Purpose Healthcare is a rapidly evolving field that demands allied health professionals who are both innovative and grounded in evidence-based practice. This study addresses the growing need to prepare allied health professionals to lead and drive innovation by conceptualising the dimensions of an evidence-based innovation mindset, evaluating the extent to which a targeted educational intervention cultivates this mindset among allied health students, and outlining the pedagogical implications. Design/methodology/approach Using evaluation research, 52 quantitative survey responses were collected before and after the intervention, and 21 interviews were conducted after the intervention. Data were analysed using inferential statistics and reflexive thematic analysis and synthesised to explore students' perceived changes in their evidence-based innovation mindset. Findings Survey results revealed significant differences for four dimensions of the evidence-based innovation mindset, specifically increases in individual entrepreneurial orientation, innovation self-efficacy, persistence, and research competence. The increase in learning orientation was not statistically significant. The latent themes revealed how participants gradually developed confidence as innovators and researchers through hands-on experience. They valued authentic innovation underpinned by persistence and flexible thinking, recognised the reciprocal relationship between research and innovation, and reported feeling capable of making real-world impacts in their future careers using innovation and research skills. Originality/value The study conceptualises an evidence-based innovation mindset for the allied health professions. It demonstrates the value of cultivating this mindset through an experiential problem-based intervention, highlighting the pedagogical need to renew healthcare curricula by incorporating evidence-based innovation.

Purpose This study investigates how business school academics experienced and navigated disruptions to their sense of belonging during the COVID-19 crisis. Responding to limited research on academic belonging in times of institutional upheaval, the study develops the concept of belonging dissonance to explain the tensions created when academics' expectations of collegiality, identity affirmation and institutional support diverge from crisis-driven organisational practices. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on 153 qualitative survey responses and 12 in-depth interviews with business academics across multiple countries. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we identify the mechanisms that triggered cognitive dissonance during the pandemic and analyse how academics enacted “belonging work” to manage, repair or reorient their sense of belonging. Findings Three contributions emerge. Firstly, the study demonstrates that cognitive dissonance is central to understanding how academics evaluate and respond to belonging disruptions during crisis. Secondly, we introduce belonging dissonance, a relational and identity-based form of cognitive dissonance that arises when institutional actions undermine expectations of collegiality, recognition and shared governance. Thirdly, we show that academics employed varied forms of belonging work at classroom, organisational, relational and external community levels to sustain or reframe belonging, while others disengaged due to workload pressures and emotional strain. These processes produced divergent belonging trajectories, ranging from significant belonging loss to heightened forms of academic belonging. Practical implications Findings highlight belonging as a form of relational infrastructure that requires intentional institutional investment. Universities should prioritise relational connection, reduce crisis-driven workload intensification, strengthen recognition practices and design participatory decision-making processes. Supporting staff capacity for belonging work can enhance resilience, well-being and continuity in academic communities. Originality/value This study advances theory by conceptualising belonging dissonance as a crisis-specific manifestation of cognitive dissonance and by identifying belonging work as a key mechanism for dissonance resolution. It offers a nuanced, processual understanding of academic belonging and provides actionable insights for sustaining belonging in volatile higher education environments.

Purpose This study investigates inequality of opportunity (IOp) in university-to-work transitions among higher education graduates in the Western Balkan Six: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Framed within the Sustainable Career Ecosystem) and IOp frameworks, it focuses on how demographic and socio-economic circumstances—such as gender, family socio-economic status, and rural origin—influence the time-to-first-job and early career outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on nationally representative data from the Regional Cooperation Council Public Opinion Survey (2019–2021), we apply a two-stage quantitative approach. First, we estimate lower-bound IOp in time-to-first-job using circumstance-based decomposition. Second, we assess how early disadvantage predicts employment outcomes such as job satisfaction, job security, and perceived job opportunities. Findings The analysis confirms that structural circumstances significantly affect university-to-work-transition across the six Western Balkans. Graduates from urban and higher-socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds, as well as male graduates, transition into employment more quickly and report better job quality. Pandemic-related disruptions further amplified inequalities, especially for women and rural youth. National disparities are evident, with Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albania showing more pronounced delays, while Serbia and Montenegro present relatively stronger private sector absorption. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its reliance on cross-sectional data and its focus on the period up to 2021. Future research could explore longitudinal analyses of employment outcomes, the role of informal networks, and post-pandemic labour market trends. Practical implications Findings support the need for differentiated policy responses. For governments, this includes addressing rural–urban disparities, informal recruitment, and brain drain through inclusive labour market reforms. For higher education institutions, the emphasis should be on enhancing work-based learning, strengthening employer linkages, and tailoring career services to institutional and disciplinary contexts. Originality/value This study contributes new comparative evidence on graduate employability and IOp in a strategically important yet under-researched European Union (EU) neighbourhood. It offers regionally grounded insights for improving graduate transitions and designing equitable career ecosystems aligned with European integration goals.

