Graduate skills – Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education https://www.jriiejournal.com Mon, 19 Jan 2026 19:15:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://www.jriiejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cropped-JRIIE-LOGO-1-32x32.jpg Graduate skills – Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education https://www.jriiejournal.com 32 32 194867206 Aligning University Pedagogy to Competency-based Curriculum Reforms: Evidence-Informed Strategies and Implications for Graduate Skills and Employability https://www.jriiejournal.com/aligning-university-pedagogy-to-competency-based-curriculum-reforms-evidence-informed-strategies-and-implications-for-graduate-skills-and-employability/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=aligning-university-pedagogy-to-competency-based-curriculum-reforms-evidence-informed-strategies-and-implications-for-graduate-skills-and-employability Mon, 19 Jan 2026 19:06:33 +0000 https://www.jriiejournal.com/?p=8896 Read More Read More

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Luben Elia Mugarura, Fredrick Ssempala, Denis Sekiwu, Florence Kirabo Nampijja & Athanansio Bashaija
Kabale University, P.O. Box 317, Kabale, Uganda
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9525-0366
Email: lubenelia@gmail.com

Abstract: Since 2010, competency-based curriculum (CBC) reforms have increasingly influenced education systems worldwide, prompting alignment of university pedagogy to competency-oriented learning to strengthen graduate skills and employability. However, evidence suggests persistent gaps between CBC intentions and university teaching practices. This study adopted a narrative literature review design, synthesising empirical, conceptual, and policy-oriented studies published between 2010 and 2025. Literature was drawn from major academic databases and analysed thematically using key pillars of competency-based education to examine pedagogical interpretation, alignment, and implementation gaps in higher education. The review shows that although CBC reforms have reshaped curriculum frameworks and policy discourse, university pedagogy remains largely lecture-centred and examination-oriented. Limited adoption of learner-centred approaches, weak facilitative teaching practices, and constrained interdisciplinary learning restrict the development of transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, and adaptability. Pedagogical misalignment contributes to persistent gaps between graduate capabilities and employability expectations, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where institutional and contextual constraints are pronounced. The evidence demonstrates that aligning competency-based curriculum reforms with university pedagogy is central to improving graduate skills and employability outcomes. Effective alignment requires coordinated reforms that integrate curriculum design, pedagogy, assessment, and institutional support, which this review synthesises as evidence-informed pedagogical and institutional strategies. Without deliberate pedagogical transformation at the university level, the potential of CBC reforms to enhance graduate skills and employability remains limited.

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