Abstract Aim: Recent developments measured using statistics and surveys among veterinarians show that integrating key competence training into veterinary education is becoming increasingly important. This article describes the collaborative development process of the first work package within the SOFTVETS project. The SOFTVETS project aims to create a competence model and an ideal version of a soft skills curriculum that can be implemented in veterinary higher education throughout Europe. Method: In the course of a desk research phase, a literature review and an inventory of the current practice of key competence training within veterinary education was carried out. An initial set of recommendations for three competence areas was develop...