University Education at the Crossroads

The central purpose of the research is to unveil and understand the meanings that university actors give to current challenges, specifically in public universities in the state of Cojedes, Venezuela. The work argues that knowledge has become the primary economic resource, requiring universities to move from being mere reproducers of information to being original knowledge generating agencies through strategic management and Nonaka and Takeuchi's model. Among the critical challenges identified are social relevance, territorial linkage for sustainable development and the need to adapt education to the "i generation" or digital natives through the effective use of ICTs. In addition, the institutional response to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic is examined through the "University at Home Plan" and the importance of fostering critical and liberating thinking that goes beyond rote learning. The author argues that it is imperative to update laws and organizational models that are archaic, promoting ethical managerial leadership and comprehensive training based on the pillars of UNESCO.