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Reasoning for complexity is a fundamental competency in these complex times for solutions to social problems and decision-making. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the eComplexity instrument by presenting its psychometric properties. The instrument consists of a Likert-type scale questionnaire designed to measure college students' perceptions of their mastery levels of complex reasoning competency as well as the subcompetencies that comprise it. The instrument was applied to higher education students in different countries of Latin America and Spain. The questionnaire articulates four types of thinking: systemic, scientific, critical and innovative and consists of 25 items. The methodology used was instrumental and psychometric, which seeks to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the eComplexity questionnaire. The results obtained from the research were as follows: The exploratory factor analysis indicated a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index (KMO) > 0.80, a significance of p< 0.05 and a Cronbach's Alpha value of 0.93. Likewise, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis was carried out and was possible to corroborate the internal structure validity of the instrument. In addition to Cronbach's Alpha coefficient, McDonald's Omega, and Guttman's Lambda coefficients were calculated to calculate reliability. With the results obtained it was possible to conclude that the instrument is valid and reliable, can be used in various university contexts to support integrated training necessary to address current challenges and contribute to educational research. It is recommended for future studies that the research can be expanded by using an instrument that can move from perceptual terms to measuring levels of complex reasoning mastery, but it is valuable to contrast with the students' perception to have a broader vision.

Internationalization in higher education is essential, and although active learning methodologies are increasing and allow students to develop transversal skills, most still have a very local scope. In this context, the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) methodology is an interesting approach to benefit the students' development. It consists of an online program that involves creating multicultural teams to develop a specific learning project. Although this methodology is expanding, its use in physiology is still scarce. This paper aims to show an example of applying COIL methodology in physiology topics to enhance higher-education students' innovation and business skills. Our example project developed a sports-assessment service concept focused on physiology and biomechanics assessments. The program involved teams from Brazil, Germany, and Spain, comprising undergraduate and master students. Over 7 weeks, these teams, mentored by professors and researchers, engaged in workshops covering COIL methodology, business model design, executive summary planning, economic analyses, and communication techniques. Key outcomes included learning new concepts, developing soft skills, building confidence in innovative solution proposals, and experiencing diverse cultures. Challenges faced were language barriers, scheduling, task complexity, and logistical issues. This experience confirms the effectiveness of incorporating programs using COIL methodology into educational curriculums. Doing so exposes physiology students to innovation, entrepreneurship, and business creation while strengthening their professional connections and opening up postgraduation opportunities.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the influence of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), innovation and sustainability, through environmental awareness, in the formation of entrepreneurial intention (EI). Design/methodology/approach: Based on the alignment between theoretical axes, such as the theory of planned behavior, adaptation-innovation theory and the environmental axis of sustainability, quantitative research was developed with students from Brazilian and Spanish universities. We obtained a sample of 686 university students enrolled in courses related to management in both countries. Data analysis included exploratory factor analysis and logistic regression. Findings: Our results revealed that the constructs of TPB (personal attitudes and perceived behavioral control) influenced EI, excluding subjective norms. Innovation had an influence on the EI of students from both countries. In Brazilians, valuing change predicts EI, highlighting the importance of flexibility. Conversely, Spaniards emphasize originality, valuing uniqueness and creativity as drivers of EI. Sustainability, via environmental awareness, did not influence EI. Originality/value: With this study, we aim to encourage policies and practices aimed at higher education institutions globally, to broaden the understanding about the importance of environmental, innovative and social studies and practices aligned with the context of entrepreneurship. The final aim is to enhance social and environmental benefits generated by future entrepreneurs.

Introduction: Under the label of 'Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)', increasing efforts have been made over the past decade to make research and innovation (R&I) more open and inclusive to improve the way we solve today's complex challenges. However, no commonly accepted norms or standards on the practical implementation of RRI currently exist. One of today's challenges is how to facilitate its implementation within science education. This article aims to contribute to the necessary conceptual and practical grounding of RRI in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) education by developing a framework of RRI competencies and by gaining insight into secondary school STEAM educators' practices and perspectives on teaching RRI competencies. It adds to an emerging research field in which science education contributes to solving real-world problems by focusing on competencies needed to participate in RRI processes. Methodology: After developing a Comprehensive Framework of RRI Competencies in STEAM education, we engaged secondary school teachers (n=40) involved in innovation within the education project Xplore Health (XH). Participants were recruited through purposive and homogenous sampling from three cities in Spain (Barcelona, Granada and A Coruña). Through one focus group in each city, we analysed teachers' perspectives on how well RRI competencies in the Framework were covered using the XH's educational resources and on how that coverage could be improved. Results: The results show that teachers encounter important limitations in addressing competencies within all the RRI process requirements: reflexivity, anticipation, inclusion and responsiveness. They suggested learning methods and actions for improving that coverage in secondary STEAM education. Discussion and conclusions: We conclude that the Comprehensive Framework of RRI Competencies helps teachers reflect on how to innovate in STEAM education and that Community-Based Participatory Research facilitates the development of most of the competencies teachers considered difficult to apply with the other approaches.

