Editorial

Abstract

Higher education is undergoing a process of profound transformation, driven by technological advances, social changes, and the new educational demands of the knowledge society. In this context, the revision of curricular approaches, professional development for teachers, and the critical integration of digitalization are becoming strategic elements in ensuring high-quality, equitable, and socially committed university systems. From this perspective, we present Vol. 7, No. 2 (2025) of the RIAICES Journal, entitled “Higher education: curricular challenges and professional development in the face of digital impact.”

This issue brings together a set of research and academic experiences that provide evidence, reflections, and innovative proposals on central issues in contemporary education. The works address, from diverse and complementary approaches, inclusive and motivating teaching initiatives, such as the use of periodic table bingo in chemistry teaching; studies on knowledge management networks in public universities; criteria for the selection and analysis of commercial video games for teaching purposes in social sciences; and analysis of the challenges and solutions of inclusive higher education in international contexts. Contributions are also presented on cooperative learning in university education, the teaching work environment as a strategic factor for well-being and educational quality, STEAM entrepreneurial education systems, teaching identity, and the use of ICT in times of crisis, as well as proposals for curricular innovation in emerging fields such as cybersecurity and its link to the productive sector.

Taken together, the contributions in this volume highlight the need to move towards more flexible, inclusive, and collaborative training models capable of responding to the challenges posed by digital transformation, without compromising academic rigor or the ethical and social commitment of higher education.

With the publication of this issue, the RIAICES Journal completes a stage of institutional consolidation, characterized by the strengthening of its scientific identity, the expansion of its network of collaborators, and its sustained commitment to the dissemination of educational knowledge in the Ibero-American sphere. At the same time, a new stage is beginning, aimed at raising the journal to higher standards of quality, visibility, and scientific impact, in line with the demands of international academic publishing. This process is supported by the entities that back this publication and the Ibero-American Research Network that promotes it, to whom I reiterate our commitment to continue working to consolidate RIAICES as an academic benchmark of excellence.

Emilio Álvarez-Arregui

Director of RIAICES Journal