The acquisition of transferable skills by university students: a gender approach

Abstract

The development of certain skills such as independent learning, oral and written communication, or teamwork, as a result of taking certain modules, is a relevant aspect when it comes to the integration of the students into the labour market, as it is acknowledged in the Bologna Declaration. The present study examines if the sex of the student implies significant differences with respect to the development of those skills, and additionally, if there are differences in the effort, measured in terms of hours of independent learning devoted to each module. Results are based on a survey carried out among students of 13 modules included in several social sciences study programmes offered by the University of Alicante, the University of Valencia, and the University Miguel Hernández of Elche. Regarding the development of skills, there are no differences between males and females in all the modules, as the homogeneity test performed suggests. However, effort is significantly higher among female students.