This study aims to understand the motivation behind academic entrepreneurs launching their business ideas as a company. To accomplish this objective, we analysed the reasons that motivated seventy-four academic entrepreneurs. The results showed that there is no single motivating element for starting an entrepreneurial project for academic entrepreneurs. Among them, the identification of a business opportunity, the existence of a support network and the possibility of having qualified staff to manage them are considered relevant elements. The results of this study may be useful for researchers and agents elaborating on successful public policies for academic entrepreneurship. Due to their scientific base, these types of companies become key in improving the innovation capacity of a territory and the effect on the rest of society in general.

Interest in higher education institutions (HEIs) as instruments for development has increased in recent years. The main objective of this paper is to address the contribution of HEIs to development through their missions, models, and challenges. With this purpose, we perform a historical analysis and characterise higher-education systems through the perspective of university models and missions, noticing relevant aspects regarding the evolution of this institution over time, as well as the transformations undergone. We also consider the main challenges that current higher education systems face in the 21st century. As methodological approaches, we carry out a literature review complemented by a comparative analysis based on data from the higher education systems of ten European countries. The findings show that HEIs can contribute to development through their missions, which are related to the models of higher education. Their first mission (teaching) contributes to improving human capital and attracting highly qualified people to their regions; the second mission (research) improves scientific knowledge which can foster innovative activities; and the third mission (community service) acts as a link between research and business, including patents, business incubators, and collaboration agreements. We also conclude that the challenges of higher education in the 21st century can be categorised essentially in three main areas: (1) globalisation and massification of higher education, as well as the internationalisation of HEIs' missions and diversification of the educational supply to attract new students; (2) new technologies related to the digitalisation of teaching and distance learning; and (3) higher education entrepreneurship, showing the importance of university-company relationships. This paper provides a global setting for a reflection on the role of HEIs in the 21st century, given their connection with society and the need for a more effective contribution to socio-economic development.

Purpose: Despite the growing interest in the study of authentic leadership, there is little empirical evidence of the consequences of this type of leadership for companies. On the other hand, the mediating variables that may explain these results have not been explored in depth either. Although the academic literature suggests, from a theoretical point of view, that these leaders could favour innovation, little has been studied from an empirical perspective. This study aims to try to cover these gaps. Design/methodology/approach: The main goal of this study is to analyse the mediating effect of organisational learning capability in the relationship between authentic leadership and innovation success. Considering a sample frame of 263 Spanish companies, this study tested the proposed hypotheses through structural equations. Findings: The results provide empirical evidence of the positive effect of authentic leaders to promote organisational learning capability. In addition, this study confirms the positive effect of organisational learning capability on innovation success. Finally, organisational learning capability mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and innovation success. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt to empirically study the effects of authentic leadership on organisational learning capability and innovation success.

This paper provides empirical evidence about the close relationship between two education systems' orientations and priorities and teacher identities. Based on the Dialogical-Self Theory (DST), it identifies different schoolteacher identities and shows that these teacher identities are non-uniformly distributed across two education systems. Forty Catalan and forty Peruvian schoolteachers (eighty in total) provided information about their positions and I-positions concerning teaching via a written survey. The data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative procedures. The findings show three types of teacher identities: an educator and a learning guide, an instructor teaching, and a collaborative innovator. The results further demonstrate that most of the Peruvian schoolteachers assumed the teacher identity as an instructor teaching. In contrast, the Catalan schoolteachers assumed two teacher identities: an educator and a learning guide, and a collaborative innovator. We conclude by suggesting some implications for educational policy, teacher education and school organisation.

This study examines the relationship between sustainability performance and knowledge, as well as between innovation transfer and co-production. It moves away from evaluating processes to exploring impact by investigating how explicit and tacit knowledge archetypes are associated with sustainability performance in the agri-food sector. Applying the knowledge-based theory and the Shannon index, we rely on a database from 2013 to 2020 of two case studies selected from a Spanish research institution. At the institutional level, the results postulate that knowledge and innovation transfer tends to have a higher diversity index, mainly driven by explicit knowledge archetype. Tacit type of knowledge in both transfer and co-production mechanisms predominately relies on engagement parameters. At the case study level, as an educational toolkit, the first case study prioritizes engagement that is, transferring and transmitting knowledge to a higher number of participants--tacit knowledge transfer. As an innovative technique, the second case study prioritizes diversity that is, transferring and transmitting knowledge through various channels--explicit knowledge transfer. Regarding sustainability performance, the findings demonstrate that both explicit and tacit knowledge are associated with health and capacity building pillars in the first case study through the transfer mechanism. However, in the second one, tacit knowledge is mainly associated with economic and socioterritorial pillars through transfer and co-production mechanisms. This study sheds light on the micro level of knowledge, proposing an approach for researchers and practitioners to categorize knowledge in different proxies and evaluate their performance.

