Journal of Studies in Language, Culture and Society (JSLCS)

Multidisciplinary Investigation Of 21st Century Skills Integration In Algerian Higher Education

Auteurs : Boudinar Somia .

Résumé

The development of 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and digital literacy, has become a global priority in higher education, positioning universities as central actors in preparing graduates for increasingly complex and dynamic professional environments. In Algeria, this emphasis has sparked ongoing debates about how to embed these competencies in teaching and learning. While policy reforms have highlighted the need for modernization, the perspectives of instructors, who play a pivotal role in implementing such reforms, remain underexplored. This paper presents findings from an exploratory qualitative study examining Algerian higher education instructors' views on integrating 21st-century skills into their pedagogy. Data were collected via online open-ended questionnaires completed by 20 instructors from diverse disciplinary backgrounds at Setif 1 and Setif 2 Universities, yielding a broad range of insights across the academic spectrum. The findings revealed that all participants recognized the importance of integrating 21st-century skills into higher education; however, their interpretations and prioritization of these competencies varied by disciplinary context. Participants identified several barriers to effective implementation, including overcrowded classrooms, inadequate digital infrastructure, content-heavy curricula, examination-oriented assessment practices, and insufficient discipline-specific professional development. At the same time, they highlighted emerging opportunities associated with English-medium instruction, the expansion of digital learning environments, entrepreneurship initiatives, and increased access to open educational resources, all of which were perceived as facilitating the development of transferable competencies. The study concludes that the successful integration of 21st-century skills in Algerian higher education requires a comprehensive institutional approach that extends beyond policy reform to include curriculum redesign, assessment reform, sustained professional development, and enhanced institutional support for pedagogical innovation.

Mots clés

21st-century skills; Algerian higher education; multidisciplinary investigation; instructors’ perspectives; pedagogical reform