Ethical education is pivotal not only for imparting knowledge but also for guiding students in reflecting on their values and behaviors, particularly in disciplines such as social sciences. Research has shown that engaging students in ethical reflection is essential for their personal and professional development, pointing to the need for pedagogical approaches that emphasize experiential learning and moral reasoning.

With society increasingly demanding education grounded in ethical principles, universities play a crucial role in cultivating an environment where ethical learning is integrated into curricula and student experiences. In both Spain and Chile, the effective implementation of ethics in higher education relies on embedding ethical considerations into academic programs and fostering a culture of moral development.

The methodological approach to this comparative study involved the design of a measurement instrument to assess students' ethical perceptions in both contexts. The research adopted a mixed-methods strategy, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques. Quantitative data were collected through a survey instrument designed to evaluate ethical awareness, moral reasoning, and perceived institutional support for ethics. The sample consisted of a total of 400 postgraduate business students selected from two universities through stratified purposive sampling to ensure disciplinary and institutional diversity: 200 at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (USM) in Chile, and 200 at Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR) in Spain. The instrument was validated through expert review and pilot testing. The qualitative phase comprised 12 semi-structured interviews with selected students and faculty members to gain deeper insight into lived experiences and the cultural dimensions of ethical understanding. This approach allowed the identification of cross-cultural patterns and country-specific variations in ethical perception and integration.

This comparative study of ethical frameworks in higher education between Spain and Chile focused on the integration and assessment of ethical principles within university curricula, driven by societal demands for ethical education. As institutions strive to foster environments that promote moral development and ethical awareness, this analysis highlights the distinct approaches adopted by each country in embedding ethics into their academic practices. The significance of this topic lies in its potential to influence educational standards and practices, ultimately shaping future generations of professionals equipped with the moral competencies necessary for their respective fields. The comparison between Spain and Chile regarding ethical frameworks in higher education reveals both commonalities and distinctions in how ethical values are perceived and integrated into academic settings. By developing a context-sensitive measurement tool, the study contributes to the improvement of assessment frameworks in ethical education and supports institutional strategies for fostering moral competencies in higher education.

Keywords: Experiential learning, ethical education, higher education, Chile, Spain.