Over the last decade, national and international agencies have repeatedly called for research practices aligned with the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), with varied effects on different disciplines and countries. The COVID-19 pandemic made this need even more critical. This study aimed to explore whether and how, from researchers' point of view, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in RRI-based research practices in the different disciplines and, more generally, society's perception of science. 1499 researchers in the three Catalan-speaking regions of Spain responded to an online questionnaire in the first months of the pandemic. Results showed that while only half perceived an impact on RRI-based practices, this proportion was higher for Health Sciences and Social Sciences researchers in all the dimensions. Most researchers perceived a positive impact on societal actors' views of science, although researchers in the Humanities were more sceptical than those in other disciplines. The analysis of open-ended questions revealed researchers from all disciplines were also concerned about fake news and claimed that researchers' working conditions and research funding across all disciplines needed to be improved for future research to be capable of coping with current and future challenges.

This research aims to obtain knowledge of the perception of last year's students in Pre-primary and Primary Education Degrees and Secondary Education, Vocational Education and Languages Education in Teachers University Master (better known as Training Teachers Master or Secondary Education Master) at Jaen University (UJA) and the National Distance Education University (UNED), about the most important competences in their learning process. Those competences allow students to develop their knowledge and practice, in order to be capable of dealing with those real demands that surround them. In order to achieve this, we use a descriptive methodology. We apply an ad hoc, pre-designed questionnaire, (n=638). The results reveal a positive opinion in students in relation to competences and how those competences are developed within their classrooms or Study centers. In addition to that, students present some proposals to boost the improvement of competences. They invite teachers to innovate and to create new educative models that allow them to achieve an optimal development as future professionals.

Cooperation between universities and business is manifest in a wide range of activities related to the three missions of the entrepreneurial university: education, research and entrepreneurship. However, the vast majority of University-Business Cooperation (UBC) literature has focused on R&D-related activities. This bias has given rise to a lack of knowledge of the organisational context-related factors that shape businesses' cooperation with universities. In order to address this research gap, this quantitative study, by means of a series of multivariate linear regression models, identifies the organisational context-related factors that determine manufacturing SMEs' cooperation levels in education-related UBC activities. Applying a questionnaire to a sample of 332 manufacturing SMEs located in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (Spain), the impact is analysed of organisational context-related factors -- general business characteristics, business openness, R&D, innovation, and UBC willingness and support -- on 5 types of UBC activities that have been identified and classified in the field of education, namely, mobility of students, dual education, curriculum co-design, curriculum co-delivery and lifelong learning.

Purpose: Agricultural innovation implies sharing information between researchers and farmers. Acknowledging the value of the other partner's knowledge is a preliminary step to facilitate agricultural interactive models. Traditionally, researchers' knowledges have been dominant, and farmers' knowledges have been underestimated. A large number of innovation papers pay attention to farmers' attitudes, interests, perceptions, barriers or drivers to change their practices. However, there is not so much information about researchers' point of view. The present paper analyses researchers' perceptions about farmers' knowledges and information sources. Design: It is based on a survey of 156 agricultural researchers mostly from public institutions in Spain. Methodology/approach: Descriptive statistics and principal component analysis (PCA) focused on researchers' perceptions of farmers' knowledges and information sources. Findings: This paper finds that there are two distinct profiles of researchers according to their perceptions on the relevance of knowledges and information sources for farmers. However, both profiles shared the view of 'own experience' as a highly relevant source for farmers' knowledges. Practical implications: It advises how to promote knowledge sharing according to different researchers' perceptions of farmers' knowledges and information sources. Theoretical implications: This paper classifies agricultural researchers according to their perceptions offarmers' knowledges and information sources. This classification enriches the discussion about agricultural interactive knowledge models. Originality/value: This paper pays attention to researchers' perceptions of farmers' knowledges and information sources. It particularly focuses on multi-actor approaches and the integration of farmers' and researchers' knowledges.

