Teaching Operations research, the experience of the Catholic University in Bolivia

The Catholic University of Bolivia undertook an experience to develop profesional competencies in students of Operations research and to position the tools of this specialty to help improve the management of private companies. The paper presents the implementation of a new methodology (Project Based Learning) for teaching the subject of Operations Research to a group of students from different fields at a national context during a period of 5 years. Students must perform a project on small companies in order to gain the competences related to the course of Operational Research. The paper analyzes the change of methods (from traditional ones based on the passive role of students to a participative model where student applies their knowledge to their daily activity) teaching mathematics in Bolivia. The company representatives play an active role monitoring and assessing the implementation process. The evaluation of the students shows that the competency has been developed to the expected level and Operations research has now a place in the management of small companies.