The following recommendations are worth considering in the implementation of a programme from the SC area for courses of study, departments or the university as a whole:
A social competence initiative should be strategically aligned with organisational goals and supported by institutional policy. This means integrating the development of social competences into the broader curriculum and organisational practices, with explicit support and endorsement from decision-makers.
It is important to support the development of social competences among all members of the university community - both teachers and administrative staff. University staff are potential role models for students, and the social competences they possess can model the skills and behaviours of students, supporting and giving credibility to the implementation of SK education programmes.
It should be taken into account that some students may not want to participate in activities oriented towards the development of social competences, especially when this means extra hours in the course grid and when it absorbs time to the extent that it jeopardises effective directional study.
The development of social competences should only be entrusted to people who are well prepared for this task. It is therefore NOT advisable for ALL academic staff to teach in this area.
Tasks carried out in diverse, preferably interdisciplinary, groups stimulate the development of social competences. It is therefore worth considering the organisation of some classes in multidisciplinary groups and the support of mobility abroad offered by the Erasmus+ programme.
In some professions, a high level of all social competences is required, while in others this is the case for some. While there is no doubt about the necessity to develop social competences in fields of study that train for professions requiring interpersonal contacts and teamwork, there are fields of study where the training of social competences can be limited to selected aspects.
As with any new challenge, it makes sense to implement a programme of social competence development in several stages, gradually broadening both the educational offer and the range of social competences to be developed.
