Competencies in higher education: identifying and selecting important competencies based on graduates & professionals in food technology

Figures & data

Figure 1. Phases undertaken for the study to select competencies that should get more attention in the bachelor program Food Technology at Wageningen University.

Table 1. Preliminary list of 26 competencies divided into five categories, to be used in the pilot study.

Thinking competencies	Cognitive competencies	Academic competencies	Interpersonal competencies	Intrapersonal competencies
Critical thinking Analytical thinking Conceptual thinking Design thinking Systems thinking Creative thinking	Decision making Logical reasoning Modelling Problem solving	Information literacy Digital literacy Researching Developing Designing Innovating Ethical reasoning	Oral communication Written communication Collaborating Relating Networking Negotiation and debating	Self-regulation Organising Developing professional identity

Table 2. Grouping of participants and statements posed to them.

Group	Statements
BSc graduates: Person that recently (0–2 years) graduated from the bachelor program Food Technology at WUR	Statement 1: There were opportunities within my bachelor programme to develop this competency
MSc graduates: Person that graduated from the master program Food Technology at WUR with 0-5 years of work experience	Statement 2: There were opportunities within my studies (Bachelor and Master) to develop this competency Statement 3: This competency is important in my current role.
Employers: Professionals in Food Technology with more than 5 years of work experience	Statement 4: Employees who graduated in Food Technology and just graduated (<1 year ago) are able to apply this competency Statement 5: This competency is important for students to develop during the study Food Technology

Table 3. Demographical distribution of participants: BSc graduates: graduated from the bachelor Food Technology; MSc graduates: graduated from the master Food Technology and <5 year work experience; Employers: professionals in food science and technology and >5 years work experience.

		BSc graduates	MSc graduates	Employers
Total		75	61	57
Gender
	Female	47	41	30
	Male	28	20	27
Workplace
	Netherlands		47	42
	Europe other than Netherlands		7	10
	Asia		4	1
	Africa		1	1
	North America		2	1
	South America		0	2
Type of organisation
	Academia
	University		26	26
	Industry
	Large enterprise (>250 employees)		20	22
	Small and medium-sized enterprise (<250 employees)		11	4
	Other		3	3
	Research institute		1	2
Type of current job
	PhD student		18	3
	Product developer		15	5
	Researcher		7	8
	Researcher/teacher		1	16
	Process engineer		5	4
	Manager		0	8
	Other		15	13

Figure 2. Criteria to select competencies that should receive more attention in the program or are important for a food technologist. All statements from the survey use a 5 point scale. Statements are statistically significantly different when p < 0.05.

Table 4. Example results of survey. Statements are compared for each competency: different letters in a row indicate statistically significant differences (p < 0.05).

	Statement 1	Statement 2	Statement 3	Statement 4	Statement 5
Competency 1	4.0ab	3.9b	4.7a	3.8b	4.6a
Competency 2	3.4b	3.6b	4.6a	3.4b	4.3a

Table 5. Final list of 22 competencies for food technologists, distributed over five categories.

Category competencies	Competencies	Description
Thinking competencies	Analytical thinking	Break down a larger complex whole, step-by-step, into the parts of which it is composed.
	Creative thinking	Generate design concepts by looking at issues or problems in a new way; bring new perspectives.
	Critical thinking	Use a critical attitude that focuses on deciding what to trust or to do.
	Systems thinking	Predict systems behaviour by identifying and understanding dynamics, generated by the systems and its relations.
Cognitive competencies	Decision making	Make decisions and judgments; when facing uncertainties, make estimations.
	Logical reasoning	Verify and draw conclusions based on provided and interpreted information, and the associated rules and processes.
	Problem solving	Identify and formulate problems; review information to develop, implement and evaluate solutions.
Academic competencies	Information literacy	Select, understand, integrate and evaluate existing literature; refer and cite (information) sources.
	Digital literacy	Use general and food technology specific digital software; navigate and communicate safe through digital environments, while considering privacy and confidentiality.
	Data science	Process large amounts of (existing) data into comprehensible information: define the question, gather and analyse data; make and identify the model that answers the question.
	Researching	Define a research question, hypothesis and research plan; choose the appropriate methods for research; collect, process and analyse data; communicate the results.
	Designing	Design or innovate a product or process, based on an idea/problem; develop detailed description of design (plans, drawings), using a creative attitude.
	Ethical reasoning	Understand, deal and reflect on ethical aspects in the domain.
Interpersonal competencies	Oral communication	Present ideas and results to an audience on appropriate level.
	Written communication	Communicate ideas and results in writing to an audience on appropriate level.
	Collaborating	Collaborate with others; give and receive feedback; listen actively; convey information effectively; take different roles.
	Relating	Understand people from a different background, culture, discipline and stakeholders; empathise with others; operate in communities; be aware of diversity.
	Networking	Establish connections to exchange information.
	Negotiation and debating	Use arguments to negotiate and debate; take a stand.
Intrapersonal competencies	Self-regulation	Monitor, assess and improve own performance; set goals; reflect for personal development; manage time and work under pressure; provide personal leadership and responsibility; motivate him/herself; work independently.
	Organising	Organise and plan project, studies or meetings; provide leadership.
	Developing professional identity	Construct own identity by defining the values that are important; position yourself and take/justify a stand; working professionally in a work environment.

