The use of technical problems from industry in the final projects, or degree projects, in engineering programs is an old tradition in Sweden. Almost all the students in engineering programs at Swedish universities do accomplish their final projects in collaboration with industry or they take projects from companies and carry them out at university. In most of the cases, the projects have been taken from local industries. But the globalization and multi-nationalization of industry is changing the situation and the international exchange programs, regarding students and faculty, involved in these types of projects is a new experience. It is not only a challenge but also an excellent opportunity to prepare a new generation of engineers to be ready not only for the European but also for the international market.

This paper deals with final projects in mechanical engineering carried out by groups of program and exchange students. It shows the authors experience of supervising program and international students working with industrial projects. The different types of pedagogical and cultural backgrounds resulted in some problems but also in a great challenge and new views to the supervisors as well as to the students.