This article explores current creative practices involving the representation of sign languages, sign language interpreting, sign language translation (Napier and Leeson 2016; HBB4ALL 2017; CNLSE 2017; Tamayo 2022), and sign language live translation (Tamayo 2022) in audiovisual content. To that end, a review of the concept "creative sign language" and a review of previous publications on the matter will be provided. Subsequently, the implementation of creativity at different production stages, and the use of different resources when sign languages are present in audiovisual content, will be discussed by analyzing some selected innovative examples (mostly of practices in Spain). Finally, a taxonomy that takes into account not only "internal creativity" (that is inherent to sign languages), but also "collaborative" and "external creativity." Conclusions will focus on how creative practices can expand our understanding of different art expressions, human communication, and inclusion, and can help establish new and meaningful connections among them.

The study goal was to assess the innovation level of engineering students' team projects and to examine the relationships between project innovation and team heterogeneity in two online environments. Applying a two-stage mixed methods research design, the qualitative and quantitative data were obtained by interviews with experts in engineering education followed by a multilayered analysis of students' projects. The study included 190 engineering students who studied the same course, half via a hybrid approach and half via a massive open online course (MOOC). Findings identified innovation type, product necessity, STEM interdisciplinary, and market readiness, as central constructs for assessing the innovation level of students' projects. The Hybrid group received higher scores for innovation type, as they created projects with a potential for radical innovation. Project innovation was positively correlated with team heterogeneity in academic discipline and academic level; heterogeneity in native language was identified as a hindering factor.

Purpose: Entrepreneurship requires the attitudes and capabilities needed to begin new and innovative projects able to create positive impacts in the economy of a society. Given that it forms the basis from which new companies, products and innovations emerge, it is a very relevant term in business. With the aim of strengthening these capabilities, many universities are incorporating new educational strategies into their curricula to boost entrepreneurial intention and business skills among their students. This study aims to determine the factors that intervene in the entrepreneurial spirit of students in Spanish universities by examining areas of study, different personal and contextual characteristics, and the type of training students receive in entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach: Data collected from 33,182 students in 77 Spanish universities in the 2018 edition of the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey (GUESSS) is examined in an exhaustive univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential analysis. Furthermore, the relationship between the entrepreneurial index and the different explicative variables is modelled, and a basic random effect for the area of study is introduced to detect differences at this level. Findings: Economics, engineering and health sciences presented higher than average entrepreneurial indices. Regarding the type of training, only voluntary education in entrepreneurship influenced entrepreneurial spirit, albeit not equally in all areas of study. Originality/value: This study's results can help universities to incorporate new educational strategies into their curricula to boost entrepreneurial intention and business skills among students by focusing resources where they are most efficient.

The current scenario of crisis and change has prompted the idea of entrepreneurship as a way to develop new media business models that can be promoted by university training. In this study, we aim to assess the effects of such training. A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews of Spanish journalism and communication entrepreneurs who have undergone university training in business creation and management. Our results show the positive effects of this training on entrepreneurship both in general and on specific aspects of entrepreneurial projects such as organization, business plan/model, marketing, innovation, social aspects and quality of life. Different patterns between the effects of university training on new initiatives and advanced projects were also observed. In this respect, the training supported the creation of new businesses and the development of existing ones. Finally, the suggestions for improving training and the limitations to entrepreneurship have revealed the importance of providing this type of education with a more practical, up-to-date approach that is interconnected with the business and university world. Therefore, examples of this work can be of vital importance in opening up new opportunities for sector development to enable future generations of journalists to fulfill their important social function.

The starting point of our urbanism courses in the master's degree programme is to take a broad, comprehensive local and global look at the urban reality of our environment from a comparative and historical perspective. The aim is to apply a learning-by-doing approach. The paper is structured in two parts. The first explores theory- and design-based approaches considered by architects and urban designers to improve the urbanity of our cities and neighbourhoods. The second presents the experience of five academic years of "Integrated Urban and Landscape Design," a subject in the framework of the Master's Degree Programme in Architecture taught at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza. It addresses urban regeneration interventions in vulnerable areas of the consolidated city with innovative approaches. The aim is to explore innovation in the academic field considering user participation. The workshop methodology is explained in detail, with more attention paid to the process followed than to the specific results of the workshop. The paper explains the four stages of the process: preliminary phase and selection of the study area; analysis and diagnosis phase; proposal phase, in which work is performed jointly with a vision of action in the entire neighbourhood; and presentation phase of the results to residents. Finally, some future challenges of this workshop are outlined.

