This work presents a review of Mexican Higher Education during the decade of education for sustainable development and how today it faces the commitments made for the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030. By portraying the agreements that support the UN’s Development Program in advising higher education institutions, the SDGs which can be served through universities and their by-products, the success stories of some universities are shown. This case study addresses the theoretical value of quality of life and harmony of the environment, remarking on how different universities in Mexico have approached this matter as a key part of their curricula, policy, and research. Showcasing a special emphasis given to the work carried out by the University of Sonora, specifically for their institutional practices for sustainability and the study of sustainability from the perspective of Environmental Psychology.

This research, with a qualitative approach, is based on a literature review and a press analysis related to mergers, acquisitions and dissolutions of Higher Education Institutions in South America. Our findings evidence a gap in the academic literature for analyzing and understanding these processes. The literature on the subject is scarce; however, the press has recorded them in a constant way. While in the past this phenomenon was mainly among public universities, currently it is a fundamentally private trend. The main reasons to carry out this process by Higher Education Institutions are those related to geographic expansion or positioning (for merger processes), absorption and concentration of institutions by groups of interest (for merger processes, acquisition) and, the crisis resulting from the financial-administrative management of the institutions, as well as the non-compliance with national and international quality standards designed by accreditation agencies and institutions (for dissolution processes). On the contrary of some literature results, in any of the processes the search for prestige or reputation by the institutions was detected as a reason.

This study explored the relationship between Chinese graduate students’ English language proficiency (ELP) and intercultural communicative competence (ICC). With the acceleration of globalization, an increasing number of Chinese students choose to study abroad, making it crucial to enhance their intercultural communication ability and language skills. However, China’s exam-oriented education system to some extent limits students’ holistic development and poses challenges for them in intercultural exchange. A quantitative survey method was employed, collecting questionnaire data from 249 Chinese English-major graduate students to analyze the relationship between their English ability and intercultural competence. The results indicated a certain positive correlation between English proficiency and intercultural competence but also pointed to the need for further unpacking of complexity and influencing factors. Future research with more robust methodology is still warranted to provide deeper insights into the linkage between the two constructs in the Chinese graduate context.

Higher education (HE) consists of both conventional and non-conventional methods of learning. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is a non-conventional system where teachers (often referred to as facilitators) are physically not present. The conduct of practical in engineering and science education using ODL remains a challenge due to inadequate technology and the dispersion of the students, which results in a graduate skills gap in ODL programs. There is a possibility of using a cloud computing set-up, as well as platforms for the creation of simulated virtual practical settings (virtual laboratories-VLs), which could be accessible by ODL engineering and science and education-based students notwithstanding their locations. This paper adds to existing knowledge on VLs and discusses these inadequacies in engineering and science education with emphasis on the enhancement of online and collaborative learning, as well as the possible laboratory (lab) requirements. In addition, the paper highlights contemporary trends and some issues in VLs and remote labs.

Leadership and the academic freedom of the Universities in a digitally changing world are the generators of innovation in society. This study is a qualitative and quantitative empirical research of the Leadership at the public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Kosovo, that examines their communication, authoritarian or liberal communication, and dominant perceptions and attitudes towards social, political, and financial strategies in HEI as a basis of social and economic wellbeing. The theory of research, as elaborated by Tight (2022), emphasizes the evolving nature of academic inquiry and the significance of context in shaping research practices. Waite (2013) highlights the pivotal role of communication strategies in determining the effectiveness of both democratic and authoritarian leadership styles. Effective communication in democratic leadership fosters transparency and collaboration, while in authoritarian leadership, it can be used to consolidate control and manage dissent The research was conducted at public and private HEI, through personal interviews and a structured questionnaire, which was carried out by the staff of higher management of HEI, academic staff, administrative staff, and students of the public and private Universities. The results demonstrated that academic and financial autonomy has a high impact on academic ethics and academic integrity and has a high impact on the increase of the economy and well-being in society, compared with the lack of academic and financial autonomy and interference of politics in the management of HEI which has an impact on lower quality and integrity of HEI in society. Leaders of Universities need to think about new leadership models more socially responsible and more ecologically sensible consumption oriented, from Society, to society for society.

This paper aims to analyze the impact of access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the private returns to higher education (HE) focusing on gender inequality in 2020. Methodology: To evaluate the above impact a set of Mincerian equations will be estimated. The proposed approach mitigates biases associated with self-selection and individual heterogeneity. Data: The database comes from the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Ingresos y Gastos de los Hogares, ENIGH) from 2020. Results: Empirical evidence suggests that individuals that have HE have a positive and greater impact on their salary income compared to those with a lower educational level, being women that do not have access to ICT those with the lowest wage return. Policy: Access to ICT should be considered as one of the criteria that integrate social deprivation in the measurement of multidimensional poverty. Likewise, it is necessary to design public policies that promote the strengthening and creation of educational and/or training systems in technological matters for women. Limitations: No distinction was made between individuals that graduated from public or private schools, nor was income from sources other than work considered. Originality: This investigation evaluates the impact of access to ICT on the returns to higher education in Mexico, in 2020, addressing gender disparity.