This study examined the students' generic skills (communication, IT, numeracy, learning how to learn, problem solving, working with others, and subject-specific competencies) at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and the National University of Indonesia (UI). Students' self-reports demonstrated that UI students rated their generic skills higher than UKM students, and that among business management students, those at UKM rated their skills higher than those at UI, while in the economics department, UI students gave higher scores than UKM students. Multiple regression analysis showed that subject-specific competencies, learning how to learn, and numeracy were significantly associated with UI students' academic achievement. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.