Higher education and the labour market

1
Higher education and the labour market

• Andrée Sursock, EUA
• OECD
• February 2007

2
Higher educations response

• The boundaries between university/industry have
  become very porous e.g., contract research and
  university spin-offs
• In terms of governance, trend for external
  members on university boards, including employers
  or employer representatives
• In terms of the curriculum
• stress on learning outcomes
• flexible learning paths, ECTS and accreditation
  of priori learning, including work experience
• development of a qualifications framework at
  European level shaped by HEIs, students, trade
  unions, employers and governments

3
Higher educations response

• In terms of teaching methods student-centred
  learning
• In terms of student records the Diploma
  Supplement
• In terms of quality assurance including
  employers on evaluation panels
• Access issues
• outreach to secondary schools and to minority
  students.
• working with vocational higher education
  institutions

4
What more needs to be done?

• Strengthening research partnerships with industry
• Developing career services and in general student
  services to deal with first-generation HE
  students
• Promoting lifelong learning and recognition of
  informal learning
• Implementing learning outcomes
• Rethinking student assessment
• Convincing universities and employers that it is
  possible to get a job after the first cycle
• Encouraging work experience between cycles
• Promoting a discussion about the kinds of
  graduates we need for the 21st Century