Table 6. Responses to the statements: (1) There were opportunities within my bachelor program to develop this competency; (2) There were opportunities within my studies (Bachelor and Master) to develop this competency; (3) This competency is important in my current role; (4) Employees who graduated in Food Technology and just graduated (<1 year ago) are able to apply this competency; (5) This competency is important to develop for students during the study Food Technology. Statements are compared for each competency: different letters in a row indicate statistically significant differences (p < 0.05).

	BSc graduates		MSc graduates						Employers
	Statement 1		Statement 2		Statement 3				Statement 4		Statement 5
	n = 75		n = 61		n = 26 (academia)		n = 34 (industry)		n = 50		n = 26 (academia)		n = 29 (industry)
	mean	sd	mean	sd	mean	sd	mean	sd	mean	sd	mean	sd	mean	sd
Analytical thinking	4.03bc	0.73	4.11bc	0.66	4.84a	0.37	4.47ab	0.66	3.76c	0.92	4.54a	0.90	4.72a	0.59
Creative thinking	3.60b	0.90	3.43b	0.85	4.52a	0.77	4.32a	1.01	3.30b	0.97	4.23a	1.11	4.34a	0.67
Critical thinking	3.88b	0.94	3.89b	0.88	4.84a	0.47	4.50a	0.75	3.48b	1.03	4.58a	0.90	4.62a	0.56
Systems thinking	3.71b	0.85	3.39b	0.94	4.20a	0.87	4.12a	0.84	3.28b	0.93	4.04a	0.96	4.45a	0.57
Decision making	3.49cd	0.96	3.27d	0.88	4.50ab	0.51	4.66a	0.55	2.96d	1.19	4.08abc	0.91	3.81bcd	1.04
Logical reasoning	4.19bc	0.79	4.16bc	0.83	4.75a	0.61	4.62ab	0.49	3.76c	0.92	4.48ab	0.87	4.56ab	0.51
Problem solving	3.81b	0.80	3.70b	0.87	4.67a	0.56	4.72a	0.59	3.78b	0.96	4.44a	1.00	4.52a	0.70
Information literacy	3.78bc	1.06	4.27ab	0.79	4.65a	0.78	3.22c	1.22	3.96bc	0.82	4.24ab	0.88	4.04abc	0.98
Digital literacy	2.97b	1.11	2.92b	1.10	4.13a	0.69	3.48ab	1.28	3.57ab	0.89	3.88a	1.01	3.81a	0.92
Data science	2.86b	1.17	2.85b	1.18	3.96a	1.11	3.96a	1.16	2.98b	1.02	4.16a	0.99	4.04a	0.94
Researching	3.75c	0.84	4.10abc	0.93	4.43a	1.08	3.63bc	1.15	3.65bc	1.14	4.44a	0.96	4.37ab	0.69
Designing	3.52bcd	1.01	3.06d	1.00	3.22cd	0.95	4.33a	0.88	3.31cd	0.85	4.12ab	0.93	3.96abc	0.76
Ethical reasoning	2.77b	0.99	2.85b	1.02	3.48ab	1.12	3.07ab	1.11	3.30ab	1.00	3.96a	0.98	3.78a	0.85
Oral communication	3.67c	0.82	3.98bc	0.83	4.45ab	0.51	4.48ab	0.64	3.85bc	1.03	4.52a	1.00	4.70a	0.47
Written communication	3.83bc	0.94	4.23ab	0.76	4.82a	0.39	4.37ab	0.69	3.56c	0.92	4.40a	1.00	4.22abc	0.64
Collaborating	4.24ab	0.88	4.06b	0.87	4.45ab	0.67	4.78a	0.51	3.90b	1.06	4.36ab	0.99	4.48ab	0.70
Relating	2.79b	1.17	3.67a	1.06	4.23a	0.81	4.30a	0.82	3.69a	1.11	4.16a	0.99	4.26a	0.90
Networking	2.10b	0.95	2.65b	1.08	4.09a	0.75	4.37a	0.88	3.50a	1.05	4.00a	1.15	4.22a	0.64
Negotiation and debating	2.19d	1.01	2.44cd	1.11	3.68ab	0.99	4.07a	1.04	3.06bc	1.04	4.00a	1.00	4.00a	0.92
Self-regulation	4.03c	0.73	4.11bc	0.66	4.84a	0.37	4.47a	0.66	3.76bc	0.92	4.54ab	0.90	4.72a	0.59
Organising	3.60c	0.90	3.43c	0.85	4.52a	0.77	4.32a	1.01	3.30bc	0.97	4.23ab	1.11	4.34ab	0.67
Developing prof. identity	3.88b	0.94	3.89b	0.88	4.84a	0.47	4.50a	0.75	3.48b	1.03	4.58a	0.90	4.62a	0.56

Figure 3. Number of criteria met per competency for ‘Important to give more attention in the program’ (blue, out of 5 criteria) and for ‘Important for a food technologist’ (orange, out of 3 criteria). For criteria, see Figure 2. Competencies in bold are selected to discuss in interviews.

Figure 4. Overview of connections between the five categories of competencies.