<![CDATA[The rapid integration of digital technologies into higher education has increased the importance of equipping students with digital literacy and Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), both of which are regarded as essential competencies for advancing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on quality education. Despite growing scholarly attention to these competencies, evidence of their influence on educational quality in Indonesian universities remains insufficient. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate levels of digital literacy, HOTS, and perceived educational quality, and to investigate the contributions of digital literacy and HOTS to educational quality among undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Universitas Riau Kepulauan. A quantitative study employing a descriptive-correlational approach was conducted with a sample of 200 undergraduate students selected using simple random sampling. Data were obtained through structured questionnaires using a Likert scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression. The findings indicated that students generally demonstrated moderate levels of digital literacy, HOTS, and perceived educational quality. Regression results revealed that digital literacy explained variance in educational quality, whereas HOTS indicated that higher-order thinking is a considerably stronger determinant of educational quality than digital literacy. These findings underscore the strategic importance of strengthening both digital literacy and HOTS within higher education learning environments to improve educational outcomes and support the achievement of SDG 4.]]>
