This study compared the effectiveness of the Project-Based Learning method (PBL) with the conventional teaching method in developing cross-curricular skills and improving academic performance among 1064 undergraduate students at the north coast of Colombia. A t-student test, Welch test, and the Tau Kendall correlation coefficient were used to analyse the PBL and non-PBL groups in 40 Economic Integration courses in three years. A pre-test, post-test, and achievement of academic objectives questionnaire was applied, as well as a verification test of previous knowledge and a focus group at the end of the courses. It was observed that the PBL method is superior in the development of "problem-solving" and "teamwork" skills only of five observed. The application of the PBL method was associated with the fulfilment of two of the five academic objectives analysed, which is confirmed by the feedback from the focus groups. This research contributes to the analysis of the usefulness of teaching methods in different geographical contexts.