Hybrid learning (HL) has become a significant part of the learning style for the higher education sector in the Sri Lankan context amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis. This research study aims to discover the effectiveness of hybrid learning (EHL) practices in enhancing undergraduates’ outcomes in Sri Lankan Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) management faculties. The data for the study were gathered through an online questionnaire survey, which received 379 responses. The questionnaire contained 38 questions under four sections covering independent variables, excluding demographic questions. The results indicate that hybrid learner attitude, interaction, and benefits of hybrid learning positively impact the effectiveness of hybrid learning. The results remain consistent even after controlling for socio-demographic factors and focusing only on students employed during their higher education. The study concluded that employed students have a higher preference for the effectiveness of hybrid learning concepts, and the benefits of hybrid learning play a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness among undergraduates. The study analyzes COVID-19’s impact on higher education, proposing hybrid learning and regulatory frameworks based on pandemic experiences while stressing the benefits of remote teaching and research.

Integrating Education 4.0 in higher education necessitates a transformational leadership approach that champions innovation and technology adoption. This paper reviews the impact of transformational leadership in fostering a conducive environment for Education 4.0, emphasising personalised and technology-enhanced learning experiences. With their vision and motivational prowess, transformational leaders are crucial in steering educational institutions through digital transformation, encouraging the adoption of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and data analytics. These leaders are pivotal in nurturing a culture of continuous improvement and empowerment, actively involving team members in pursuing collective achievements and personal growth. The study highlights the importance of transformational leadership in addressing the dynamic challenges and opportunities presented by Education 4.0. By inspiring educators and students to embrace change, transformational leaders facilitate the integration of innovative teaching methods and technologies, enhancing learning outcomes and preparing students for the demands of the digital age. The findings suggest that transformational leadership is instrumental in creating a flexible, relevant, and forward-thinking educational environment that aligns with the objectives of Education 4.0. This paper advocates strategically emphasising the development of transformational leaders within academic institutions. Such leadership is essential for navigating the complexities of digital-area education, ensuring institutions remain adaptive and responsive to technological advancements, and equipping students with the necessary skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

National governments and academic higher education institutions continue to realign human resource development (HRD) strategies to address the gaps in HRD mandate. This study will investigate new and recalibrated skills that higher institutions (HEIs) professionals and the labor force produce to reconfigure curriculum development in tertiary education. The study extracts narrative from 6 curriculum developers, 3 HRD heads and h3 manpower organizations on the labor landscapes from different local and multinational industries from entry-level to mid-career ranges through case scenario-based interviews and focus group discussions to determine the skills around motivation, innovativeness, and adaptability and subsequently integrate strategic initiatives to reconfigure the compatibility of these skills from higher education institutions to post-pandemic industries. The findings reveal skills that can be managed at the individual level, e.g., self-motivation and adaptability as well as the need to emerge from the technological pressures by adapting to organizational and clientele demands. These human resource traits become the mantra of surviving and progressing in a landscape shaped by the pre- and post-pandemic setting and become the basis of HEI programs to match the needs of the labor force and the industries.

This study aims to predict whether university students will make efficient use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the coming years, using a statistical analysis that predicts the outcome of a binary dependent variable (in this case, the efficient use of AI). Several independent variables, such as digital skills management or the use of Chat GPT, are considered.The results obtained allow us to know that inefficient use is linked to the lack of digital skills or age, among other factors, whereas Social Sciences students have the least probability of using Chat GPT efficiently, and the youngest students are the ones who make the worst use of AI.