Entrepreneurial and digital competencies in higher education: AI integration, experiential learning, and ethical considerations

Abstract

Entrepreneurial and digital skills have become core graduate competencies in contemporary knowledge economies. Universities are therefore under pressure to redesign their educational practices in order to prepare students for technology-rich, uncertain and innovation-driven environments. This article provides a concise overview of key conceptual frameworks for entrepreneurial and digital competence and examines several innovative approaches used in higher education, including university startup accelerators, digital skills bootcamps, cross-institutional collaborative projects and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into teaching and learning. The paper highlights the UniStartApp accelerator model and interdisciplinary projects in health education as illustrative cases. It also discusses sustainability and ethical issues, such as data protection, equity of access, algorithmic bias and the pacing of innovation. The article argues that entrepreneurial and digital skills should be understood not only as technical abilities but as contextdependent, relational and ethically embedded capabilities. Implications are drawn for universities that aim to develop coherent ecosystems supporting responsible, AI-aware and sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial learning.