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Towards Identifying the Soft Skills Needed in Curricula: Finnish and Italian Students’ Self-Evaluations Indicate Differences between Groups

Author

Listed:
  • Valeria Caggiano

    (Department of Training Sciences, Università degli Studi Roma TRE, 00154 Roma, Italy)

  • Kai Schleutker

    (Business Department, Turku University of Applied Science, 20520 Turku, Finland)

  • Loredana Petrone

    (Department of Psychology, University la Sapienza di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy)

  • Jerónimo González-Bernal

    (Department of Psychology, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain)

Abstract

Background: The identification of soft skills by Higher Education (HE) students is important for curriculum design, as is to evaluate if the students’ soft skills are adapted to the needs of the socioeconomic environment. This paper presents a study conducted to determine to what extent Finnish and Italian students’ perceptions of their own soft skills differ. Methods: The cohort of the study consisted of 80 Finnish and 80 Italian HE students. Results: The results reveal that, regardless of cultural aspects, both groups share specific soft skills whilst showing significant differences in others. The observed differences in the profiles of the two countries are explained on the basis of the cultural and curricula design frameworks that are well established in Finland and Italy. Conclusions: The implications of the findings for HE teachers and researchers are presented, which may bear relevance in guiding the implementation of curriculum design in Finland, Italy and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Valeria Caggiano & Kai Schleutker & Loredana Petrone & Jerónimo González-Bernal, 2020. "Towards Identifying the Soft Skills Needed in Curricula: Finnish and Italian Students’ Self-Evaluations Indicate Differences between Groups," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-10, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4031-:d:358219
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Orlando Petiz Pereira & Carlos Alberto A.T. Costa, 2017. "The importance of soft skills in the university academic curriculum: The perceptions of the students in the new society of knowledge," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 7(6), pages 1-12, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pablo Fernández-Arias & Álvaro Antón-Sancho & Diego Vergara & Amelia Barrientos, 2021. "Soft Skills of American University Teachers: Self-Concept," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-25, November.
    2. Omar Habets & Jol Stoffers & Beatrice Van der Heijden & Pascale Peters, 2020. "Am I Fit for Tomorrow’s Labor Market? The Effect of Graduates’ Skills Development during Higher Education for the 21st Century’s Labor Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-13, September.
    3. Antonio Ragusa & Valeria Caggiano & Rubén Trigueros Ramos & Jerónimo J. González-Bernal & Ana Gentil-Gutiérrez & Susana Adelina Moreira Carvalho Bastos & Josefa González-Santos & Mirian Santamaría-Pel, 2022. "High Education and University Teaching and Learning Processes: Soft Skills," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-12, August.
    4. María del Mar Ferradás & Carlos Freire & José Carlos Núñez & Bibiana Regueiro, 2020. "The Relationship between Self-Esteem and Achievement Goals in University Students: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Defensive Pessimism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-14, September.

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