UNEVOC Connect

Skills that are typically considered as not specifically related to a particular job, task, academic discipline or area of knowledge and that can be used in a wide variety of situations and work settings (for example, organizational skills).

Transversal skills are those typically considered as not specifically related to a particular job, task, academic discipline or area of knowledge but as skills that can be used in a wide variety of situations and work settings (IBE 2013). These skills are increasingly in high demand for learners to successfully adapt to changes and to lead meaningful and productive lives. Examples include:

• Critical and innovative thinking
• Inter-personal skills (e.g. presentation and communication skills, organizational skills, teamwork, etc.)
• Intra-personal skills (e.g. self-discipline, enthusiasm, perseverance, self-motivation, etc.)
• Global citizenship (e.g. tolerance, openness, respect for diversity, intercultural understanding, etc.)
• Media and information literacy such as the ability to locate and access information, as well as to analyse and evaluate media content (UNESCO 2014c)

Definition of ‘transversal competencies’ has six domains: 1) critical and innovative thinking, 2) interpersonal skills, 3) intrapersonal skills, 4) global citizenship, 5) media and Information literacy, and 6) others. The domain ‘others’ was created as a way for researchers to include competencies, such as physical health or religious values, that may not fall into one of the other.

Transversal skills and competences

Learned and proven abilities which are commonly seen as necessary or valuable for effective action in virtually any kind of work, learning or life activity.

Comment

ESCO identifies six main categories of transversal skills and competences:

• core skills and competences;
• thinking skills and competences;
• self-management skills and competences;
• social and communication skills and competences;
• physical and manual skills and competences;
• life skills and competences;

They are also referred to using alternative terms like ‘basic’, ‘soft’, ‘non-cognitive’, ‘socio-emotional or ‘core’ skills and competences, which frequently address a more limited set of skills and competences;

This term is close to, but not synonymous with: transferable skills and competences.