Teaching by subjects and contents where students passively receive knowledge is increasingly obsolete. Universities are opting for teaching strategies supporting skills development to face the labor, social, environmental, and economic conditions afflicting us. Employers demand increasingly complex skills; universities have identified experiential learning as giving access to real situations and learning by doing. One of the most advanced strategies is Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). Through real problem situations, faculty and students collaborate to solve an established challenge, with or without external stakeholders. This educational advancement has been global and is developing graduates with international skills, which ensures a world-class standard. Here we report a global study carried out in universities from three different continents, and we analyze the implementations of CBL in educational programs through cases in Mexico, The Netherlands, Ireland, and China. Developing skills and competencies is evident, and CBL is a viable way to ensure the success of Higher Education graduates. Obstacles in the transformation of faculty towards CBL are a similar fence in all cases. For CBL, the path needs to be explored, as it is on the frontline of educational developments that can be most helpful for developing a new paradigm in education.

The concept of sustainability emerged globally in the 1987 Brundtland Report. Initially, it comprised three dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. Over time, sustainability became a global necessity that led to the establishment in 2015 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so that sustainability became a public policy of extreme urgency. Thirty-four years later, there is an imperative need to expand the original concept not in a public policy but in a competence that graduates of higher education develop, regardless of their studied academic program. We propose sustainability as a transversal competence. Our work describes the path that a higher education institution in Mexico, Tecnologico de Monterrey, has followed to accomplish this task. The new educational model Tec21 based on challenge-based learning experiences has a focus on the development of sustainability competences and actions ownership towards solving the problems described in the 17 SDGs. Our proposed definition for the sustainability transversal competence is: “The student possesses the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the successful performance of the task and the resolution of problems related to the challenges and opportunities for sustainability in today’s world”. Thus, education is both an objective and a means to achieve all the other SDGs.

Introduction: This research explores leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies and best practices to address the challenges faced by Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) in Higher Education, ensuring its sustainability and relevance. CEE is essential for engineers' continuous professional growth and adaptability, especially in an era marked by swift technological progress and changing job requirements. CEE must adapt to rapid technological advancements and evolving workforce demands. Nevertheless, traditional pedagogical methods often lag behind the needs of modern engineering professionals.Methods: Through a case study, this study aims to show how skills visualization allows the creation of comparisons between professional scenarios to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of CEE programs. To achieve this goal, we utilized a platform based on the KSA taxonomy, which enables the visualization of skills and supports creating personalized and adaptive learning.Results: Our results demonstrate the transformative potential of integrating new technologies and learning approaches in CEE programs. By leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies, developing personalized learning experiences, and embracing Education 4.0 principles, CEE programs can empower the workforce of the future to thrive in an increasingly complex and dynamic landscape.Discussions: This study underscores the significance of Education 4.0 principles in shaping the future of CEE programs, emphasizing the crucial role of innovative learning approaches and technological integration in empowering the future engineering workforce in the Industry 4.0 era.

The current demands of the labor market demand a new compendium of skills from engineering graduates. To develop skills at a more complex level, this study analyzed the use of second-generation Video Essays and Podcasts to improve soft skills. The characteristics of students belonging to Generation Z as digital natives were considered and digital platforms were adapted for interaction in social networks to enhance critical thinking and creativity (Criticality). Active learning experiences in different engineering programs were analyzed using the 4-group Solomon methodology with a quantitative design and different assessment instruments were used for Pre-Tests and Post-Tests, including various fluency and originality tests, as well as answering articulation ability tests. and modified VALUE rubrics from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Our results clearly suggest that the use of these two tools substantially improves understanding of scientific concepts in engineering subjects, a greater ability to develop increasingly in-demand skill sets, and a greater awareness of creative thinking competence.