Validity of Outcome-oriented, Competency-based Education in the Age of Global Student Mobility: Implications from an EU-Japan comparative study on competencies expected of university graduates

Outcome-oriented, competency-based education has recently been discussed intensively in the higher education community. This education model, a product of more than a hundred years of theoretical dialogue and pedagogical implementation at different levels of schooling and training, is now recognized as effective for university education in the age of global student mobility. As outcome-oriented, competency-based education is oriented to provide clearly prescribed information on the profiles of credits and degrees universities offer, it is seen to enable objective-oriented and seamless learning across different institutions and regions. However, a recent survey in Japan and the EU revealed that there are significant regional differences in expectations regarding the competencies of university graduates. In particular, the expectations of Japanese employers are remarkably different from other stakeholders in both Japan and the EU. To the extent that outcome-oriented, competency-based education is developed through consultation with employers, its utilization requires careful implementation in a global setting.