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The Future of Graduate Employment and Work and the
Implications for Higher Education
Contribution to the OECD/France International Conference “Higher Education to 2030: What Futures for Quality
Accessin the Era of Globalisation?”
Conservatoire National des Arts et MétiersParis, 8 – 9 December 2008
Ulrich TeichlerInternational Centre for Higher Education Research Kassel
INCHER-KASSELUniversity of Kassel, 34109 Kassel
GermanyTel. ++49-561-804 2415Fax ++49-561-804 7415
E-mail: teichler@incher-uni-kassel.de
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The Educational Functionsof Higher Education
To transmit understanding of academic theories, methods and knowledge
Cultural enhancement and personality development
Preparing students for future work by conveying the “tools” and “rules” of conventional professional work
Prepare students to call into question the established “rules” and “tools” of professional work: to be sceptical and critical, to handle indeterminate work tasks, to strive for innovation
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3 Higher Education Needs
Knowledge on Graduates’
Employment Work Knowledge utilisationas a feed-back in order to reflect the consequences of one of its core activities, i.e. those of knowledge transmission, in the domain of curricula, teaching and learning.This holds true irrespective of the extent to which the higher education systems as a whole, certain types of institutions, types of study programmes or fields or study have a
“vocational”/“professional” or “academic” emphasis.
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Growing Public InterestThe public interest in the employment and workoutcome of higher education has grown over theyears in Europe as a consequence of higher education expansion,
because the expanding lower level programmes and graduates are expected in most European countries to be more directly prepared for the world of work (cf. in the Bologna Process the “employability debate” and the concern about the professional relevance of university bachelor)
growing utilitarian expectationsharboured with research to higher education (cf. in the Lisbon Process the call to make Europe the “most competitive economy” with the help of knowledge enhancement)
increasing pressures to provide evidence about proper processes and desirable outcomes (cf. the popularity of terms and measures such as “evaluation”, “accreditation”, “accountability” or “evidence-based policy”).
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5 Two Major Ambivalences in the
Worldwide Debates on Higher Education and the World of WorkThe quantitative ambivalence:
On the one hand: Expansion of higher education is beneficial for economic growth
On the other hand: “Over-education” (employment problems faced by graduates)
The functional ambivalence: On the one hand: Call for professional relevance of
study programmes and study or for “employability” On the other hand: Concerns about too little
emphasis on academic learning, general education, and benefits beyond the labour market, about sub-ordination on current employers’ and neglect of critical function as well as of preparation for indeterminate work tasks and of innovation in general
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Higher Education has to Look Forward for About 40 Years
Curricular innovation might need five years
Period of study might last five years
Graduates will be employed for about 30 years on average
Potentials and Limitations of Long Term Strategies
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7 Options of Higher Education vis-à-vis
Long-Term Developments of Graduate Employment and Work
Quantitative: HE expansion and graduate employment Structures: Diversity of HE systems and the
compositionof graduate employment and work
Functions: Increasing life-long learning/continuingprofessional education
Curricula I: Competences and job requirements Curricula II: Preparation for labour market dynamics
and uncertainties Curricula III: Assumption of international convergence
or persistence of differences betweencountries
Curricula IV: Internationalisation
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8 Quantitative Options for Higher
Education
OECD 1997 (Reconsidering Tertiary Education): Trend towards universal tertiary education
Growing relevance of tertiary education for associate professionals
“Over-education” or growing relevance for middle-level occupations?
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Low Level of Over-education in Europe 2005 Occupation (ISCO88) by Type of Study Programme
Occupation (ISCO88) Type of Study Programme Total
University (long duration)
University (short duration,
Fachhochschule, HBO, AMK, etc.)
Other 2 4 3
Clerks 4 6 5
Assoc. prof. 15 40 23
Professionals 70 42 61
Manager 8 8 8
Total 100 100 100
Source: REFLEX 2005; INCHER-Kassel
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Low Level of Over-education in Europe
Appropriate Level of Education is Below Tertiary Education – (4-5 Years After Graduation; %)
1218
712
6 7 73 1
8 812
1712 10 7 7
146 3 4
9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
IT ES FR AT DE NL UK FI NO CZ Gesamt
Country of degree award
Per
cent
of
Gra
duat
es
1999 2005
Source: CHEERS 1999 and REFLEX 2005; INCHER-Kassel
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11 Structural Options of Higher
EducationOptions Types of institutions and programmes Intra-institutional diversity or inter-institutional
diversity in HE Flat or steep “vertical” quality/reputation
differences
Issues Types of “theoretical” vs. “applied” occupations? Bachelor-/master-structure: intra-institutional
diversity in some but not in all countries? Are we moving towards an “elite knowledge
society” or towards a “mass knowledge society”?
Tensions between “vertical” and “horizontal” diversity
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Major Curricular Options
Alternatives Academic vs. professional fields of study Academic reflections vs. reflections of the tensions
between academic and professional problem-solving “Theoretical” vs. applied approach Specific vs. general
Key issues Do long-term views call for general education? Do the country distinctions between professional
vs. general emphasis disappear or continue?
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Major Terms and Concepts of Competences Other Than Specific Knowledge(“Employability Skills”, “Key Skills” etc.)
Transfer of (academic) knowledge to professional work assignments (“problem-solving activities”)
Development of typical working styles (e.g. working under pressure, working independently without clear assignments)
Development of typical working values (“loyality”, “achievement orientation”)
Social skills (“leadership”, “team work”, etc.) Supplementary knowledge (foreign languages, ICT,
organisational knowledge, etc.) Context awareness (“adaptation”, “reflection”,
“risk tasking”, etc.) Learning to manage one’s own career
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14 Stability of Work Requirements:
1999 – 2005 (arithm. mean)
12345
Foreign language proficiency
Negotiating
Leadership
Reflective thinking, assessing one's own work
Analytical competencies
Documenting ideas and information
Creativity
Learning abilities
Planning, co-ordinating and organising
Computer skills
Working in a team
Working under pressure
Time management
2005(REFLEX)
1999(CHEERS)
Not at all Very high
Source: CHEERS 1999 and REFLEX 2005; INCHER-Kassel
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Possible Curricular Consequences
Strengthen disciplinary and professional knowledge
Strengthen knowledge transfer (“problem-solving abilities”)
Strengthen independent learning, reflection and critical thinking
Strengthen experiential learning (project, work experience in dialogue with the university, temporary study abroad, etc.)
Strengthen generic skills (general education!) Strengthen personality development
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Work Experience During the Course of Study(% of persons graduating in 1995)
D F UK I E
Work experience prior to study 45 17 19 8 7
Study-related work while studying 61 69 20 22 23
Non-study related work while studying 53 47 44 29 24
Internship 79 83 32 22 57Source: REFLEX Survey
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17 Relevance for Employers’ Decision to Recruit
Graduates as Perceived by 1995 Graduates (%)
D F UK I E
Contact to employers during the course of study 10 7 7 4 4
Work experience prior to study 29 18 30 10 29
Work experience during the course of study
55 52 41 21 20
Source: CHEERS Survey
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Internationalisation
Employment of graduates abroad: less than 5 percent from OECD countries?
Sent abroad by employers: more than5 percent?
Study abroad at least temporarily: more than 10 percent?
What do we expect in the future?
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The World of Work and the Responsibilities of the University
The subordinated university
The “ivory tower” autonomous university
The knowledgeable, reflective university
The pro-active university
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