Graduate Employability Research Articles

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

This study investigates the complex relationship between academic achievement and graduate employability in the context of higher education and the changing employment market. The study looks into the relationship between graduate employability and academic achievement as measured by the cumulative grade point average (CGPA), take of value (TOV), and TOV. The study tracks changes in employability outcomes across time, including employed, jobless, increasing skills, waiting for placement, and pursuing further education. This association is dynamic, the study finds. Beyond academic accomplishments, the study also considers the value of soft skills in boosting graduates' employability, concentrating on communication, teamwork, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities. This study offers useful insights into the debates around academic quality, practical skills, and holistic employability by addressing these issues, guiding higher education.

Comparing Library Science Education in India and Australia: Issues, Challenges and Growth Strategies for India

Library education in India and Australia has developed independently with distinct features. This paper provides brief profile of the history of India and Australia followed by discussion of the evolution of LIS education in both the countries. The paper is a comparative study. It discusses the different issues and challenges encountered in LIS education in India and Australia. This comparison is an attempt to critique improvements that must be made to LIS education in India to ensure on going sustainability and relevance. In India, the growth of library schools; dated LIS curricula; increasing student faculty ratios; accreditation; and the employability of graduates are some key issues. In Australia challenges include the broad employment landscape; mismatch between pay and qualifications; decreasing numbers of educators; existence of a multi-tiered system; LIS students and institutional affiliations. A number of strategies have been used in both India and Australia to enhance LIS education. Using LIS education in Australia as a benchmark the authors show how LIS education in India can be enhanced and improved.

네트워크 분석 및 토픽모델링을 활용한직업교육 연구 동향 분석

The purpose of this study was to analyze vocational education research trends using network analysis and topic modeling. A total of 981 journals of vocational education research and vocational competency development research were analyzed from 2008 to 2022, and analyzed separately based on the period of government administration. As a result of network analysis, the main keywords identified were specialized vocational high schools, university students, employment, mediation effect, teachers, youth, performance, competency, self-efficacy, and programs. The top 25 keywords were restructured, divided into research subjects and research contents, and analyzed in detail across specific areas. Keywords were separated research subject, research content, and research method, and the research content was consisted of employment and labor, vocational career education, performance competency, psychological variables, and learning organization. The results were obtained by conducting an analysis of degree centrality, between centrality, and eigenvector centrality by government period. As a result of the topic modeling analysis, 8 topics were consisted of human resource development evaluation and performance analysis, employment and labor market transition for university graduates, development of professional competency for vocational competency development, career development for students from specialized vocational high schools, and human resource development and training, organizational development for individuals, learning, university students' career decisions, and specialized vocational high school curriculum. Based on these finding, suggestions for future research were derived.

NORMATIVE-LEGAL ASPECTS OF PROMOTING A CULTURE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY IN THE CONDITIONS OF KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT

The article discusses issues of academic integrity in higher education institutions with consideration of legal support. In the context of promoting a culture of quality, the implementation of international principles of academic integrity is a priority for the development of the education system. Academic integrity is an important component in the training of specialists at higher education institutions and depends on the policy of promoting a culture of integrity, establishing clear rules and assessments that encourage creativity. The study of promoting a culture of quality and academic integrity includes methods of theoretical analysis, comparative analysis, assessment of the state of the education system, legislative support, formation of new approaches to developing policies of academic integrity in universities to improve the quality of training and the employability of graduates as competitive specialists in the labour market. The value of the article lies in the in-depth study of the interaction between promoting a culture of academic integrity and the quality assurance of education. The aim of the article is to study the legal aspects of promoting the principles of academic integrity and the quality assurance of education in the context of the knowledge economy.

From academia to industry: A framework to securely implement big data and AI to predict college graduates' employment trajectories

The transition from academia to industry can be unpredictable, but what if we could forecast college graduate employment outcomes with both accuracy and robust security? This study introduces an innovative framework that leverages secure data analysis and machine learning to predict the employment trajectories of college graduates. By integrating homomorphic encryption, we safeguard the privacy of sensitive personal and academic data while enabling complex machine learning operations. Our approach involves meticulous data collection, feature engineering, encryption, and model development, resulting in a robust model that addresses privacy concerns without sacrificing prediction accuracy. We demonstrate our model's superiority over traditional approaches, achieving a notable increase in both security and stability. This research illuminates the potential of encrypted data analysis in reshaping predictive modeling methods, offering insights for educational institutions, policymakers, and students. Our findings not only address a pressing issue in employment forecasting but also lay the groundwork for secure and ethical big data applications across various domains.

