Higher education institutions are challenged to educate students for an uncertain future. Adaptive expertise (AE) is needed to thrive in an uncertain future: the ability to respond successfully to altered situations and changing circumstances. Work-based learning (WBL) environments would allow students to develop AE. However, knowledge about how WBL contributes to AE development in higher education is scarce. This paper reports on a realist review to understand and explain how, why and in what circumstances WBL leads to AE development. Three narratives illustrate how working in challenging conditions, interacting with others and stimulating a willingness to learn were associated with AE development through WBL as a result of shifts in perspective and thinking. Five work-based learning elements for AE development were identified: integrative challenging contexts, reflective practice, interacting with others, guidance and learner characteristics. Future research should focus on how working in challenging situations, interactions with others and guidance interact to stimulate AE development in different types of WBL environments. © The Author(s) 2025.
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