Teaching Public Procurement as a Transversal Competence in Peruvian University Education: proposal for training efficient public managers

Public procurement is a fundamental mechanism for the efficiency of the Peruvian State, requiring highly trained professionals for its optimal management.This study proposes the incorporation of public procurement teaching as a cross-cutting skill in Peruvian university education, through the analysis of current curricula and the identification of training gaps.A mixed approach was used, with a documentary analysis of 120 curricula from public and private universities, complemented by semi-structured interviews with 45 teachers and 60 graduates from courses related to public management.The results reveal that only 23% of academic programs include specific content on government procurement, while 89% of professionals consider this competency essential for job performance in the public sector.The proposed curriculum integrates legal, economic, and technological knowledge, structured in four progressive modules ranging from regulatory fundamentals to advanced process management.The implementation of this cross-cutting competency would strengthen the comprehensive training of future public managers, contributing significantly to the modernization of the state and the optimization of public resources.The gradual adoption of this proposal in administration, economics, accounting, law, and engineering programs is recommended, establishing strategic alliances with state entities for specialized pre-professional internships.