Abstract:

This article presents a comparative analysis of the perception of information management skills in two higher education institutions: Instituto Politécnico do Porto (P.Porto) in Portugal and State University of Applied Sciences (Siauliai) in Lithuania, with the aim of analyzing and describing, identifying differences and similarities, the perception of information management skills in three groups: last year students, teachers, and potential employers.
The data were collected through a questionnaire applied to those three groups within the degrees of Information and Documentation Sciences and Technologies (P.Porto) and Information Management (State University of Applied Sciences).
The questionnaire included questions regarding different types of skills, such as technical knowledge, organization skills and information retrieval, ability to assess sources and manage information resources. The results reveal significant differences between the two degrees in relation to the perception of information management skills, highlighting the divergences in the implementation of library management systems, online catalogs, advanced search resources and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. However, similarities were also found with regard, for example, to recognizing the importance of information technologies to improve library and information services and they showed interest in learning and updating themselves in this field.
The differences detected could be related to cultural, political and educational factors. Understanding these disparities is essential for the development of appropriate strategies for implementing a holistic approach to information management and use of technologies in information services, as well as for education and training in Information Science. This study intends to contribute to the understanding of the necessary competencies in the area of information science and to provide relevant insights for curriculum development and improvement of educational programs in Information Science higher education institutions.

Keywords:

Information Management Skills, Higher Education, Comparative Analysis, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, State University of Applied Sciences.