The persistent theory–practice divide in engineering education limits students’ ability to translate conceptual knowledge into actionable solutions, particularly in urban mobility where data-driven decision-making is essential. To address this challenge, a project was implemented with students from the Urban Mobility Engineering program at the Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Energía y Movilidad (UPIEM), in Mexico City, engaging them in the complete cycle of designing, conducting, and analyzing an origin–destination (O-D) survey focused on their university community.

This initiative tested an innovative pedagogical model that replaces passive learning with direct engagement in real-world, professional-grade research. The main objective was to deepen students’ understanding of survey design, spatial data analysis, and mobility behavior while fostering digital literacy, teamwork, and critical thinking. Instead of working with pre-existing datasets, students experienced the full research pipeline—collecting, processing, visualizing, and interpreting real-world data.

The methodology was structured into four phases. First, students collaboratively designed a digital questionnaire using accessible no-code tools, focusing on trip origin, travel mode, departure time, duration, and daily travel costs. Second, the survey was distributed among students, faculty, and staff, resulting in over 400 valid responses. Third, data cleaning and analysis were conducted using spreadsheet software, applying descriptive statistics and filters to identify patterns. Finally, spatial visualization was performed with QGIS, mapping travel flows and highlighting demand clusters. The project concluded with presentations that connected empirical findings to theoretical course content.

Beyond mobility insights, the core educational impact was the development of technical skills (data management, GIS) and soft skills (collaboration, communication), alongside increased confidence in applying theory to practical challenges. Its low-cost and scalable design offers a replicable framework to integrate experiential, competency-based learning in engineering and urban studies, effectively bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Keywords: Urban mobility, experiential learning, origin–destination survey, engineering education.