Intrapreneurial ecosystems in academia and their overlooked outputs: Graduate employability and wellbeing

The aim of this paper is dual: a) to elaborate a systemic concept of intrapreneurship in academia which will be reflective of complexities and idiosyncrasies of the University as a multi-mission multi-function organisation; and b) to empirically test this concept in the context of relatively neglected outputs of academic intrapreneurship such as graduate employability and graduate wellbeing. Guided by an intrapreneurial ecosystem framework, our analysis is based on a combination of administrative and survey panel data for 141 UK higher education institutions. We arrive at several contributing findings. These suggest that the intrapreneurial ecosystem within academia is increasingly predisposed towards enhancing the quality of graduate outcomes rather than simply promoting raw measures such as graduate jobs or the number of graduate start-ups. Furthermore, we reveal the critical role of University national stakeholder networks for graduate career satisfaction, start-up generation, and undergraduate employment. Finally, our empirical exercise and its results demonstrate the practical value of the proposed concept of the intrapreneurial ecosystem for University management and practitioners, not least because it systematically identifies areas for an immediate, medium- and long-term action.

Comprehensively assessing the value level of dual education projects

In the seventh version of the PMBOK standard, a significant change is the systematic understanding of the "delivery" of value as part of the standard. Implementing a systematic model for managing project integration in dual educati on development portfolios involves identifying stakeholders and assessing their values. Each stakeholder has their own values related to their expectations regarding project outcomes. The level of value was chosen as a measure. This article presents a method for forming a comprehensive assessment of the level of value of dual education projects and the levels of value of its indicators, such as the value of the project for the state, for business structures and employers in the region, for educational institutions, and for students. The analysis showed that today a timely and objective assessment of the state of the organisation is especially important, and a comprehensive assessment of its state is based only on qualitative scales and relations of superiority between factors in the structure of the hierarchy of these factors, and thus a promising approach is the use of fuzzy sets and systems of fuzzy logic. Since the components that determine the formation of values of each stakeholder in the results of dual education projects include both qualitative and quantitative factors, the task is to take into account both quantitative and qualitative features in a comprehensive assessment of the level of value of projects. In order to provide an objective evaluation of its level through quantitative assessment, it is necessary to develop an expert opinion using additional information from the histograms of the factors' distribution. This article formalises the transition from a set of histograms to a classifier in an expert system for assessing the value of projects. Previously, this transition relied on heuristics and expert intuition.The validity of estimates for distinguishing fuzzy classes is significantly improved by constructing the classifier in this manner. The method utilises the fuzzy set apparatus and fuzzy inference system.The article presents a demonstration of the developed procedures for assessing the value level of dual education projects in an educational institution located in the Dnipro region. The institution has prior experience in implementing such projects and has collected statistics on the employment of graduates in the relevant field.The application of the developed method has resulted in a significant practical effect. It enables us to assess the levels of indicator values that form the project's value, and to determine the dynamics of changes in stakeholders' expected values due to the implementation or change in scale of a dual education project.As the membership functions of the calculated levels of value for dual education projects are trapezoidal fuzzy numbers, they can be treated as interval numbers when managing a portfolio of dual education development projects.

Navigating across academic labour markets: a Bourdieusian reflexive narrative of a Chinese international doctoral graduate’s employment experiences

ABSTRACT Much research has investigated international graduate employability in home or host countries. However, limited studies have accounted for such employability across the home and the host. Drawing on Bourdieu’s relational and reflexive sociology, this paper critically examined the first author’s narrative of his employment experiences as a doctoral graduate navigating across Chinese and Australian academic fields after completing ten years of higher education and research training in Australia. While he encountered various challenges due to capital deficiency and habitus-field mismatch, he also reflexively learned to capitalise on his transnational academic dispositions and decode different logics of practice across different academic fields. Thus, he underwent constant changes of identity, agency, and belonging in his cross-field employment journey, which potentially shaped his transnational habitus. This Bourdieusian reflexive narrative contributes to research and practice on graduate employability and reflexivity from a sociological perspective.