Purpose This study investigated how experiential learning approaches integrate theory and practice in project management education while promoting essential job market competencies. Building on experiential learning theory, the research addresses the theory-practice gap through systematic stakeholder analysis and framework development. Design/methodology/approach Through in-depth interviews with 30 stakeholders across the education-practice continuum, the study employed systematic content analysis to identify critical gaps and develop the Integrated Experiential Learning Framework for Project Management Education (IELF-PM). The methodology integrated deductive and inductive approaches, utilizing Bardin’s content analysis with MaxQda software for systematic coding and thematic analysis. Findings The analysis revealed that the theory-practice gap manifests differently across stakeholder groups and educational contexts, requiring tailored solutions. The IELF-PM framework addresses these challenges through four integrated dimensions: Progressive Competency Development, Authentic Learning Environments, Assessment and Feedback Systems, and Industry-Academia Integration. These dimensions work synergistically to develop both technical and socio-emotional competencies while accommodating diverse educational modalities and institutional constraints. The findings provide guidance for curriculum design, assessment practices, and implementation strategies that align educational approaches with contemporary workplace requirements. Originality/value This study contributes an integrative and empirically grounded framework that translates established experiential learning principles into implementable guidance for project management education across different educational modalities. Unlike previous frameworks, IELF-PM provides comprehensive integration of proven experiential learning principles across diverse educational contexts while addressing the complete spectrum of theory-practice integration challenges. The framework operationalizes experiential learning principles within structured implementation guidance, offering both academic rigor and practical applicability.

Purpose This paper explores how Further Education (FE) and Skills professionals understand social value, based on a sector-wide call for evidence. It examines evidence of the sector’s contribution to social value at individual, community and societal levels. While relatively little has been written about social value in FE and Skills, articulating the value generated by the sector can strengthen its collective identity, provide meaningful insights for policymakers and support organisations to communicate and enhance the value they deliver. Design/methodology/approach In July 2024, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) held a month-long call for evidence on social value in the FE and Skills sector in England. ETF invited FE and Skills professionals to submit evidence about the social, psychological and community benefits their institutions deliver. Participants were asked to complete a short online survey and upload any relevant reports, documents and supporting data. Findings Evidence reviewed in this study suggests that social value in FE and Skills is primarily created in the form of social inclusion and widening participation, employment opportunities and progression to future learning. Key perceived benefits included learner knowledge, skills and confidence, strengthening community bonds, social cohesion and integration and local employment and economic prosperity. Originality/value This study contributes to a better understanding of social value in FE and Skills. Based on the literature review and call for evidence, it offers a working definition of social value in FE and Skills as the social, economic and environmental well-being that benefits learners and local communities.

Purpose Encouraging vocational education and training (VET) graduates to actively pursue their careers is imperative to foster the employment of well-trained and skilled personnel to provide companies with a competitive advantage in the long term. This study aims to investigate the factors shaping the career intentions (CI) of VET students based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991). When compared to previous studies conducted with university cohorts and adult populations, the current study uniquely examines the CI determinants of senior students from VET programs. Design/methodology/approach Under the guidance of TPB, this study conducted an empirical investigation involving a survey of 513 VET students. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the factors that influence students' CI. At the same time, the moderating role of perceived behavioral control (PBC) in the relationships between career attitudes (CA)-CI and subjective norms (SN)-CI was tested. Findings The findings obtained from the study showed that CI are influenced by CA, SN and PBC. Among these, the strongest predictor was PBC. In the suggested model, SN and PBC emerged as significant predictors of CA. Findings from the moderator test revealed that the relationships between CA-CI and SN-CI were not significantly influenced by PBC. Originality/value The novelty of the current research lies in its examination of the antecedents of CI, its use with vocational education students and its focus on the TPB. The current research contributes to the awareness of policymakers, administrators and teachers about the factors that underpin CI among VET students.

