TYPOLOGY OF STUDENTS ACCORDING TO LEARNING STYLES: INSIGHTS FOR ECONOMIC INNOVATION

This paper presents and justifies a typology of students in the fields of Economics and Administration and Management based on their learning styles, using a sample of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of National and World Economy, Sofia. Learning style is understood as a set of stable cognitive patterns through which students prefer to receive, perceive, process, and understand information in the learning process. In line with this understanding, four key dimensions of student interaction with information are defined: receiving information (visually or verbally), perceiving information (concretely or abstractly), processing information (actively or reflectively), and understanding information (linearly or globally). A representative empirical study was conducted using a stratified-cluster sample of 720 students. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire consisting of a battery of 16 Likert-scale items. The measurement instrument successfully passed the tests for validity and reliability. The results of the study indicate the distribution of students across the four key dimensions and reveal five distinct clusters of students with different learning profiles. The cluster analysis confirms that dominant learning styles influence student engagement and academic performance. The findings provide valuable insights for adapting teaching methods, curricula, and programs to better align with the dominant learning styles among students. Understanding these preferences can enhance creativity, adaptability, and sustainable growth in an evolving global economy. This study highlights the strategic importance of educational innovation in preparing students for future challenges.