Bridging the skills gap for the twin transition: A mixed-methods approach to a higher education-industry...

The twin transition requires a profound reconfiguration of human capital, yet substantial misalignments persist between the rapidly evolving skill requirements of industry and the comparatively slower pace of curriculum reform within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Although the need for professionals equipped with complex skill sets to navigate the twin transition is widely acknowledged, empirical evidence on how to practically operationalise the development of professionals with this skill set remains scarce. Moreover, there is a lack of replicable methodologies for fostering academic demand-driven collaboration between universities and industry. This paper addresses this gap using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative analysis of online job advertisements data (2018-2024) with qualitative themes from industry stakeholders in Catalonia, Spain. This process first maps skills, then structures a dialogue on translating these needs into educational strategy. Our findings reveal a rising demand for hybrid professionals, where soft skills are the essential enablers of technical expertise. The analysis uncovers a central paradox: while industry is hindered by strategic uncertainty over whether to upskill its current workforce or hire new external talent, HEIs face critical capacity constraints. This study's primary contribution is the analysis of a Higher Education-Industry collaborative framework that directly addresses this impasse. It provides a practical pathway for both companies and HEIs to co-develop agile training solutions, such as micro-credentials. Our framework shows that institutional agility emerges through structured partnerships.