Inclusion of extracurricular activities and student competitions in the curriculum structure for engineering education: Experience based on the Brazilian reality

The teaching of engineering is a topic discussed at several conferences around the world, and there is an structured idea on new challenges and methodologies of teaching for engineering students based on the challenges of the future engineer and the training of professionals with expertise in various fields of study, moreover, it is also based on the inclusion of initiatives of entrepreneurship, sustainability and the environment. This study considers these assumptions to analyze the profile of the teaching of engineering in Brazil, considering political, cultural and historical issues. Hence, we present an overview of the main extracurricular activities already existing in the country, exploring the various aspects related to those who are involved, how to implement, the significance and how to take advantage of these activities as tools for the development and improvement of engineering education within the universities.