This work proposes a line of innovation to implement possible uses for the e-portfolio in higher education. We present an initial framework for analysis with attention to three main arguments: the validity of the interest of the e-portfolio for higher education in light of the current challenges posed by the knowledge society; the relevance of complex change management within organisations such as universities; and the identification of critical elements in the relevant literature concerning experiences similar to the case analysed here. The milestones for the line of innovation include six projects and three teacher training courses. Once data had been gathered in the respective assessment phases for each milestone by means of document analysis techniques (e-portfolios, teaching materials, usage statistics), questionnaires, discussion groups, in-depth interviews, and self-assessments (responsible academics, teachers, and students), a global analysis of the whole line was conducted from a complex approach to the problems of teaching change and innovation. A technological, political and cultural reading of innovation reveals emerging problems to reconsider: the attainment of deep learning; the standardisation of academic tutoring; the formation of learning and practice communities; the reconceptualisation of the e-portfolio as a personal learning environment; and the transformation of the university institution as a learning organisation. The premature condition of higher education to deal with the change in the teaching paradigm and the urgency to revisit its innovation policies to overcome it stand out among the critical conclusions of this study.

Social laboratories, defined as experimental spaces for co-creation, have recently become the main centers of innovation. Medialabs are experimental laboratories of technologies and communication media which have co-evolved along with the digital society into mediation laboratories of citizen experimentation, observing a confluence of both models. in recent years, these centers have expanded within the higher education context, generating new forms of innovation and posing the question of how to measure the impact of such open spaces. This paper analyzes the origin and development of social laboratories in Spain. it first reviews their historical development from their antecedents in the 19th Century to the most recent initiatives. it focuses specifically on initiatives launched within the university context, highlighting their role as motors of innovation. Then, it presents the case of Medialab UGR, a co-creation and digital culture center of social collaboration framed in the digital context. Finally, it offers a first approach towards the assessment of its social impact by using Twitter and analyzes its capacity to mobilize and reach non-academic audiences. The findings show the plurality of actors involved in this type of networks as well as the difficulty and complexity of the task for the development of indicators that can comprise both, academic and social interests.

The Bachelor's Degree Final Project (BDFP) of our school aims to develop a real constructive project, enhance cooperative teamwork and increase productivity of students. We present a real case study, related with engineering and scientific innovation results obtained by BDFP, which has led to an innovative scientific study presented at the 7th European Meeting on Chemical Industry and Environment and published in EMChIE 2015 Conference Proceedings. The objectives of this paper are: (1) Describing the design and implementation of a BDFP of engineering that encompasses the development of the characteristic elements of engineering and constructive work and, at the same time, it is scientifically innovative; (2) Showing the methodology used for its development; (3) Presenting the results obtained; (4) Emphasizing the importance of teachers, teamwork of students and the use of real case studies in the conceptual development of a BDFP; (5) Enhancing the possibility that the BDFP of Engineering can solve real engineering problems and to be precursors of Innovation and Scientific Knowledge developers; and (6) Learning engineering and, at the same time, providing Science new knowledge and applications. [Paper presented at the International Conference on University Teaching and Innovation (CIDUI): Learning and Teaching Innovation Impacts (9th, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain, Jul 5-7 2016.)]

As entrepreneurs and start-ups have become increasingly significant components of world economic growth, Japan has enacted and discussed various policies to spur entrepreneurship. However, scant attention has been paid toward motivating its youth to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit. Therefore, this study focuses on undergraduate and graduate students and investigates their motivations to become entrepreneurs. The study has three findings. First, the entrepreneurial motivation of Japanese students ranks lower than that of students in the USA, China, India, Spain and Belgium. Second, compared to the motivations of students in other countries, Japanese students' motivations to launch start-up businesses are few in terms of leadership and independence but many in terms of social contribution. Third, Japanese students believe that their lack of business knowledge and competence creates significant risks and barriers to launching start-up businesses. Finally, the paper discusses the impact of culture and barriers on entrepreneurial innovation in Japan compared to other countries.

Social capital has recently emerged as an effective approach to rethink schools as wider learning ecosystems where students, teachers and families have greater access to learning resources through social interaction. Literature has not provided research-based assessment tools that document school leaders' abilities to weave social relationships between actors within the school and across the community. This paper presents an international experts' validation of the SchoolWeavers Tool, an online resource that supports school leaders to assess the health and potential of their school ecosystem and provides meaningful feedback to weave social and professional capital and lift learning opportunities and educational goals. Theoretical validation was conducted in the first round by 15 experts from 8 countries with prior experience in network leadership in education, and in the second round, with 54 school actors from the same 8 countries. The final model provides an internationally validated tool that supports school leaders' capacities to improve collective effectiveness, internal and external collaboration, innovation and equity. Furthermore, the Tool creates research opportunities by allowing school leaders and researchers to collaborate and support systemic impact and sustainable improvement.

