To meet the challenges of the 21st century, key competencies, or “seven survival skills for career, college, and citizenship” (Wagner 2010), are identified :
 • Critical thinking and problem solving
 • Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
 • Agility and adaptability 
 • Initiative and enterpreneurialism
 • Effective oral and written communication 
 • Accessing and analyzing information 
 • Curiosity and imagination 

These seven key competencies, in one way or another, should be attributes university graduates are expected to possess. They align well with the aims of introducing the two university-wide themes of ‘Innovation and Design’ (I and D) and ‘Global citizenship and social enterprisingness’ (GC and SE) for materializing across different domains.

The role of educators is becoming more than just facilitating students through the process of learning and developing their knowledge. Teachers will involve more time on an engaging process with their students, empower their application of knowledge and cultivating a creative culture within and beyond the classroom.

Wagner T. (2010): The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don’t Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need-And What We Can Do about it, Basic Books.