Learning by doing: a reflection on trade fairs as spaces for interdisciplinary professional training

Introduction: University business fairs have established themselves as educational settings for experimental learning, promoting the integration of theory and practice in the training of future professionals. Objective: To reflect on the impact of the fairs organized by the Department of Business Administration, National Unified Corporation for higher Education (Corporación Unificada Nacional de Educación Superior, CUN) between 2022 and 2024, investigating how they contribute to the development of business and socio-emotional skills. Methodology: A mixed approach was adopted, including document review, student and teacher surveys, semi-structured interviews, and indirect observation on fair records. Reflection: Significant progress was found in negotiation, entrepreneurship, and teamwork skills, as well as challenges in logistics management and evaluative systematization. Conclusions: The fairs strengthen student motivation and autonomy, although they require greater planning, teacher support, and formalization of evaluation processes. In addition, their potential transfer to other academic programs as an innovative teaching-learning model is proposed, contributing to future research on active methodologies in higher education.