Special issue. Higher education: a Fundamental intangible capital towards a sustainable future

Abstract

Education has become an intangible capital of vital importance in a changing context due to increasing complexity, uncertainty, accelerating globalisation and competitive rivalry. Likewise, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes as one of its core goals (SDG 4) to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all". To this end, it focuses on the need to acquire a set of crucial transversal competencies applicable to different contexts and purposes throughout life, including not only formal (primary, secondary, University) but also non-formal education.

Focusing on higher education, this special issue addresses in a multidisciplinary way the different theoretical and empirical approaches that bring together innovative topics such as teaching innovation, graduates and job expectations, competence acquisition, digitisation and technologies. The first three articles develop the importance of acquiring sustainable and intangible knowledge based on the acquisition of skills that helps students adapt to a changing and uncertain future of work while understanding and cooperating with their social environment to promote greater social justice. The last two articles are a clear example of the progress made in learning methodologies and the application of Technology to improve the academic performance of university students.