This paper deals with key competences of students and graduates at a selected public university with an economic orientation in the Slovak Republic. The students expect from the University to have access to quality education, but also after finishing their studies to be able to apply them in practice. The businesses and organizations expect from university graduates to be equipped with competencies needed to develop their businesses and maintain their competitiveness. This paper discusses the equipment of graduates with general competencies such as knowledge, skills, abilities, values and attitudes, as well as managerial competencies such as communication, planning, organization and control, analytical thinking, creativity, problem solving, management and leadership, teamwork, flexibility and digital skills, etc. The paper presents the results of a survey focused on the scope of skills and competencies of the graduates of the University of Žilina, the Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications, the Economics and Business Management study program. There the student´s profile is managerial oriented and the range of skills and competencies are considered to be the key factors for university graduates to be employed in a modern society.