Women´s leadership across industries worldwide continues to be promoted by governments, companies, and organizations alike. This paper presents preliminary results from a broader qualitative research on women in leadership positions in higher education institutions (HEI), government positions, and companies related to higher education (HE) worldwide. This paper presents the views of women in leadership roles in HEI (including department, institution, board of directors, among others) and related organizations (such as consultancies, embassies) on 1) the mentorship they have received (if any) from their role models, and 2) which leadership styles they perceive to practice in their daily activities in their current role. Through semi-structured interviews, we gathered information about participants' views, practices, and leadership styles. The participants included women from diverse nationalities, ages, socioeconomic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, all of whom currently hold leadership roles in or related to higher education. The interviews were recorded, videotaped, subsequently transcribed, and then coded using MAXQDA, a qualitative analysis software. Results indicated that most participants had received mentorship from previous leaders such as thesis advisors, university deans, faculty heads, or colleagues in similar positions. Participants in the study also cited parents and spouses as role models and mentors influencing their personal and professional decisions. They reported learning qualities such as innovation, creativity, resilience, and soft skills from their mentors. Regarding their leadership styles, most women did not identify with a specific style but rather described some dynamics and approaches they employ in their current leadership roles. Mentorship in the higher education field can support women in the early stages of their careers, help develop their leadership styles, and encourage them to strive for such positions. The study concludes that targeted mentorship programs for women should be established and promoted to incorporate broader perspectives at the highest levels of decision-making in higher education institutions.

Education for sustainable development requires innovative pedagogies to equip students with the competencies to address complex environmental challenges. This study examines the use of ChallengeBased Learning (CBL) to foster an understanding of sustainability as a transversal (cross-cutting) competence among undergraduates at a private university in Mexico, within a global sustainability context. An extensive literature review highlights the importance of real-world, collaborative learning in developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and cooperative skills essential for sustainability. Over two semesters, the CBL intervention engaged students in addressing real-world challenges, including energy consumption, waste management, water conservation, pollution control, and plastic reduction. Students $(\mathbf{N} \boldsymbol{\approx} \mathbf{1 5 0})$ worked in teams to develop 36 original projects targeting these issues. A mixed-methods approach was employed to evaluate outcomes, including pre- and post-surveys of sustainability knowledge and skills, as well as qualitative reflections. Results showed statistically significant gains in students' self-reported sustainability competencies, including a 48 % increase in understanding of sustainability concepts and a 53 % improvement in their ability to propose practical environmental solutions. Additionally, 80 % of students agreed that CBL made sustainability more tangible and personally meaningful than traditional classes. The results of this study revealed that CBL is an effective pedagogy for sustainability education, bridging theoretical knowledge with practical action and fostering the holistic competencies needed to advance sustainable development.

During the last three decades, higher education institutions (HEIs) have integrated sustainability into their curricula. Recent research has focused on sustainability competences and pedagogical approaches, and how the latter foster the development of the former. Previous studies have examined the connections between pedagogical approaches and sustainability competences from an educators' perspective. However, there has been limited research addressing a students' perspective, particularly in relation to gender. This paper aims to provide insights into developing students' sustainability competences through pedagogical approaches from a gender perspective. A survey was applied to students at 17 universities from 13 countries. The responses were analyzed using: (1) Descriptive statistics and Friedman tests; (2) t ‐tests comparing perceptions of male and female students; and (3) correlations between competences and pedagogical approaches comparing both perspectives. The results showed differences in how male and female students' competences ranked, with female students having a more concentrated range of competences. The pedagogical approaches results showed little to no differences and concurred with the published literature. The results also indicated differences between genders regarding how the pedagogical approaches develop the competences, where female students tend to develop more sustainability competences than males. HEIs must recognise gender‐based perceptual differences and develop strategies that build upon the strength of both perspectives and, thus, better implement sustainability competence education.