Work-integrated learning (WIL) and universal employability global leadership skills: evidence for curriculum integration over functional specialization

Purpose This study examines whether global leadership skills vary across business functions to inform evidence-based curriculum designs in higher education. Many International Business Schools and Executive Education providers develop function-specific programs that assume differentiated global leadership skill requirements; however, this costly assumption lacks rigorous evidence from the workplace. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 906 mid- to senior-level professionals across eight business functions in 21 countries to test the hypotheses. The ten core skills were analyzed using validated scales (Cronbach’s a ranging from 0.84 to 0.87). Rigorous quality controls addressed common biases in global leadership skill research, including multiple-comparison inflation (false discovery rate correction), method variance (common method variance adjustment) and cross-cultural measurement artifacts, which can misguide curriculum-related decisions. Findings After appropriate corrections, seven global leadership skills (intercultural sensitivity, ethical integrity, communication, strategic thinking, problem solving, adaptability and resilience) showed no reliable functional differences, supporting the universal and transferable global skills frameworks. Only emotional intelligence demonstrated modest functional variation (η2 = 0.14), which was insufficient to justify extensive curriculum differentiation for the latter group. The industry context explained more variance than functional requirements, suggesting that employer partnerships matter more than the assumed functional specializations. This aligns with recent evidence demonstrating that work-integrated learning (WIL) approaches consistently outperform specialized tracks in developing transferable global leadership skills. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design precludes causal statistical inferences regarding the relationship between functional requirements and global career self-selection. Future research should employ longitudinal designs and controlled educational experiments to validate the optimal curriculum approaches for postgraduate outcomes. Practical implications International Business Schools can achieve resource efficiency by emphasizing universal employability and global leadership skills across all business programs rather than focusing on costly, function-specific ones. The empirical findings align with those of employer surveys that identify transferable global leadership skills as the primary criteria for hiring. The dominance of universal global leadership skills supports integrated curriculum approaches that emphasize the development of experiential and work-based skills in higher education. This study demonstrates that WIL cultivates employability capital, underpinning the growth of soft skills and positive job outcomes for students. Originality/value This study represents the most extensive cross-cultural examination of global functional leadership skill claims, demonstrating how measurement problems can misguide curriculum investment. Evidence-based guidance is provided for resource allocation to graduate employability programs in this study.