CODE University of Applied Sciences is designed around the competencies of 21st century skills with the vision of training digital pioneers. Students at CODE pursue a bachelor's degree designed around the key ideas of Project-Based Learning and Curiosity-Driven Education. The first year of studies at CODE provides certain academic structures, while encouraging curiosity and laying the groundwork for a highly self-driven study model. Following feedback from students and faculty, the goals of the first semester on campus were reconsidered, and the semester has been recently redesigned. A scaffolded approach was introduced, one which consists of two key parts: a workshop phase, which focuses on building knowledge and skills in the three fields of study, and a project-only phase, in which students work on their own, and check in regularly with faculty and advanced students for input, feedback and guidance. This contribution will focus on the first semester of studies at CODE, and the ways in which it prepares students for subsequent semesters, in which students work on semester-long projects, either alone or in interdisciplinary groups.

The first semester at CODE: Preparing students for Project-Based Learning in a curiosity-driven higher education learning environment

[Conference proceedings](https://vbn.aau.dk/en/publications/transforming-pbl-through-hybrid-learning-models-timely-challenges)