Prácticas de liderazgo y visión prospectiva de jóvenes universitarios destacados de Mendoza, Argentina. 2022-2024

Abstract

Universities train young people both in specific technical and in generic competences demanded by societies and the labor market.

This paper aims at analyzing the leadership practices of outstanding young students in Mendoza and defining the prospective vision that shapes those practices. A mixed design, sequential explanatory methodology was used, with a quantitative approach first, and a qualitative stage afterwards, to integrate both results in the last stage.

Results show that leadership practices of outstanding young university students in Mendoza follow a team-generated model of competences. This model is based on specialized bibliography, and validated by Mendoza employers. These young students also share a prospective vision aimed at improving people’s lives and caring for the environment. They develop their generic competences and view of the future by participating in networks, groups, NGO’s and/or off-campus teams. In addition, most of the young leaders in the survey (quantitative) and in the interviews (qualitative) have had mentors who collaborated in their way to success and supported them when there were moments of failure.

As a conclusion, young university leaders and entrepreneurs who break structures through creativity and, as a result, alter the status quo, making provoking proposals that anticipate the future and develop generic competences beyond those learned in the educational system.