In recent years, educational and innovation ecosystem actors emphasize the importance of critical thinking as one of the fundamental competencies necessary for the 21st century. Its necessity is equally recognized in scientific, business, and civic circles both in EU and Western Balkans countries so it is included in some EU key policy documents.
The European Competence Framework for Researchers refers to critical thinking in two distinct domains: cognitive abilities and doing research. In the context of the cognitive abilities, it is defined as “exercise critical judgement and thinking, develop own assumptions, and establish a way of working based on critical thinking.” In doing research, it supports interdisciplinary research by “fostering creativity and critical thinking in inter-disciplinary meetings” and leveraging artificial intelligence by “critically evaluating AI solutions and providers”.
Similarly, the 2018 Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning integrates critical thinking, creativity and teamwork as essential transversal skills to support sustainable careers and active citizenship. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report (2020) ranks critical thinking and analysis as well as problem-solving among “the top skills and skill groups which employers see as rising in prominence in the lead up to 2025.”
Of course, critical thinking is not just needed in the context of the work and science. A true democracy requires citizens who can think critically about world social issues, such as the use/threat of AI, war, poverty, climate change, social media and other forms of news that can spread misinformation.
Recognizing critical thinking as a skill that helps in navigating through the challenges of scientific uncertainty, rapid technological development and social changes is undisputable. However, as someone who works closely with higher education institutions (HEIs) and advocates innovation and entrepreneurship, I see significant work ahead for systemically embedding critical thinking skills in HEI curricula, company training and lifelong learning.
This was confirmed by the Comparative gap analysis report of NANO-THINK project, which examined differences in critical skills development in science among students and staff members across HEIs in Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The results showed that both EU and non-EU HEIs work in complex and rigid environments with limited resource availability for embedding critical thinking in curricula or new courses. Also, many HEIs have intentions to develop critical thinking skills through their curricula, but it continues to be treated as an implied outcome. At the same time, student and academic staff show a strong awareness of critical thinking’s value for their current or future work and study.
An additional common characteristic is the lack of dedicated programs or resources available for the development of critical thinking. Where such programs exist, they are usually short-term and/or project -based and rely on external funding sources. This creates an overall fragmented impact and limited sustainability, as opposed to implementing longer-term change at an institutional level.
Beyond NANO-THINK, Western Balkans countries are making noticeable efforts to integrate academic and business sectors through innovative initiatives. Nano-learning, virtual exchanges, MOOC courses, short-term lifelong learning programs, and interdisciplinary collaboration offer strong potential to teach essential skills like critical thinking while overcoming regional resource constraints.
From the innovation perspective, embedding critical thinking into education is not simply an academic issue but is also directly related to the research excellence, technological capacity, and regional social resilience. Graduates skilled in questioning assumptions, analyzing evidence and applying knowledge to real-life situations will bridge the gap between education, business, and government.
The major challenge ahead for Western Balkan countries is to shift from partial efforts to systemic incorporation of critical thinking into education as a fundamental principle. Achieving this goal will require coordinated action across the entire education-innovation ecosystem. Only through synergistic collaboration can HEIs and lifelong learning providers achieve holistic, sustainable curricula transformation.
MSc Nikolina Brajović
B Solutions Montenegro