Giftedness: also (and definitely) a challenge in higher education!

Cognitive giftedness and giftedness are measured in children and adolescents with an IQ test, in which, among other things, speed of information processing plays a major role. An average IQ is 100; 70% of the population scores between 85 and 115. The most commonly used threshold for giftedness is 130. Based on this value, only 2.3% of the population is gifted. The interuniversity project Talent (KULeuven, UGent & UAntwerp, 2017-2021) set the threshold at 120, defining 10% of the population as cognitively high-functioning.

For research purposes, these IQ determinations are interesting, but for education they are less relevant. The limits are (too) rigorous and errors in measurement are inevitable. Moreover, IQ seems to be a fixed attribute, whereas knowledge and skills are constantly evolving.

A great deal of research has already looked into this human side of giftedness, with varying results that do not always confirm this aspect. Yet in (clinical) practice, it appears that many gifted children, adolescents and adults feel different. They are said to have a huge sense of justice, are sensitive and particularly critically minded. Furthermore, they are said to unconsciously set the bar very high for themselves and sometimes also for those around them.

Giftedness is determined multi-dimensionally. Giftedness refers to knowledge and skills in different domains, such as the cognitive, but also the creative and/or social domain. The cognitive domain is the most explored: gifted people appear to be fast thinkers, learn fluently, have a preference for abstract and complex material, have a good memory and are creative problem solvers. However, it is just as possible for a gifted person to excel socially or in a particular skill, such as artistic creation.

Knowledge and skills are constantly evolving; achievements do not happen automatically. It is important that the gifted have access to learning and training opportunities that suit their needs.

The context (such as the socio-economic situation) in which a gifted person grows up or functions can hinder or facilitate their development. For instance, a young person who received or receives a lot of stimulation appropriate to their level will often make the transition to higher education more smoothly than a young person whose cognitive giftedness stayed or stays under the radar.

In this context, the higher education institution's view of giftedness matters. Does the institution provide help with study methods where necessary? Are broadening and deepening provided where appropriate? To what extent is the curriculum offered flexibly where necessary?

As mentioned, gifted students are quick and creative thinkers. (Only) when their cognitive giftedness is called for do they feel involved. When learning content is not challenging enough, they quickly become bored and tend to disengage.

For many gifted students, studying in secondary school required little effort. This means they gained little experience in terms of planning, using a study methodology or organising themselves. They are not used to sometimes having to commit very intensively for long periods to achieve something, and they can end up studying too quickly and/or superficially. In other words, they end up in higher education with a so-called empty toolbox. Targeted support in learning study skills is then needed.

Students who are cognitively strong in a variety of domains often find it difficult to make concrete study choices or priorities. It is as if they have too many competences.

Non-cognitive personality traits such as fear of failure and/or perfectionism also co-determine the well-being and learning outcomes of cognitively high-functioning students. Being confrontated with a (first) experience of failure in higher education can foster a negative academic self-concept: the student then expects to achieve poor results and acts accordingly or, worse, gives up their studies (too) quickly.
Although research shows that the gifted are no less social than their non-gifted peers, they do often feel like an outcast. They think differently, sometimes feel misunderstood and are more likely to seek a deep connection with others. Many cognitively high-functioning students do not want to stand out and hide (both from themselves and others) their exceptional talents. When counselling gifted students, it is essential to pay attention to this aspect as well.

Self-regulated learning (SRL) refers to self-planning, assessing and adapting one's own learning, with a view to independently achieving predefined goals (see also ECHO education tip, 2025).

• TIP: Make very clear where your expectations lie as a teacher: what is memorisable and what is not, what is important and what is illustrative. Provide enough practice material (gifted students do not do the same exercises twice, because they often remember the solution after just one) and provide sample exams. This way, you anticipate perfectionism and/or lack of study skills.
• TIP: Where possible, make available additional learning materials that students can go through on a voluntary basis and at their own pace, encouraging a deepening and/or broadening of learning content.
• TIP: A flexible educational offer with opportunities for personalised programmes is a crucial aspect of talent development. Consider, for example, honours programmes where students are challenged even further and guided in self-study and creative assignments. Also, giving an additional task or challenging project ad hoc can motivate gifted students to further develop their potential.

Promoting Autonomy, Belonging and Competence has a positive impact on the motivation of gifted students. A combination of giving input and providing a warm, caring environment on the one hand and providing the necessary structure and support on the other is crucial.

• TIP: Sometimes gifted students ask a lot of questions. Make agreements about when and how questions can be asked, so that  positive and enriching for the gifted and other students as well as for you as teacher.
• TIP: In group work, monitoring the collaborative process is important. Sometimes gifted students can be so enthusiastic about a subject and think so quickly that they 'go solo'. Offer help in aligning ideas within the group and in making a balanced distribution of tasks among group members
• TIP: Respond supportively and positively if a student brings up his or her giftedness, even if the student’s work is weak.

Problem-based and inquiry-based learning are often used in honours programmes.

• TIP: Give gifted students the opportunity to start the learning process with a problem statement, which encourages them to start thinking, increasing invlovement and motivation.
• TIP: Regularly give students the role of researcher, letting them participate in a research cycle. This provides additional learning opportunities for all students, but especially gifted students.

Take into account the differences between students and, where possible, use these to offer an adapted programme (see also ECHO education tip, 2021).

• TIP: Compacting (cutting out unnecessary instructional and practice time) can provide extra time to offer challenging learning content.
• TIP: Give cognitively strong students the chance to accelerate, to advance to university faster / progress more quickly or to combine course units or programmes.
• TIP: Another motivating factor can be the deepening and broadening of learning content, possibly across disciplines or courses.

Provide students with the necessary support in their learning, not only in terms of content but also in terms of process.

• TIP: Offer to help with choosing a programme if students find it difficult to choose from a wide range of interests or if they are unclear about the expectations set by a particular study programme.
• TIP: Give process-oriented rather than person-oriented feedback, so that young people start believing more in their growth potential.
• TIP: Encourage students to take tutoring to help them master study planning, distinguishing main from secondary tasks, and learning strategies.
• TIP: Address any psychosocial difficulties. Feeling different, not connecting with peers and/or frustrations due to learning difficulties can cause a lot of insecurity and distress. A referral to a student psychologist can be helpful in such a case.