The European Higher Education Area focuses the learning process on the students, pursuing deep learning and the development of transversal skills. Several studies demonstrate the relationship between deep learning methodologies and the motivation and engagement of students.

In this study, we are testing the effect of using real cases to achieve several objectives: to arouse students' motivation and interest, as well as to exercise several transversal competences or generic outcomes, and to promote deep learning of the subject. The main hypothesis is that working with real cases can help reach the stated goals.

The experience is being carried out in an interuniversity Environmental Engineering Master developed by Universitat de València and Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Specifically, in the subject related to the design of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). In this subject, the students usually designed a WWTP as part of the evaluation system. In this exercise, students used to work with realistic data not belonging to any real town. During the present course, the professors have decided to select real towns or villages to raise student’s awareness of the results obtained (WWTP size, energy and reagents consumption, sustainability, etc.) in the students. This approach will involve a slightly higher workload on the students but probably it will help to reach the targets set.

Once the exercise is finished the students will reply to a questionnaire about their general perception of the experience, and specifically, about their motivation and the workout of some generic outcomes of taking part in the UPV programme, such as social and environmental commitment, innovation and creativity, and responsibility and decision-making. The results will be presented in the final paper and the conference.

Keywords: Deep learning, motivation, environmental engineering, transversal competences, generic outcomes.