The Key Skills Programme managed by Saarland University's Centre for Lifelong Learning (ZelL)

Key skills are generally understood to mean those core competencies, which when combined with professional knowledge and expertise, enable someone to act appropriately and respond flexibly in different professional situations. 

Students, teaching staff, researchers, non-enrolled students and other members of Saarland University can acquire the Key Skills Certificate by taking part in the key skills programme run by the university's Centre for Lifelong Learning (ZelL). The Key Skills Certificate is an additional qualification that documents your personal skills development path and the core skills that you have acquired for academic study, professional work or for teaching and research. 

In some subject areas and degree programmes, students have the option of having the credits they earned from key skills courses included in their diploma supplement or transcript of records. To obtain the Key Skills Certificate, you must have completed activities or events totalling at least 30 work units (see definition below) and you will need to submit a key skills portfolio of at least 15 pages. You will also have to select a special interest option (see list below), which will involve attending an introductory course in that area as part of the 30 work units to be completed. The remaining courses that you attend in order to complete the required 30 work units are freely selectable.  

At present, you can choose from among the following special interest options:  

  • Intercultural Proficiency  
  • Project Management  
  • Communication  
  • Leadership Skills  
  • Media Literacy  
  • Research Skills  
  • Self-affirmation, mental and physical health  
  • Diversity Skills   
  • Methodological Skills  
  • Digital Literacy  
  • Career Competencies 

For more information about the certificate programme and how to apply, please go to the Centre of Lifelong Learning (ZelL) website. 

How to include Career Center events in your Key Skills Certificate

If you take part in one of the events organized by the university's Career Center (including the on-campus job fair 'next'), that event can count towards your Key Skills Certificate provided that participation in the event as equivalent to at least five work units. The number of work units is determined by the duration of the event. Your signature on the attendance list is typically used to prove that you took part in the event. If you participate in an online event or course, all you need to do is message us via the event's live chat to say that you are registered with Key Skills Certificate programme. If you attend the 'Career Tuesday' event, participation will be counted if you take part in the interview following the company presentation. To confirm that you attended the job fair, simply drop by our stand and bring your CV with you. You'll be rewarded with 1 work unit towards your certificate and we'll take the opportunity to give you a few tips on your CV. And once you've completed a total of 5 work units, send us an email listing the events you attended, and we'll send you confirmation of participation as soon as possible. 

What is a work unit? 

One work unit corresponds to approximately 45 minutes of skills-related work or study. Please note that this is an approximate figure and that the calculation of work units may differ between courses or events. Please get in touch if you are unsure about the total number of units you have completed or how this total was calculated.