Transversal Skills in Higher Education. Insights from UniToSkillCase Project

The role that transversal skills should play in University learning practices is an increasingly relevant and debated issue. This article is meant to contribute to such debate by sharing some insights from the UniToSkillCase, a project developed at the University of Torino. As part of this initiative, the most important transversal skills to positively and effectively face the responsibilities of daily and professional life have been identified through a questionnaire and focus groups addressed to students, from interviews with various academic coordinators as well as thanks to the advice of representatives of AIDP, the Italian Personnel Management Association. A dedicated university-wide web portal was then set up to provide a series of materials (tutorials, practices, tips and clips) illustrating the skills thus identified, providing exercises to strengthen them, and offering insights from the experience of key informants (corporate HR managers, trainers, consultants, etc.). In addition to being a valuable tool for students and instructors, the UniToSkillCase project is an opportunity to reflect and exchange views on the methods, purposes and effectiveness of university teaching.