Reconceptualizing Higher Education Preparedness for Industry 5.0: Insights from a Structured Literature Review

Abstract

The rise of Industry 5.0 has moved the trajectory of industrial transformation from technology efficiency to human-centricity, sustainability and resilience. This paradigm change poses major difficulties and opportunities for higher education institutions (HEIs) which are increasingly expected to educate future-ready graduates with technical, ethical and multidisciplinary competencies. While there is increasing academic interest in Industry 5.0, the existing research on higher education preparedness is fragmented, with a majority of the studies focusing on digital readiness and technical adoption, but neglecting the wider institutional factors. To fill this gap, the current study reports a comprehensive literature evaluation synthesizing and integrating the extant knowledge on higher education preparedness for Industry 5.0. Relevant material between 2018 and 2025 was thoroughly found and examined from key academic databases and policy sources. Thematic synthesis yielded six core dimensions of preparedness: technological and digital preparedness, human capital and faculty readiness, curriculum and pedagogical transformation, organizational and leadership readiness, industry-academia collaboration, and institutional and policy support. This study proposes a multidimensional conceptual framework drawing from Human Capital Theory, Sociotechnical Systems Theory, Dynamic Capability Theory, and Institutional Theory that redefines preparedness as an integrated institutional capability rather than a set of separate readiness indicators. The approach also situates these factors within the Indian higher education setting and highlights how policy environments, institutional diversity and resource restrictions influence readiness outcomes. This study contributes to the burgeoning discourse on Industry 5.0 by giving a holistic view of the transition of higher education and setting a framework for future empirical research, policy formulation, and institutional strategy creation.