Developing Students Transversal Competences Through Cultivation of Health Literacy CompetenceDeveloping Students Transversal Competences Through Cultivation of Health Literacy Competence

Abstract

The recognition that transversal competences are increasingly needed to face the challenges of the ever-changingworld has given rise to work examining students' development of transversal competences (TVCs) during theiruniversity time. This approach argues in favor of embedding transversal competences as well as health literacycompetence and subject-based competences in curricula. The mini-study presented herein first posits a logicalmodel for the integration of transversal competences in university curricula, supplemented with a qualimetricmodel comprising 6 factors associated with transversal competences. The resulting tools for transversalcompetence evaluation and self-assessment were next applied in a pilot questionnaire study of a small group ofmanagement students at a local university. Overall, the findings support the claim that students' TVC developmentrequires a new educational paradigm based on a holistic approach to competence-based learning that involves theharmonious development of a person's TVCs and subject-based competences. Moreover, the results may serve asa reference for future studies on transversal competences and health literacy in particular, as well as for teachersand researchers in related fields.