Skills

It is generally accepted that a university education is about more than knowledge transfer alone. Alongside knowledge and understanding, students should develop the skills required to apply this knowledge and understanding.

Society and the labour market need academics who can critically analyse issues, generate solutions, collaborate, communicate, be socially responsible and reflect on themselves and the world around them. Students should also be aware of the skills they possess. Leiden University would like there to be room in the curriculum for these kinds of transferable skills.

Skills project

Within our ‘Skills’ project, we have identified 13 shared transferable skills, each with its own definition and description. These are skills that are important for all Leiden students, regardless of their study programme. The skills will enhance the employability of our students and ensure that, as engaged citizens, they are able to contribute to the solutions society needs.

Transferable skills can be integrated to a greater or lesser extent into our subject-specific teaching. The University hopes to make the transferable skills more visible and recognisable to our students and lecturers. From 2023 onwards, the skills will be made more visible within our teaching.