In the competitive outlook of higher education, innovation competence appers as a critical facet. This competence involves creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, networking, initiative—skills essential for fostering social innovation. Despite its importance, there is a research gap in measuring and developing this competence among students and academic staff. This research aims to address this gap, proposing a framework for understanding innovation competence within higher education in Latvia.

This study explores the types of cultural capital as conceptualized by Pierre Bourdieu, analyzing their manifestations in the context of innovation competence. Bourdieu’s framework identifies cultural capital as a multi-dimensional resource, rising above its traditional economic connotation. This research examines two forms of cultural capital— embodied and institutionalized—and their relevance in higher education. As the value of higher education evolves, so does the importance of cultural capital, showing a dynamic approach to understanding its impact.

By positioning innovation competence as a form of cultural capital, this research argues that it plays a crucial role in shaping social innovation and professional success in academic settings. Therefore, this research inquires how students and academics from Education Sciences field at various academic levels—bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral from University of Latvia perceive innovation competence within their study programs.

To achieve this goal, the study aims to:
1. Conduct a systematic literature review of innovation competence and its defining characteristics in the context of cultural capital.
2. Gather and analyze students' and academics’ perceptions of innovation competence within their academic experiences trough questionnaire method.
3. Employ descriptive statistical methods to interpret the data collected and use descriptive and interferial statistical methods to compare findings.

Keywords: Cultural Capital, Higher Education, Innovation Competence.