MS4 Results on Needs Assessment
The report for the TODOS project—Transformation for Sustainable Local Development (SLD)—presents the results of an assessment regarding the essential transversal skills needed to foster sustainable local development across the six participating universities in Cuba, Costa Rica, and Mozambique. The study identified that the greatest areas of convergence lie in leadership, entrepreneurship, and communication skills, highlighting the importance of collaborative work, participatory leadership, creativity, innovation, resilience, inclusive communication, and the use of information and communication technologies. The observed differences reflect the specificities of local contexts, revealing challenges and priorities unique to each country. The report also offers methodological recommendations for conducting assessments of this nature, emphasizing the careful selection of the target population, participant diversity, the use of participatory methods, and the need to tailor instruments to the sociocultural realities of each community. The findings reinforce the strategic role of higher education institutions in promoting sustainable local development, advocating for close collaboration between universities, local governments, and communities. Also highlighted are the importance of active student participation, the adoption of institutional policies geared toward SLD, and the development of territorial strategies underpinned by scientific knowledge, cooperation, and community commitment.