This article describes the progress and findings of a research project, organized in the context of a university Masters course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), which aimed at translating the student-teachers' (STs) funds of identity into worthwhile curricular proposals for the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) subject. The first part of the research involved 38 STs in three workshops through which they became aware of their own funds of identity, expanded their own teacher identity, and finally designed curricular proposals that incorporated their funds of identity as valuable pedagogical resources. The second part of the research took place during the two-month practicum that the STs completed in regional high schools, during which period the professional development (if any) that the STs had undergone was collectively and qualitatively assessed in relation to their ability to put into practice their own innovative EFL proposals in real classroom settings.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyse the relationship between entrepreneurial skills and innovation commitment and entrepreneurial skills and environmental commitment as drivers of awareness on sustainable development of higher education students. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of 1,318 business and management students out of the 3,535 students of Tecnocampus Pompeu Fabra University in Spain during the 2017-2018 academic year was selected to conduct a survey regarding their entrepreneurial skills and sustainability commitment, resulting in a total number of responses of 515. A structural equation model is proposed to contrast the hypothesis. Findings: The statistical analysis showed the existence of a positive relation between the entrepreneurial skill of self-consciousness, innovation and environmental commitment to foster sustainability and sustainable development. It is one of the few studies related to the self-consciousness competence of the entrepreneurial skills which found, as a novelty, that the entrepreneurial skill of self-consciousness is the skill with the greater impact on innovation and environmental commitment. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of the study are that it is based on a sample of students taking entrepreneurship courses at a specific Spanish University that is not representative of all entrepreneurs in all universities. Practical implications: The research proposes including entrepreneurial skills programmes in higher education and research programmes as a way to assure commitment to innovation and environmental sustainability. Originality/value: Promoting entrepreneurial skills among higher education students could act as drivers for sustainable development.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the Strategic Research Consortium Centre for Technological Innovation in Building and Civil Engineering (A-CITEEC) and its scientific strategy for the promotion of research and higher education in building and civil engineering. Design/methodology/approach: By means of an approach based on the comparison of strategic actions with other research consortia, a scientific programme is designed following innovative research areas. Findings: The A-CITEEC is a supra-group structure that strengthens scientific research and provides new opportunities for innovation and technology transfer at the national and international level. Research limitations/implications: The main objective of the A-CITEEC is to improve and intensify research and knowledge transfer in the fields of engineering and sustainable construction. As a direct consequence, this consortium of research groups is promoting community well-being, economic development and optimization of ecosystem services. Practical implications: The A-CITEEC enhances collaborations in the national and international university community to achieve their objectives. Other remarkable activities encouraged by the consortium are the organization of scientific events, such as visits to the research centre, the promotion of the research transfer to companies and encouraging the presence of women researchers. Social implications: The achievement of the objectives and research lines by the A-CITEEC members will lead to satisfying the sustainable development goals (SDGs), priorities of the RIS3 Strategy, Spanish Strategy for Science and Technology and Innovation 2013-2020 and with the European Strategy H2020. Originality/value: The scientific activities shown in this case study are intended to ensure the continuity of the group consortium, which is unique at the regional level in the field of building and civil engineering.

The aim of the research is to pinpoint which leadership-related factors affect school success, specifically focusing on features and strategies used by the principals. The work follows the International Successful School Principalship Project methodology in two case studies in Andalusia (Spain). Both schools (with differentiated environments) are classed by the research as 'invisible or visible school', depending on the evolution and recognition of their success. Case A is a high-performing and declining school (invisible) and Case B is a low-performing and rising school (visible). The results emphasise the importance of the socioeconomic and cultural school context and the characteristics and type of leadership exercised by principals in their relationships with the environment, academic outcomes of the pupils and the school's innovation process. The principal's leadership is also crucial for acknowledgement of school results.

Developing social innovation and entrepreneurship competences and skills of children and young people is on the agenda of European educational policy-makers. The European research and innovation project "DOIT -- Entrepreneurial skills for young social innovators in an open digital world" suggests using makerspaces and tools, within schools and externally, to promote practice-based social innovation and entrepreneurial learning of children and young people. This article first gives an overview of different types of maker-spaces, addresses the concept of maker education, and highlights common development goals of such education with entrepreneurship education regarding particular attitudes and competences. The main part then describes the DOIT learning program that allows children and young people (6-16 years) to acquire skills and an entrepreneurial mind-set for turning creative ideas into potential social innovations. This program is currently trialed in DOIT pilots in different types of makerspaces in ten European countries. The article describes learning processes and outcomes that are promoted by the program with two examples that are different regarding the makerspaces, topics and other aspects. Some first experiences and lessons learned from these and other pilots are summarized.

The objective of this study is to analyse the contribution of students of vocational education and training (VET) to the innovation processes of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during their apprenticeships. Qualitative research was conducted through in-depth interviews with 97 respondents in Catalonia, including VET teachers and students, SME managers, and social and institutional agents. Our findings reveal that public institutions have a partial view of innovation, mostly influenced by an industrial positioning, which leads to the neglect of other components, such as the social aspects. In addition, regarding public programmes designed to foster innovation through VET, the results show a lack of coordination between VET schools, SMEs and public administrations. Finally, in relation to apprentices, we find a low participation in innovation processes by students during their apprenticeship as a consequence of the bad implementation of innovation public programmes, due to the lack of coordination between VET schools and SMEs.

