Abstract

Empowering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students as active participants in their learning is increasingly critical for fostering sustainability-oriented competencies in higher education. There is a growing need to develop curricula that integrate sustainability, entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary skills to prepare students for complex societal challenges. This study hypothesises that participatory, learner-centred approaches enhance students’ acquisition of sustainability-focused innovation competencies. A mixed-methods study was conducted, including surveys, co-design workshops, and the development of digital learning modules to assess students’ awareness, self-assessed knowledge, and preferred learning methods. Results indicate significant gaps between the perceived importance of key sustainability competencies—such as financial literacy, circular economy practices, and environmental monitoring—and students’ self-assessed proficiency, as well as a preference for practical, collaborative, and problem-based learning formats. The findings demonstrate that participatory, learner-centred interventions can effectively translate competence gaps into educational solutions, fostering engagement, practical skills, and scalable models for sustainable innovation in higher education.