The comprehensive implementation of generic skills in cross business degrees: The experience of the faculty of Economics and Business of the UOC

Abstract

Purpose: The paper describes the development’s and assessment’s process of transversal and specific competencies, in a coordinated wayfor an undergraduate program which is large in terms of enrolment, and which has many subjects in common with other programs. The ultimate goal is to develop a full description of what is considered a good change’s management in educational environments, to facilitate its adoption in other organizations.

Design/methodology/approach: The process includes the following steps: diagnosis, training and awareness, generic competencies, specific competencies, formal changes, and monitoring (Zabalza, 2012). The evolution’s process is structured according to Kurt Lewin’s (1947) model of organizational change. The entire Faculty of Business and Management of UOC has participated in this project.

Findings and Originality/value: Compared with other studies on the subject, good practice is broad in scope (40 teachers and 154 subjects). The key success’ factors in this process have been the following: involvement of the head of the Faculty, creating the figure of the "godfathers" and the outcome of tangible results in the short term. The results also highlighted the need of teacher’s training for an effective implementation of competency-based teaching, especially in relation to the transversal competencies and to on-line environments.

Research limitations/implications: The absence of rigid and less permeable departmental structures, as well as the reduced number of staff of the Faculty of Business and Management of UOC have contributed to the success of this change’s process.

Originality/value: This paper contributes to the scarce literature that focuses on the process followed by the universities and, in particular, the Spanish ones, to manage the complex process of change that involves the incorporation of competencies in their daily teaching activities.