How non-cognitive skills are taught at schools

Non-cognitive skills—including critical thinking, collaboration, and emotional intelligence—have become essential for economic competitiveness and individual career success, yet educational systems worldwide struggle with systematic approaches to teaching these competencies. While employers consistently rank these skills as top hiring priorities and economic research demonstrates their significant impact on lifetime earnings, schools often lack clear frameworks for developing them beyond traditional academic subjects. This study examines how non-cognitive skills are currently taught across different educational contexts, analyzing international approaches and implementation challenges through a comparative lens with specific focus on Portugal's international schools, where diverse pedagogical traditions converge to address these critical workforce preparation gaps.