Status of Instructional Leadership Practices in Botswana's Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training: A Case of Brigades

This qualitative multi-case study explores instructional leadership practices at Botswana's brigades, a key provider of semi-skilled Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes. This study investigated the perspectives of instructional leaders and lecturers at two institutions in the Southern District to understand their experiences with leadership practices. Drawing on Hallinger and Murphy's (1985) framework, this research examines how instructional leadership unfolds within brigades, focusing on defining the mission, managing curriculum and instruction, and fostering a positive learning environment. Furthermore, it explores the collaborative practices of the leadership team, including principals, deputy principals, and department heads. The findings reveal a general understanding of instructional leadership among participants, with some evidence of practices, such as curriculum management and stakeholder involvement. However, concerns have been raised regarding communication gaps, limited shared leadership, and ineffective evaluation. The study also identified essential competencies for instructional leaders, including communication, planning, and resource management. Key challenges include information overload, resource shortage, and staff training gaps. The participants suggested strategies for improvement, emphasizing streamlined expectations, consistent monitoring, leadership development, and adequate resourcing. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of instructional leadership in Botswana's TVET sector and provides insights for enhancing programme quality and graduate employability.

How does entrepreneurship education affect employability? Insights from UK higher education

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the underexplored link between entrepreneurship education (EE) and graduate employability in the higher education (HE) sector in the United Kingdom (UK).Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on a thematic content analysis of semi-structured interviews with 45 professionals in UK HE, representing the “supply” side of EE.FindingsThe findings demonstrate a unidirectional link between EE and employability outcomes. This link is affected by societal, stakeholder-related, and teaching and learning-related factors.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the value of universities’ initiatives connecting EE and employability for economic development is emphasized, the study does not provide direct empirical evidence for this effect. Macroeconomic research is needed.Practical implicationsEE and employability would benefit from knowledge exchange between universities’ stakeholders and a broader understanding of what constitutes a valuable graduate outcome.Social implicationsThe study reveals the benefits of EE on a micro level. Participation in EE supports the connection between individual investments in HE and employability.Originality/valueBased on human capital theory, many policymakers regard EE as a vehicle through which the relationship between investments in HE and career success on a micro level and economic growth on a macro level can be nurtured. Challenging this logic, the study highlights the potential of institutional theory to explain a contextualization of the link between EE and employability on a national level.

Analysis of factors affecting college students' employment in post-epidemic era and policy suggestions

In the post-epidemic period, with the global economic downturn, the employment concept and employment planning of college graduates have also changed under the influence of factors such as the expansion of the scale of college graduates, the contraction of labor demand and the deterioration of employment stability. The employment situation of college graduates is becoming more complex and severe. Based on the survey of college students in Nanjing Audit University, this paper analyzes the employment situation of college graduates at the present stage, and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions for promoting the employment of college graduates in the post-epidemic era.

Developing “learning society” as a basic condition for perfect management education in China

The article analyzes the Chinese educational system historical formation as an instrument of human capital development. Using the historical retrospection method and hermeneutic method, the authors, based on the works of ancient Chinese thinkers, study the development and formation of management education as a core element of the Chinese educational system. Turning to Chinese prognosticism, the authors take the image of the Great Unity society, that is, social justice and equal opportunities for all citizens (“Datong”) as a basis for the future desired image, which throughout centuries of Chinese history show the universal value of education and the high status of a civil servant in such a society. The historical background of modern educational system formation has been described and one of the key problems of modern China – the gap between the huge demand for higher education in society and the difficulties in the employment of graduates – pointed out. Conclusions have been drawn about the main features of the public administration modern system, the Chinese education place in the international market of educational services and the possible contribution of Chinese public administration researchers to the solution of public problems both within the country and around the world. Strategic scenarios for the further development of Chinese society in the context of the Datong project have been outlined.

