Trans-regional generic competences: The core of an internationalized curriculum

Abstract

If we admit that students must be prepared for life and work in increasingly culturally-diverse and ever changing contexts through core curricula which are the competences that must be prioritized? What competences are ‘strong candidates’ to be considered as trans-regional and can lead to inclusive excellence in higher education? Does, this, perhaps depend on the region where students are educated? The present article reports on a meta-study that sought to respond to these questions through looking at 40 generic competences valued by over 71,000 graduates, employers, students and academics from different disciplines in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia. The notion of trans-regional generic competences is introduced and four levels of trans-regionalisation are distinguished. Differences across regions and countries in relation to competence formulation and conceptualization, as well as the very presence/absence of a particular competence, are discussed with views of re-introducing further nuances in the global debates about internationalization of curriculum.