The wealth of today's society translates into digital knowledge and the pragmatic and competent use of digital tools. If these are used by people of all ages, it is the youngest people, born in the digital era, who are most exposed and who use the internet, digital tools and social networks the most to make their lives happen, be it academic, social, work or leisure.

Young people in Higher Education (HE), in particular, are very familiar with digital worlds, as they were born, grew up and live in a world that is strongly connected and dependent on technology. They use technologies as privileged means of interpersonal relationships, learning and development of academic work, as they can interact, learn and work (individually or in groups) anywhere and at any time.

In ES, the advantages of digital reality, the use of mobile devices and digital tools, in the classroom context or outside it, are multiple and unequivocal, including access to a huge amount of information through from the internet, in real time; the possibility of communicating quickly, easily and efficiently with teachers and colleagues, regardless of their location; personalized learning; flexibility regarding times and means of study. These added values favor academic performance and success.

However, there are also disadvantages to be considered, namely excessive dependence on technology; difficulties in communication and face-to-face interaction; frequent and continuous presence of multiple distractions; difficulties in distinguishing real and/or scientifically valid information from fictitious and/or non-scientifically valid information; school procrastination.

In general, users who attend ES have higher levels of dependence on cell phones, social networks and the internet than those shown by the general population, which can lead to the emergence of multiple problems, maladjustments and psychopathologies.

Like other realities, the Covid-19 pandemic also had profound impacts in ES. After the declaration of the pandemic situation by the World Health Organization, in March 2020, there was a transition from in-person teaching to emergency remote teaching. The students were forced to make an effort to adapt and adjust. They learned (new) digital tools, re-evaluated postures, relationships, ways of learning and being evaluated.

In the following academic year, which began in a hybrid teaching scenario, students proved to be more familiar and adjusted to the challenges of remote teaching. However, some difficulties remained and, in some cases, worsened. Those who had fewer resources or who were displaced, in particular had to (continue to) share with family or peers, computers and spaces, with limited internet access conditions, saw their situation of vulnerability worsened, which conditioned the success and continuity of the school career of some of these students. However, it was through digital devices that these students, like everyone else, remained connected to their social and academic realities and to the life that continued, albeit in a different guise.

Now in the post-COVID-19 era, the consequences of the pandemic experience and how young people in ES currently relate to new technologies and digital worlds remain to be explored.

Accessing the reports of students who attend ES, through the use of focused discussion groups, this project, of a qualitative nature, aims to obtain the perspectives of around twenty to twenty-five young people - who attend engineering, social sciences and of education, and the arts - about the continuities and changes that took place in the post-pandemic reality regarding the uses of Digital Information and Communication Technologies, their causes and consequences, understanding what is specific in each reality, but also what is common in perspective. More specifically, the aim is to explore students' perceptions regarding: i. Continuities and Changes in Post-pandemic Digital Worlds (social and individual dimensions); ii. Potentialities (social and individual dimension); iii. Risk Behaviors (social and individual dimensions); iv. Digital dependencies; v. Future Digital Worlds.

From the students' perspectives on the continuities and transformations experienced post-pandemic, and on expectations for the future, we intend to draw some lessons and recommendations that contribute to the well-being, mental health and success of students at the ES, as well as to reduce risky behaviors and digital dependencies. In this sense, this research aims to contribute to increasing knowledge in this field, reflected in scientific publications and communications. Furthermore, it aims to contribute to the improvement of practices in terms of primary and secondary prevention in DICAD units, given that this service is responsible for monitoring young people at risk in relation to these dimensions, as well as primary prevention of these dimensions.