Purpose: This study explores the use of advisory services by farm managers and its linkages with the economic, environmental and social performance of farms. Design/methodology/approach: Using cluster analysis we determined groups of farms according to their sustainability performance and explored the correlations between contacts with advisory services and a set of farm-level sustainability indicators. Findings: There exist significant differences in the number of farmers' contacts with advisory services across countries, type of farms, farmers' degree of agricultural education, utilized agricultural area, legal type of farm ownership and economic size of the farms. We identified three groups of farms that have different sustainability performance, are different in farm characteristics and relate differently to advisory services. The number of contacts with advisory services is positively related to the adoption of innovations, the number of information sources utilized and the adoption of farm risk management measures. We find no clear linear relationship between advisory services and environmental sustainability. Theoretical implications: This study derives hypotheses to analyze causalities between indicators of farm-level sustainability and advisory services. Practical implications: Results suggest the importance of taking into account the heterogeneity of farming systems for the design, targeting and evaluation of advisory services. In addition, results confirm the importance of selection of indicators that can be used in multiple sites. Originality/value: We used a harmonized indicator of advisory services and a harmonized set of farm-level sustainability indicators in nine different EU countries that could be used to evaluate the role of advisory services in the achievement of multiple objectives in different groups of farms in multiple sites.

Twenty years since educational reforms were implemented in Spain aiming at the modernisation of the vocational education system and at the improvement of its educational and developmental functions, relationships between education and industry have not been widely analysed. This study reviews the recent international literature on the topic and then looks at one advanced regional case within the school-based, Spanish vocational education context. Analysing data from a sample of 330 industrial firms from the Basque Country, binary logistic regression was applied in order to identify factors especially associated to the fact that SMEs have a greater or lower number of collaboration relations with vocational schools. We also examined the variables that have the greatest impact on whether firms assess vocational schools positively. Results indicate a strong association between intensity of relationships and positive assessment of vocational schools' educational and developmental functions.

Innovation has been at the forefront of the reforms and changes in the vocational education and training (VET) system in Spain and is defined as a necessary competence to be developed in students to improve their adaptation to the work context. However, there is still only limited knowledge about the role VET plays in the innovation process. Given that meanings are considered the base of all human expression, such as attitudes to innovation or innovative behaviours, this study qualitatively explores the meanings 42 VET teachers, 20 Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) managers and 24 VET students in Catalonia (Spain) give to innovation, with the purpose of clarifying the 'black box' of the innovative process. A diversity of meanings for innovation was found among the social actors in the study. In particular, SMEs shared a homogeneous and neo-Schumpeterian view of innovation. VET teachers held diverse views with the majority ascribing to the neo-Schumpeterian view and a minority sharing a broader view that included the social dimension of innovation. Finally, VET students were characterised by having an idealistic and vague idea of innovation. The theoretical and practical implications of the different meanings in fostering innovation are discussed.

This study aimed to empirically predict the degree of acceptance of an online business simulation game in an educational context. To do so, this study proposed an extended technology acceptance model that includes variables such as perceived enjoyment and flow. In addition, the moderating role of students' personal innovativeness in the technology field was analysed. The framework was empirically tested applying partial least squares to a sample of 266 students. Results reveal that perceived enjoyment is a key variable in explaining students' perceived ease of use, usefulness and attitudes towards the simulation. Perceived ease of use is not significantly related to flow experience. However, this relationship is moderated by personal innovativeness. Indeed, results indicate that the higher the students' personal innovativeness, the more attenuated the effect of perceived ease of use on the attitude towards the game and on flow experience. The study offers relevant insights for the pedagogical use of competitive digital technologies in university contexts.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify the combinations of factors leading to experience in sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities. Design/methodology/approach: Using a sample of 49 public universities in Spain, this paper identifies the combinations of factors on innovation profile, political and internal factors that explain the different degree of corporate social reporting experience with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Findings: The study's findings are a contribution to existing literature as the results obtained point out three different configurations leading to this expertise, with a combination of different conditions based on innovation profile, political and internal factors. Also, the results reveal new characteristics of sustainable development strategies by universities, such as devoting a specific sustainability reporting section in the university website, creating a sustainability body in the university structure or submitting the sustainability report to external assurance. Research limitations/implications: This study refers only to Spanish public universities. In the future, new studies can enlarge the sample and analyse country effects and impact of public versus private status of universities on sustainability reporting strategies. Practical implications: The study's findings are important for university community, regulators and other stakeholders to start considering the need to somehow promote further sustainability reporting and assurance practices by universities, especially in a context of budget restrictions. Originality/value: This paper opens up a new line of research on sustainability experience using an innovative methodology (fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis) useful with small sample sizes, and provides a complete picture of sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities.

