Innovation in the 21st Century Universities

Educational innovation has been a topic of interest for many years, but it has become increasingly vital due to the constant changes within educational institutions. As new generations of students arise, the teaching and learning process must also adapt, and among these changes lies student-centered learning, the integration of digital technologies, experiential education, the focus on soft skills, global collaborations, among other characteristic elements of the new educational approach. This chapter gives an approach to assist universities in the 21st century in considering innovation, identifying its key elements, and understanding how higher education can evolve in response to these transformations. It should be noted that these are just some of the aspects that reflect a significant shift in universities towards a more dynamic and inclusive approach, which helps them adapt to the needs of students and the world of work in the 21st century. Considering the above, the objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of the development of the concept of educational innovation and to examine how universities have embraced it. In conclusion this chapter explores ways universities can foster disruptive thinking; this means that while educational innovation presents numerous challenges, higher education must catalyze change. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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