Creativity matters, synergies between Spanish ICT sector and higher education performance

This study examines the alignment between skills taught at Spanish technological universities and the demands of the national ICT sector over 15¿years, spanning from 2008 to 2023. Key findings indicate that teamwork and problem-solving have consistently been the most valued skills, followed by plann...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Llorens García, Ariadna|||0000-0002-7776-0310, Trullols Farreny, Enric|||0000-0002-0069-3981, Iniesto, Francisco|||0000-0003-3946-3056, Rodrigo San Juan, Covadonga, Petrovic, Nikola
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:upcommonspor::2124cc0f81ca44670c0e58551bb5ff09
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/461276
https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2026.2645273
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:ICT
Engineering
Higher education
Employability
Technology management
Business competitiveness
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Economia i organització d'empreses
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Ensenyament i aprenentatge::Ensenyament universitari
Descripción
Sumario:This study examines the alignment between skills taught at Spanish technological universities and the demands of the national ICT sector over 15¿years, spanning from 2008 to 2023. Key findings indicate that teamwork and problem-solving have consistently been the most valued skills, followed by planning and communication. Focusing on the evolution of the university’s role in training key ICT skills, recent graduates have shown a decline in communication skills, teamwork, and proactivity, while improving in problem-solving, planning, and analytical thinking. The study highlights the need to incorporate management skills into ICT curricula, as promoting engineers to managerial positions remains challenging. Additionally, the ICT sector is shifting its priorities, with creativity and innovation becoming more highly valued than customer orientation. The findings emphasise the necessity for educational programs to adapt continuously to meet industry needs and enhance graduate employability, particularly in a new business scenario where technology management is increasingly driving global competitive strategies.