Developing Students’ Economic Competencies in An Innovative Educational Environment

Abstract

The rapid digital transformation of higher education has created new pedagogical opportunities for developing students’ economic competence. In the modern labor market, university graduates are expected not only to possess professional knowledge but also to demonstrate financial literacy, entrepreneurial thinking, analytical problem-solving, business planning, and evidence-based economic decision-making. This article examines how digital and innovative learning environments contribute to the development of students’ economic competence in higher education. The study is based on a mixed-method quasi-experimental design involving diagnostic tests, student surveys, digital learning tasks, case studies, virtual business projects, and comparative analysis before and after the implementation of digital learning tools. The findings show that digital platforms, interactive assignments, project-based learning, business simulations, case studies, and student-centered approaches positively influence students’ financial literacy, economic problem-solving, business planning, cost-benefit analysis, market analysis, entrepreneurial thinking, and decision-making skills. At the same time, the article discusses challenges such as unequal digital skills, superficial use of digital tools, academic dishonesty, overreliance on artificial intelligence, and the need to improve teacher digital competence. The results suggest that digital and innovative learning environments can significantly enhance the quality of economic education when they are methodologically structured, practice-oriented, and competence-based.