Facing contemporary social challenges: Transversal competences and transversality from arts education

Abstract

This paper introduces the AEPR special focus issue on transversal competences and transversality. It explores the critical role of these competences in contemporary education in the face of global challenges, such as climate change and the rise of artificial intelligence. The paper argues that traditional key competencies are inadequate for preparing students for an evolving world and that a shift toward transversal competences—skills that transcend subject boundaries and create solid, transferable learning—is necessary. Drawing on UNESCO’s framework and Félix Guattari’s concept of transversality, the paper presents arts education as a critical means of developing these competences. Through an analysis of the six papers comprising this special issue, we discuss how music and the arts can foster critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and ethical engagement while addressing contemporary issues such as environmental sustainability, digital transformation, and social justice. The paper concludes that a curriculum based on transversal competences, with the arts at its center, provides a framework for holistic education that prepares citizens with a global mindset capable of navigating the complex challenges of the twenty first century.