Abstract:

This presentation shares the findings from a study conducted through the Erasmus+ BeSkilled project. The aim of the needs analysis was to identify and prioritise the key transferable, non-technical competencies—commonly known as soft skills—that should be embedded within higher education programmes to strengthen the future employability of Moroccan graduates. This needs analysis provides the basis for the development of an online education programme for university educators in Morocco.

The research question guiding this study was: What employability skills and teaching experiences do Moroccan educators consider essential for inclusion in a training programme aimed at enhancing their professional readiness?

To comprehensively explore the relationship between soft skills education and graduate employability, this research was structured into two complementary phases. The first phase involved a scoping literature review, and the second consisted of a survey distributed to educators across all universities in Morocco. The instrument included closed-ended questions and open-ended items drawing upon the findings of the scoping review. The draft survey instrument then underwent a two-tiered collaborative review.

The survey was disseminated through email across all twelve higher education institutions in Morocco. 494 educators successfully completed the survey, providing a diverse and substantial cross-section of the entire Moroccan academic workforce that is representative and statistically significant.

The data reveal that Moroccan educators overwhelmingly perceive soft skills development as a critical factor in improving graduate employability. While the findings affirm the strong importance placed on soft skills, they also point to gaps in educator preparedness. Many respondents expressed a desire for more training and resources to improve their own teaching and assessment practices in this area.

Educators showed a high level of openness to diverse and flexible training modalities, such as workshops, hybrid learning environments, practical sessions, and case-based approaches. Respondents reported using a wide range of cloud-based video conferencing and digital learning platforms to support their educational activities. This widespread adoption of digital platforms underscores the readiness of Moroccan higher education institutions to integrate soft skills training into existing virtual and hybrid environments. This represents an ideal foundation for the BeSkilled project to build upon, offering a unique opportunity to invest in scalable, innovative solutions tailored to the needs and preferences of higher education educators.

Keywords:

Soft skills, Employability, Higher education, Teacher professional development, Morocco, Digital learning.