In a fast and continuous evolving world, driven by technological advancements and global interconnectedness, there is an important need to promote the development of 21st-century competencies, particularly, in high education students. The knowledge and scientific competences must be complemented with social and soft skills as critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, communication, adaptability, resilience and autonomy that allow them to thrive both personally and professionally.
To address this, a training course was designed under the MatActiva Project – Promotion of Learning in Mathematics, developed by the Porto Accounting and Business School (ISCAP/P.PORTO) within the STEAM Youth Impulse Program of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). The course employs innovative pedagogical practices and active learning methodologies, using structured challenges as a tool to reinforce mathematics education. These challenges are designed to strengthen students' abilities to solve problems, collaborate effectively, and think critically, all while stimulating creativity and promoting teamwork. By complementing their initial education with logical-deductive challenges, the course seeks to foster their integration and success in both academic and professional domains, bridging the gap between education and the skills demanded by today’s professional world.

In this paper, the course is described, showing some examples and several results. The students’ course feedback is also analysed in detail. These personal insights are extremely important for the training constant improvement as well as for identifying necessary adjustments for the proper functioning of this extracurricular course.

Keywords: Higher Education, Active Learning, Mathematics Education, Problem-Solving, Critical Thinking.