DIGITAL COMPETENCIES IN SOCIAL SCIENCES – A PILOT STUDY From Design to Practice: Teaching Approaches in the HOMO DIGITALIS Project

This paper was prepared within the framework of the Homo Digitalis Project, a collaborative regional initiative advancing the digital transformation of Higher Education in the Western Balkans. The first aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which academic staff of social sciences of several HEIs from Albania, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina – all partners in this project – are prepared to integrate digital competencies into their syllabi in the social sciences. This was investigated through a structured questionnaire. Notably, the instructors involved in the study were selected based on their willingness to participate in the curricular redesign and engage with digital education practices. The second aim is to evaluate how the digital competencies have been integrated into the revised and delivered courses during the 2024–2025 academic year at LOGOS University College, the leading partner of this project. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a structured questionnaire (n = 14), a focus group, and a score matrix to evaluate both instructor readiness and the extent to which digital competencies were integrated into revised courses. This initiative represents a valuable starting point for introducing digital competencies in a structured and organized manner, aligned with the study program. Furthermore, following the piloting phase with university colleagues, the aim is to expand the scope of this study to include all partner institutions involved in the project. One key recommendation is to revise the formulation of generic and specific competencies, and to ensure they are identified in cooperation with educational institutions, agencies, or companies that serve as the Faculty’s partners in programme development.