Abstract
This paper contributes to the research on discrepancy between employers´ needs and graduates’ competencies acquired at bachelor education. Given the fact that internationalizing SMEs have considered international relation competency (IRC) to be the key competency for starting export professionals, this qualitative study examines whether this key competency with its selected knowledge, skills and attitudes has been integrated into the curriculum of a bachelor program in International Business at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences. Based on a document analysis of this bachelor program and interviews with lecturers and alumni of this program, we found that the training of international relationship competency is almost absent in the curriculum. Both lecturers and alumni envision skills and attitude development to be incorporated into the curriculum of this internationally oriented bachelor program. The findings offer some suggestions for further research concerning developing cooperation between business and education and the assessment of international relation competency within the context of IB education.
Highlights
Relevance and ReasonThe more international and competitive economic trade becomes, the more companies will need globally competent export professionals to help them stay ahead of global competition
This study reports on the integration of international relation competency (IRC) into a bachelor program in international business taught at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences
The International Business & Languages (IBL) bachelor program of the selected University of Applied Sciences operates within the European, National and Institutional educational frameworks that include the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)
Summary
The more international and competitive economic trade becomes, the more companies will need globally competent export professionals to help them stay ahead of global competition This type of professional is an expert in international marketing and management who, as a bilingual team player, excels in setting up and maintaining international relationships with potential business partners and stakeholders in other countries (Vonk, 2006). These qualifications relate to the export professionals’ interaction and personal adjustment and are translated into the framework of international relation competency (Figure 1), which reflects the specific dimensions of functional knowledge, communication and language skills and the attitudes social initiative, open-mindedness and cultural empathy (Van Weerden & Wijnen-Meijer, 2019). This study reports on the integration of IRC into a bachelor program in international business taught at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences.
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