In a global society, the importance of knowledge and assessment of transversal competences emerges to cope with the challenges of contemporary society, from a perspective of development and lifelong learning. Therefore, it is a priority to use assessment tools adapted to different cultures. The main objective of this study is to validate the instrument ‘Multidimensional 21st Century Skills Scale’ for the Portuguese population. The sample was composed of 413 participants of both genders, with a mean age of 24.30 years (standard deviation = 8.69), aged between 18 and 64 years, attending Higher and Vocational Education. The translation and back-translation of the instrument were carried out by experts (researchers and university professors in the areas of psychology, management, and entrepreneurship). The final version of the scale was composed of 30 items and the exploratory analysis identified three dimensions: Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Skills, Career Awareness and Innovation, and Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. These factors were validated by confirmatory analysis. The authors suggest that the difference found in relation to the original version is related to cultural reasons, the age range of the respondents, as well as their academic level. Keywords: 21st century, skill scale, entrepreneurial skills, higher education innovation
In the globalization age, facilitated by Information and Computer Technologies and by multicultural contexts, the mobility of individuals sharing intercultural training and learning is particularly remarkable. ERASMUS mobility has been enhancing internationalization by fostering intercultural mediation and the standardization of teaching and learning in context where innovation and entrepreneurial skills have been contributing to the global training of the young adult as the main actor in these contexts. The EntreComp model intends to be a facilitating model for the entrepreneurial competences to be developed in the globalization age. In this context, the present work has as main objectives to know the Entrepreneurial Competences in ERASMUS environments, to build and validate for the Portuguese population instruments for assessing entrepreneurial competences in ERASMUS. 6 studies were carried out: 2 systematic reviews, which aimed to identify and characterize the competences as well as to assess the impact of entrepreneurial competences in an ERASMUS situation; and 4 empirical studies, which aimed to identify the competences and to validate instruments to assess entrepreneurial competences adapted to the Portuguese culture. The empirical studies involved 413 Higher Education students who responded to a protocol of online surveys. From the data analysis we highlight the contributions to research and to the training of young people in ERASMUS. The systematic reviews reinforced the importance of further clarifying and conceptualizing the construct entrepreneurial competencies and operationalizing the assessment of competencies. The empirical research results added to the construction and validation of instruments on entrepreneurial competencies for the Portuguese population. The results corroborated the three domains of EntreComp as strategic areas coinciding with the entrepreneurial process. The results also highlighted that Social Support proved to be an important variable to consider in the process of transition, insertion, and adaptation in mobility contexts. Some implications are mentioned, namely at the level of clarification, operationalization and assessment of entrepreneurial competences, and challenges are raised for the inclusion of these competences in the initial and continuing training curricula of Higher Education students.
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