The monograph of Arts Education Policy Review (Volume 126, Number 4, 2025) dedicated to ‘Transversal Competences and Transversality in Arts Education’ is one of the results of the TCIEM project, whose purpose is to contribute to the debate on the role of the arts in the comprehensive education of 21st-century students. Coordinated by the TCIEM project, the monograph explores how arts education can develop competences that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, preparing students to face current global challenges such as climate change, digital transformation and social justice. The monograph opens with the introductory article ‘Facing contemporary social challenges: Transversal competences and transversality from arts education’ (pages 211-217), written by José Luis Aróstegui and Mercedes Castillo-Ferreira. This introductory work establishes the conceptual framework for the special issue, arguing that traditional key competences are inadequate to prepare students for a constantly evolving world. The article highlights the need for a shift towards transversal competences that generate solid and transferable learning, based on the UNESCO framework and Félix Guattari’s concept of transversality. The authors position arts education as a fundamental means of developing critical thinking, creativity, empathy and ethical commitment.
There are two contributions from the TCIEM project. The first is the review article ‘Music and art as hubs for transdisciplinarity: toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals’ (pages 218-226), authored by Paloma Bravo-Fuentes, Miriam Albusac-Jorge, and Mª Paz López-Peláez Casellas. This contribution from the TCIEM project has had a notable impact during the time it was published online (“online first”) with 605 views and 1 CrossRef citation, positioning music and the arts as fundamental axes for transdisciplinarity in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The second contribution is the article ‘Toward a transversal education model: a review of digital and artistic-musical competencies (2014–2024)’ (pages 240-254), by Yurima Blanco-García, Rosa Mª Serrano and Óscar Casanova. This work has generated considerable academic interest with 1,827 views and 2 CrossRef citations during the time it was online (“online first”), offering a systematic review of digital and artistic-musical competencies over the last decade.
The monograph is completed with four other articles that address different aspects of transversality in arts education:
This monograph constitutes an international platform for disseminating some of the results of the TCIEM project. The presence of three articles directly linked to the project in this widely recognised journal reinforces the international reach of our research and consolidates the University of Granada’s leadership in the field of cross-curricular competences in music education. The monograph demonstrates how a curriculum based on transversal competences, with the arts at its core, provides a framework for holistic education that prepares citizens with a global mindset, capable of navigating the complex challenges of the 21st century.
The monograph can be consulted at the following link: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/vaep20/126/4