Comparative analysis of higher education on the example of certain countries of the European and Asia-Pacific regions

This study analyses and compares higher education in Germany, France, and Singapore. The authors highlight the similarities and differences between higher education systems in some countries of the European and Asia-Pacific regions. Its structure is described, with consideration to characteristics of each state, the place of these countries in the leading world rankings on the level of education is given (Education Index 2022 of the United Nations Development Programme and Human Development Report 2021–2022). A comparative analysis of the study duration, principles of building a higher education system was conducted. Also, the authors studied participation of employers (organisations and enterprises) and state in the process, along with issues of employment of graduates as a criterion for this method. The role of the relative independence of higher educational institutions in resolving admission issues was identified. The authors examined the stages of mastering programmes, the requirements for applicants when entering educational organisations, the types of degrees, and the procedure for awarding them. The system of dual (practice-oriented) training was explored as a basis for employment of graduates in France and Germany, the principles and goals of its functioning in the analysed states of the European region were clarified.

Accelerating Graduate Employability through Work-Integrated Learning

Work integrated learning (WIL) encompasses educational experiences that merge academic knowledge and practical application in a professional setting, benefiting both students and the existing workforce. The objective of incorporating WIL into education is to foster the integration of theoretical understanding by engaging students in a combination of academic coursework and hands-on work-related activities. With the rise in unemployment, WIL appears to help organizations to get graduates that have all the attributes and skills relevant in the world or work, thereby expanding and growing their businesses ensuring greater prosperity for all concerned. The aim of this article was to assess the role Work Integrated Learning in accelerating Graduate Employability. Four WIL coordinators from different academic programmes that offer WIL as a module participated in this paper. Data was analysed using Thematic analysis, following Braun & Clark steps. The study revealed a direct correlation between academic performance and practical application in the professional setting. This paper therefore argues that WIL programmes can contribute immensely to the overall development of graduates and increase their chances of employment. The study revealed that WIL coordinators should review placement arrangements to improve WIL. This study found that Work Integrated Learning (WIL) has a positive effect on graduate employability and skills development, and that university WIL coordinators should review placement arrangements to ensure that students have enough training and development prior to placement.

GOVERNMENT POLICY IN THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN MODERN KAZAKHSTAN

Today the problem of youth employment is very relevant. Over the years of independence, the country has adopted various state programs for the employment of the country's youth. This article will highlight the programs carried out to reduce youth unemployment and their results. Foreign studies that investigate this problem have also been studied. These works provide an analysis of measures to eliminate youth unemployment. Comparative and statistical research methods were applied. The article discusses the problems of unemployment of the modern youth of our country, as well as analyzes programs to address this issue. The study examined the Youth Corps Project (Zhasproject), and analyzed the results of the implementation of this program to reduce the unemployment rate of young people in Kazakhstan. The study assessed the effectiveness of the current state policy in the field of youth employment, analyzed state regulation and the importance of the welfare state in ensuring youth employment. The issues of employment of university graduates are considered, recommendations are given to improve the effectiveness of state regulation of youth employment in the future.

Совершенствование системы обучения персонала на туристическом предприятии

In the modern world tourism enterprises require specialists with a knowledge base and practical skills and abilities to work with clients. Over the past decade there has been a tendency to consolidate tour operator and travel agency networks, which causes a high demand for managers in the tourism sector. On the other hand, in order to be successful in this profession an employee must have a set of competencies and other qualities. Every year the list of requirements for candidates for this position is updated with new qualities and skills, among which employers indicate as mandatory the availability of higher education in the field of tourism, as well as work experience in this area. The purpose of this article is to study the theoretical aspects of recruitment and training of personnel at a tourism enterprise and to develop an internship program for new employees. An internship can be one of the forms of employment for university graduates. To date internships at enterprises in the tourism industry are considered one of the most productive methods of training qualified personnel.

