Facultad de Humanidades y CC de la Comunicación

Purpose: University learning of a group of competencies, also proposed by Bologna, is currently gaining importance: transversal competencies, already included in the OECD Competencies Report (2019) which, common to all university degrees, bring the student closer to a new reality and to a diverse professional future, where sustainable leaders will be one of the fundamental axes of any decision. Design/methodology/approach: The results of a massive survey that was carried out on how university students perceive and value these skills are analyzed, together with a series of qualitative interviews with employers, analyzing what deficiencies exist. Findings: The results show that soft skills are essential for the professional future of students and that they understand and value it. Likewise, it was observed that it is essential to establish a common system of certified recognition of these competences and that universities must develop instruments that facilitate their accreditation in the workplace through digital badges. implications: For its effective development, it is necessary to incorporate in the different degree studies a type of training anchored in the values and attitudes necessary to achieve a fairer and more balanced society, in line with what the Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4 and 8 mark. Originality/value: This study provides a vision of the need for training in certain skills to achieve a rapprochement between the labor market and the university.