Abstract:

The development of 21st century skills has become a strategic priority in postgraduate education, particularly in programs designed to prepare professionals for dynamic, innovation-driven environments. However, limited empirical research has examined the alignment between students' expectations regarding the importance of these competencies and their self-perceived level of mastery. This study analyzes that gap in the context of an online business school serving a predominantly Latin American postgraduate student population.

Data were collected through the Multidimensional 21st Century Skills Scale, supplemented with items on skill prioritization and learning preferences, across three competency domains:
(1) Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Skills (KES),
(2) Career Awareness and Innovation (CAI), and
(3) Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (CTPS).

A total of 261 students from 24 countries participated.

Findings reveal a clear misalignment between perceived competence and development priorities: CTPS obtained the lowest self-perception mean and was ranked as the highest development priority by 46% of participants, while CAI showed the highest perceived mastery but was ranked last in terms of development need. Professional experience was significantly associated with CTPS scores, with no differences found between program types. Qualitative analysis identified Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools, experiential learning, and hands-on workshops as the preferred learning modalities. These findings offer actionable insights for aligning postgraduate curriculum design with students' actual competency expectations.

Keywords:

Higher education, postgraduate education, learning outcomes, competency development.