Purpose To investigate how VET teachers in post-compulsory education integrate digital technologies into teaching, collaboration and assessment and to identify strategies for addressing digital competence gaps using the DigCompEdu/SELFIE for TEACHERS framework. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study in a Spanish Vocational Education and Training (VET) centre. An online open-ended questionnaire collected accounts from 25 teachers representing five professional families. Grounded-theory coding in ATLAS.ti generated 105 initial codes (meaning units), which were then mapped to the DigCompEdu areas to identify themes and actionable areas for improvement. Findings Teachers report a solid baseline of integration centred on the learning management systems, collaborative platforms and sector-specific software aligned with occupational standards. Assessment routines exist, but self- and peer-assessment are inconsistent without explicit scaffolding. VR/AI attract strong interest yet remain marginal in practice. Mapping to DigCompEdu shows strengths in Areas 1–3 and clear needs in Areas 4 and 6. Research limitations/implications This single-centre study, grounded in teachers’ detailed accounts, offers in-depth insight rarely captured in VET research, enhancing transferability and providing a solid foundation for future multi-site and mixed-methods studies. Practical implications Professional development aligned with DigCompEdu; stronger assessment literacy; investment in simulated/VR spaces and industry–centre partnerships for tool access and mentoring. Social implications Strengthening teachers’ digital competence supports equitable access to future-relevant skills, enhancing employability and mobility through digital and green transitions. Originality/value The study provides evidence grounded in teachers’ practice in post-compulsory VET, applying DigCompEdu in classroom settings and linking the results to policy and leadership actions. In doing so, it contributes to the Special Issue’s aim of foregrounding rigorous VET research and challenges its under-representation by placing teachers’ voices at the centre.

Purpose Cooperation between learning locations is a central yet challenging aspect of vocational education and training (VET). This study explores how digital tools – used as digital boundary objects – can support boundary crossing between vocational schools, training companies and inter-company courses. It investigates the potential and limitations of these tools in two pharmaceutical training contexts in Switzerland. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative data from two case studies in the Swiss pharmaceutical industry. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, site observations and guided tours of training departments. Findings The findings suggest that digital boundary objects play a crucial role in facilitating learning across institutional boundaries – especially when learning locations operate within a shared organisational framework. In such settings, common digital platforms enable seamless coordination, personalised learning support and ongoing communication between locations. Conversely, when learning locations are institutionally distinct, digital tools offer only limited support for boundary crossing. In these cases, learners are required to take the initiative in bridging the gap between disparate learning contexts. Originality/value This study provides new insights into how cooperation between learning locations is structured in large Swiss companies and highlights the importance of organisational frameworks for successful digital integration. The findings indicate that while digital tools hold considerable promise, their effectiveness largely depends on shared goals and institutional alignment. Learners require support in navigating their role as boundary crossers – particularly when cooperation between locations is limited.

Purpose This article presents results of an empirical analysis examining student perceptions of supervisor support and organizational support as predictors of intern organizational commitment, internship job satisfaction and conversion intention. Design/methodology/approach The study involved surveying 160 students serving as interns who are enrolled in business programs at a Midwest US university. This research examined the perceived level of support that students experienced during their internship and the relationships that different types of support had on key outcomes. Findings Results from partial least squares path modeling indicate significant direct effects that perceived supervisor and organizational support have on the aforementioned outcomes. Moreover, perceived organizational support fully mediated the relationship between perceived supervisor support and the outcomes. This research demonstrates that organizations may leave a larger impression on students than do supervisors during business internships (i.e. temporary employment). Originality/value Results add to contemporary literature by concluding that the positive supporting influence that supervisors have on internship outcomes is augmented by organizational support, which can aid employers and faculty in their design of internship programs.

Purpose Socialisation plays a significant role in education, especially for international students, as it helps them develop soft skills that are increasingly valued by employers in the global job market. Since value creation relies on the joint efforts of both the university and the student, these peer interactions play a crucial role in enhancing perceived value. Guided by Weidman’s (1989) seminal framework, this study explores the factors that influence the student’s socialisation process and examines its implications for value co-creation, as conceptualised through Vargo and Lusch’s Service-Dominant Logic. Design/methodology/approach The post-pandemic (Covid-19) study is based on 33 in-depth interviews with international students in Australia. Findings By focussing on the joint creation of value between students and institutions, the study highlights that employability extends beyond the mere acquisition of skills; it involves creating value through meaningful interactions, such as normative perspectives and socialisation processes, which affect students through informal and formal exchanges. Such interactions not only contribute to students’ development but also play a crucial role in building their employability confidence. The findings also highlight how socialisation contributes to understanding different personality traits among international students as they adapt to new academic and cultural environments. Originality/value This study offers valuable insights into the co-creation of value in higher education, particularly as it relates to the socialisation experiences of international students. By integrating the concepts of socialisation and value co-creation, the research enriches existing knowledge on student engagement and development. Additionally, this study lays the groundwork for future research.