This study examined the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in modeling knowledge-competency partnerships (KCPs) for national development, with a focus on five core dimensions: curriculum alignment, industry partnerships, graduate employability, research translation, and policy engagement. Using a mixed-methods quantitative approach, data were collected from 240 administrators, academics, and industry stakeholders across 20 HEIs in a developingcountry context. Descriptive statistics revealed that graduate employability (M = 3.71, SD = 0.67) and curriculum alignment (M = 3.82, SD = 0.64) were the most strongly practiced KCP dimensions, while policy engagement (M = 3.38, SD = 0.76) remained the least developed. Bivariate correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive associations among all KCP dimensions and national development outcomes, with the KCP composite index correlating strongly with economic growth (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), human development (r = 0.55, p < 0.001), and innovation output (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that graduate employability (β = 0.26, p < 0.001) and curriculum alignment (β = 0.21, p < 0.001) were the strongest predictors of the KCP composite index, jointly accounting for 58.4% of variance (R² = 0.584). Structural equation modeling validated a well-fitting theoretical model (CFI = 0.946, RMSEA = 0.052), confirming that the KCP index exerted significant positive effects on all three national development outcomes, with innovation output receiving the strongest path coefficient (β = 0.67, p < 0.001). These findings affirm that HEIs serve as critical architects of national development when they actively model and institutionalize KCPs across academic, research, and policy domains. The study recommends the formalization of KCP frameworks within national higher education policies, the establishment of structured HEI-industry cogovernance mechanisms, and targeted investment in policy engagement capacities within HEIs.