conflicts between different public interests. Gamified dynamics may also be used, such as team challenges, the allocation of municipal roles, rapid decision-making exercises, classification of legal risks or the defence of alternative options in a specific municipal situation. Assessment will take into account the ability to apply the concepts covered in class, the quality of the reasoning, the justification of the decisions adopted, effective participation and the ability to work with basic legal and institutional information.
• Final CBL project dossier (group activity). Each team must submit a complete proposal linked to the smart and sustainable city challenge presented during the course. The dossier must include the project’s executive report, the justification of the public interest, the identification of the urban issue to be addressed, the map of powers and responsibilities, the identification of the public authorities involved, the municipal organisational map, the proposed legal instrument, any necessary urban planning or public domain occupation requirements, the public procurement or service management strategy, possible funding or grant sources, the analysis of data, transparency, data protection and cybersecurity issues, the matrix of legal and institutional risks, and a basic proposal for a timetable and assessment indicators. Particular emphasis will be placed on ensuring that the project is not merely a technical idea, but a proposal capable of being processed administratively, legally substantiated, financially realistic and consistent with the ordinary functioning of a city council.
• Oral defence of the CBL project (group activity). Teams must present and defend their proposal in an academic or institutional setting, preferably with the participation of individuals linked to local government or urban innovation policies. Assessment will take into account clarity of presentation, the ability to summarise, the strength of the legal justification, the administrative feasibility of the project, the response to the questions raised and the ability to communicate a technical and legal proposal to a non-specialist audience.

The three practical cases and/or gamified activities and the oral defence may be reassessed, subject to the lecturer’s assessment of the reasons for the student’s absence from the activity on the scheduled date. The CBL dossier may not be reassessed.

Under the continuous assessment system, class attendance is not compulsory, although it will be taken into account in the final grade for the course. Where an absence is duly justified (illness, force majeure or a similar situation), students may miss one of the assessable activities consisting of cases, tests or commentaries, which will not be included in the final grade. Where there is no justification, the activity will be graded with a zero.

Reassessment. Students who fail the course may be reassessed provided that they have obtained a minimum grade of 3 out of 10. Reassessment will consist of a written examination, worth 50% of the grade, and two practical cases covering the course syllabus, each worth 25% of the grade.

2.- Single assessment: The single assessment will be individual. Students who, for justified reasons and with prior authorisation from the lecturer, are unable to attend classes may be assessed on the date officially scheduled for the course examination by means of a written examination, worth 50% of the grade, and two practical cases covering the course syllabus, each worth 25% of the grade.

Reassessment. The same reassessment system as that provided for continuous assessment will apply.

General criteria

1.- The course is passed when a final grade of 5 out of 10 is obtained. However, a minimum grade of 2.5 out of 4.5 must be obtained in the CBL dossier.

2.- Feedback and/or grading of assessment activities by the teaching staff will be provided within a maximum period of one week. For each assessment activity, a place, date and time will be specified for review, during which students may review the activity with the teaching staff. In this context, students may submit claims concerning the grade awarded for the activity, which will be considered by the teaching staff responsible for the course. If students do not attend this review, the activity will not be reviewed at a later date.

3.- Students may request a review of the grades awarded for assessable activities within the period specified when each grade is published. The review will preferably take place during a tutorial or a session arranged with the teaching staff.

4.- The distinction of Honours may be awarded to students who have obtained a final grade equal to or higher than 9.0, in accordance with the limits established by the applicable academic regulations. The number of Honours distinctions may not exceed 5% of the students enrolled in the course during the corresponding academic year, unless fewer than 20 students are enrolled, in which case one Honours distinction may be awarded. Where the number of students with a grade equal to or higher than 9.0 exceeds the number of Honours distinctions available, the award will be decided by jointly taking into account the highest final grade, the quality of the final CBL project dossier, the strength of the oral defence, sustained participation in the theoretical and practical and gamified activities, and the ability to integrate rigorously the competential, legal, contractual, financial, environmental and data-related aspects of the project. In the event of a tie, the Honours distinction will be decided by drawing lots.

5.- A student will receive a grade of “Not assessable” where they have not provided sufficient assessment evidence to evaluate the achievement of the course learning outcomes. For these purposes, a student will be considered “Not assessable” where they have not completed assessment activities worth more than 30% of the final grade for the course, in accordance with the UAB assessment guidelines.

6.- If a student cheats, commits plagiarism or is found in possession of a prohibited device during an assessment test, the teaching staff will award a grade of zero for that assessment activity and will report the matter to the Faculty Dean’s Office by submitting a report on the circumstances and evidence of the incident, with a view to requesting the possible initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the student. This assessment activity may not be reassessed. If more than one irregularity occurs in assessment activities for the same course, the final grade for the course will be zero.

7.- Restricted use of generative artificial intelligence. In this course, the use of artificial intelligence technologies is permitted for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translation. Students must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how those tools have influenced the process and the final outcome of the activity. A lack of transparency in the use of artificial intelligence in an assessable activity will be regarded as a breach of academic integrity and may result in a partial or total penalty in the grade awarded for the activity, or in more serious sanctions in severe cases. The lecturer will give prior notice where the use of artificial intelligence is not permitted in a specific activity.

8.- No differentiated treatment will apply to students repeating the course.

9.- Requests for rescheduling. This will apply where a student suffers from a serious illness or where any other duly justified exceptional circumstance prevents them from completing the learning activity. The assessment criteria and instructions of the School of Engineering may be consulted.

10.- Students with disabilities or specific educational support needs (NESE) may contact the UAB Equality and Diversity Service, which provides specific support to enable them to participate fully and independently in academic and social life at the university.