Innovative Technologies in Education as a Tool for Forming the Competencies of Specialists in Economic Specialities: a Cross-Border Aspect

Abstract

The speed of technological change is outpacing traditional educational models. In the conditions of a global digital economy and maintaining competitiveness, it is necessary to reconsider the principles of training in-demand specialists. This is particularly relevant for border regions and the cross-border space in general, where joint ventures operate, foreign investments are attracted, highly qualified specialists are recruited from border territories adjacent to the border with Ukraine, and business centers and business incubators operate. At the same time, the following problems remain unresolved: the lack of defined factors of influence of innovative technologies in education on the formation of competencies of specialists in economic specialities for the cross-border space and clearly established competencies; differences in national educational standards and approaches to the training of specialists in economic specialities; language barrier in teaching and communication; uneven provision of resources to educational institutions in border regions of neighboring countries; bureaucratic barriers in the recognition of diplomas and student mobility. The purpose of the paper is to identify and substantiate the factors through which innovative technologies in education influence the development of competencies among specialists in economic disciplines for the cross-border context and, using the example of cross-border cooperation between the border regions of Ukraine and Romania, to define the specific competencies required of specialists in economic fields. The theoretical and methodological framework of the study was grounded in Ukrainian legislation and employed a systematic approach to the analysis of the educational process within the cross-border context. The informational foundation of the research was formed by data collected through a selective survey of employers in the border regions and territories of Ukraine, with a particular focus on the Chernivtsi region. Based on a survey of 148 employers in the Chernivtsi region conducted in November - December 2025 by computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and using the structural method and staff-normative approach, the needs for qualified employees and the factors of influence of innovative technologies in education on the formation of competencies of specialists in economic specialities for the cross-border space of Ukraine and Romania were determined. The main competencies of specialists in economic specialities were established, which include knowledge of the legal support of cross-border cooperation and the features of cross-border markets, knowledge of foreign languages, compliance with international standards, the ability to work in a multicultural environment, etc. Further research may be aimed at identifying differences in national educational standards compared to EU standards and approaches to training specialists in economic specialities.