Departing from the current global trends and discussions in architecture, this article presents a reflection on the type of competences that UCPR architecture students must develop in order to make an important contribution to the improvement of life conditions in our region and to the enrichment of local and global cultures. The article is based on the recognition that today's world increasingly demands both technical skills and sensitivity to and knowledge of the physical, environmental, socio-cultural, economic and political contexts in which we live. The article posits that these demands must shape the content of academic programs in architecture in order to allow them to offer an integral education.