This article provides new insights into the role of public universities in regional development by looking at their involvement in Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialization (RIS3), a key element of the current European Cohesion Policy. In the latter, stakeholders from the triple or Quadruple Helix (public, private, research and nongovernmental sectors) jointly identify areas for research, development and innovation (RDI) investment. The analysis focuses on the region of Catalonia, which hosts a mix of higher education institutions (HEIs) with different characteristics and different relationships with local innovation stakeholders. The authors examine in-depth one of the main RIS3 funding instruments recently implemented in the region: the Research and Innovation Smart Specialization Strategy for Catalonia Communities. The Communities support the implementation of action plans for industrial research and development, jointly defined by research and private-sector stakeholders in RIS3 strategic areas. The instrument embeds the characteristics of a continuous EDP and enables exploration of the challenges and opportunities that emerge when researchers engage in strategic market-oriented RDI activities. The article highlights how HEIs are evolving and adapting to the new policy environment and concludes with policy implications.

Data from the Balearic Islands (Spain) on the number of young people dropping out of the education system with no formal qualification and on the general level of education of the young population as a whole indicate that this region is not on a par with most of the other regions in Spain and the European Union as a whole. The regional government commissioned a study of this phenomenon from the University of the Balearic Islands. This article presents the main aspects of the study. It outlines the remit as specified by the regional government, characterises the main issues of the socio-occupational integration of young people in the Balearic Islands, describes the general research approach applied (basic concepts, phases and methodology) and concludes with the study's main results and conclusions.

Our research is a comparative qualitative study. The material has been gathered from the cities of Helsinki and Catania. The target cities showcase varied successes and models of smart cities. In the cities, key people involved in the smart city concept--with different kinds of professional backgrounds--were interviewed, both individually and in teams. All interviewees had at least a basic knowledge of information technology and of organizational learning processes. On the basis of these interviews it has been possible to create an overall picture of learning processes occurring in the organizations involved (universities and local government) and within the smart city programmes produced or still to be developed. We explore how the expertise has been challenged: how the key players of the smart city uphold the concept and promote it.

Reforms of the vocational education and training (VET) system in Spain are committed to a closer relationship between the VET system and companies' needs. One of these needs is for a greater contribution of the VET system to innovation in companies, especially SMEs, which have limited resources to innovate. This contribution could materialise through a closer relationship between VET centres and SMEs, and also through a greater participation of employees with VET qualifications in innovation in SMEs. This article examines the role of these employees in SME innovation processes. We present the results of a survey of industrial SMEs in two Spanish industrial regions with high levels of experimental cooperation between VET centres and SMEs. The results point to the existence of obstacles to this participation. However, other factors that enable greater participation of this employee profile in SME innovation were also observed.

The concepts of hybridity and governance have been an important line of research in the context of social companies and public institutions. The purpose of this paper is to explore these notions in the framework of hybrid communities of social innovation by showing the importance of intangible capital in the improvement of functional skills, techniques and strategies when directing people towards social innovation processes. The relevance of these skills are presented through the results of the HEDABIDE project, a piloting research experience focused on the design of hybrid communities of social innovation in the province of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain) in 2014. The results of this project show the implications of social interactive spaces in acquiring different skills, competences and capabilities for social innovation inside communities of learning and practice when addressing social problems, concluding with a series of learned lessons and new paths of future research.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the creativity level of business administration undergraduates who have attended an entrepreneurship seminar in contrast to those that have not. Design/methodology/approach: Using two samples of Spanish students, the factors that condition the creation of new start-ups are analysed. A survey following the creativity items from the Kirton Adaption-Innovation (KAI) inventory was employed for a start-up seminar students and a control sample. Non-parametric tests were carried out on the responses. Findings: The results show that Spanish business students' entrepreneurial intentions are not conditioned by entrepreneurial courses, parental self-employment or by their creativity level. However, there are differences in creativity level by genders for their future ability to start-up a company. Practical implications: There are no external constraints on not being an entrepreneur, who plays a fundamental role in the future of a country and it is a way to reduce current youth unemployment rates. Social and educational implications are also presented. Originality/value: The use of the KAI inventory as a proxy of creativity index is original in the research. Moreover, this study contributes to a better understanding of the factors in becoming an entrepreneur, through exposure to creativity, growing up around businesses and awareness of individual creativity index. Integration of university courses with entrepreneurship actions will be of interest to the society development.