The use of problem-based learning (PBL) allows students to confront complex practical cases similar to those they will encounter in their future professional practice, but in a controlled scenario. However, it is important to evaluate with graduates how this methodology has influenced them in their professional practice. This study presents the results of surveys carried out among graduates of the Industrial Chemical Engineering degree at the University of La Laguna on how the PBL methodology has influenced them in their professional practice. The results show that this methodology helped them to understand their own skills and how they needed to increase the degree of networking of knowledge for their professional practice. However, they highlight the need to increase the importance of this aspect in university studies. The results show that studying the same case study from the point of view of several subjects would help them to strengthen the interconnectedness of concepts. Finally, it is considered that this type of active methodology, which favours the dual acquisition of knowledge and competences and also encourages deep internalisation of concepts and thinking outside the box, should be strengthened.

Keywords: Problem-based learning, motivation, students, self-learning.