The Thematic Dossier of this new issue of the journal Educación Superior y Sociedad (ESS), entitled “Governance, government and management of higher education”, is dedicated to an in-depth, plural and multidimensional analysis of these elements of university life in an increasingly dynamic, volatile and complex environment. It addresses topics such as strategic planning and financial administration; best practices in academic and administrative management; and the results and performance of universities in their fundamental mission: student success. The study of these three constructs continues to be of enormous relevance in facing the challenges of the present and the future. The internal organizational scheme of universities, the “who does what” and “who decides what”, as well as the relationship of universities with their environment, are fundamental aspects to address the traditional challenges of quality, relevance and funding; but also new ones, such as technological disruption, transformation and digital learning. Addressing these issues has involved delving into the mechanisms and schemes used by universities to manage, direct and coordinate the resources they have, as well as delving into the designs used by their constituent parts to link and cooperate, in order for the university to fulfill its mission of promoting learning and student success.