Employers’ Feedback on the Expectations and Performance of BSBA Marketing Management Graduates of Mariano Marcos State University: A Gap Analysis

Getting the employers’ feedback is very crucial in evaluating the quality of graduates Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) produce and the graduates’ employability. This study determines the expectations and graduates’ performance in terms of business/management competencies, marketing skills and personal qualities/attitudes as perceived by employers. The gap analysis between the expectations and performance of graduates will help the HEIs align their academic programs with the need of the industry. Through a descriptive research design and survey questionnaires administered to ninety-five (95) managers, supervisors and senior-level staff, the study assesses the alignment of the program with industry needs. The findings reveal that while graduates excel in certain competencies such as ethical standards, customer service, and people skills, and qualities such as initiative and risk orientation mindset, there are areas for improvement, including communication, stakeholder management and conflict resolution, positive values and work ethics, analytical skills, adaptability, marketplace understanding, database skills, organization and planning, motivational skills, environment and global awareness, reliability, self-discipline, optimism, proactiveness, and productivity. Recommendations are provided to enhance the BSBA Marketing Management curriculum, implement competency development programs, and collaboration and feedback mechanisms between the employers and academic institution to better prepare graduates for employment.

Academic and professional profile of cardiology fellowship graduates of National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chávez from 2000 to 2015.

The Ignacio Chávez National Institute of Cardiology (NIC) has positioned itself as an international benchmark in cardiovascular medical education, standing out for its high academic standards and human quality. This study aims to identify the employment and academic profile of cardiology fellowship graduates from the National Institute of Cardiology of Mexico (NIC). A cross-sectional and retrospective study was conducted, involving 473 graduates from the period 2000-2015. Data was collected through an electronic survey. A total of 221 graduates agreed to participate, accounting for 46.7% of the total number of graduates. Among the participants, 85.2% were male. The majority of graduates (82.4%) held Mexican nationality, while the remaining individuals represented various Latin-American nationalities. Following the completion of the cardiology fellowship, 89% of graduates pursued further postgraduate degrees. Within this group, 95.4% completed at least one additional fellowship, while 4.6% pursued a master's or PhD program. The most popular fellowship program chosen was Interventional Cardiology. On average, NIC graduates dedicate 10.8 hours per day to their work, with 6.4 hours dedicated to cardiology and 4.3 hours to their other postgraduate degree. Those employed in both public and private health systems allocate 6.1 hours and 5.2 hours per day, respectively. Additionally, 75% of graduates are involved in teaching activities. Currently, 84% of graduates are employed in Mexico. The majority of NIC graduates are physicians who further their academic training by pursuing additional postgraduate programs. They work longer hours per day compared to the general Mexican population, with a significant focus on clinical cardiology. Graduates actively seek opportunities to share their expertise through various academic activities.

The integration of Graduate Attributes within the hospitality management curriculum at higher education institutions

South African institutions of higher learning are responsible for producing graduates who are well-prepared for the demands of the world of work. To meet this imperative, universities have adopted the use of graduate attributes (GAs) to develop and showcase their graduates’ skills and competencies. Furthermore, the current economic landscape places pressure on universities to produce highly skilled and employable graduates. Despite the recognised significance of GAs, lecturers often encounter difficulties when attempting to integrate them into the curriculum. The problem (gap), however, is that lecturers find it difficult to integrate these GAs for various reasons, including a lack of comprehensive understanding, effective teaching methods, and reliable assessment strategies of GAs. Moreover, the absence of structured training programs for lecturers on how to integrate GAs into the curriculum is a hindrance to the GAs’ successful implementation. This paper aims to determine the extent to which the GAs have been implemented within the hospitality curriculum in South Africa. A desktop review study was conducted and analysed according to identified themes. The findings propose developing the framework, a guiding tool, that will enable academic institutions to integrate GAs into their curriculum.

Graduate employability and international education: an exploration of foreign students’ experiences in China

ABSTRACT Despite the increasing research attention on international graduates’ employability and vocational development, most studies have focused on their employability in developed countries; little is known about their employability in developing countries such as China. In this qualitative study, 15 international graduates from two Chinese universities voluntarily participated in in-depth interviews to share their insights about how they negotiated employability in China. The study employed Bourdieu’s cultural theory, Tomlinson’s graduate capital model, and Pham’s employability agency framework as complementary conceptual frameworks. The findings revealed that international graduates in China strategically developed various capital (e.g., human, social, identity, cultural, psychological, identity, and agentic) to navigate the Chinese labour market. To some extent, the role of these capitals in the Chinese context was distinct. This study suggests that different stakeholders should collaboratively support international students in China to develop and utilise various employability capital during and after their study programme.