A knowledge management approach: soft skills in university education

Background: Within the framework of knowledge management, this study analyzes soft skills in the research training of students at FACES-UCV—tools essential for professional development and workforce competitiveness. Objective: To integrate knowledge management with soft skills within the research processes of students from the Schools of Economics, Social Work, Sociology, Administration, and Accounting at the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV). Methods: A qualitative-exploratory approach was employed, utilizing four focus groups (one per school) comprising a total of 54 students. Participants were required to be in the final years of their degree programs (3rd, 4th, or 5th year) or currently working on their final thesis. Additionally, they had to have completed or be currently taking courses related to research, methodology, or research methods. An interview guide based on topics linked to established analytical categories served as the research instrument. Furthermore, documentary data was gathered by reviewing the academic curricula of each degree program and their respective course units. Results: Students acknowledge receiving methodological training but lack the tools to apply these competencies in complex scenarios or within professional and workplace environments. While current programs and course units foster methodological competencies, there is a need to incorporate soft skills development into these units to enhance research capabilities. Conclusions: Knowledge management and soft skills constitute the fundamental axis for boosting university student research. Research linked to soft skills fosters the competencies needed to address complex realities and generate real-world solutions. Universities must adopt flexible curricula to provide training that accounts for global changes and trends; it is essential to align course units with processes that impact university knowledge management.