Educational Policies for Integrating College Competencies and ...

Executive SummaryIn the past decade, the role of higher education in workforce development has emerged as a key issuearound the world. Leading authorities inside and outside of government have begun questioning whethercolleges and universities are preparing graduates with the competencies and skills necessary to competein a dynamic global economy. As part of a series produced for the Global Policy Fellows Program, aninitiative of the Institute for Higher Education Policy, this paper analyzes how four countries—Brazil, Mongolia,Ukraine, and the United States—are meeting the dynamic challenge of workforce development withina global economic, political, and social context.A number of issues should be considered in examining the roleof higher education institutions in workforce development. Thispaper highlights how the four profiled countries are addressingthree facets of the challenge:• Basic skills development. A key consideration in examiningthe outcomes of higher education is whether graduatespossess and demonstrate the skills necessary to contributeand thrive in the labor market. It is also important tounderstand whether the skills of graduates align with theneeds of employers or of the national and global economies.• Internships. To complement developing skills throughacademic course work, many colleges and universities offerinternships in collaboration with employers. Internshipsoffer a natural bridge between academic study and full-timeemployment, foreshadowing the transition from the classroomto the working world for students.• Stakeholders. A number of groups have a keen interest inhelping higher education institutions improve the skills of theircitizens before they enter the workforce. These groups mayinclude elected officials, government policymakers, students,faculty and other institutional officials, and business leaders.Several themes emerge across the four profiled case studies.Each country illustrates a general lack of agreement amongkey stakeholders regarding desired workforce competencies.In addition, a tension in the labor market between balancingdemand for specialized, technical training with needs foruniversal basic and applied academic skills underscores anambiguity concerning the appropriate role of the governmentin directing, regulating, or influencing how institutions ofhigher education prepare students for the workforce.Although the profiled countries are quite different, three commonrecommendations emerge in reviewing the challenges facinginstitutions of higher education in each country. First, collegesand universities, in collaboration with business and government,should examine whether academic programs develop theacademic, applied, and “soft” skills needed by employers. Similarly,institutions of higher education need to ensure that studentsdemonstrate proficiency in basic academic skills needed byemployers such as writing, reading, mathematics, andcritical thinking. Finally, institutions should establish internshipopportunities for students to acquire “real life” work experiencein their chosen field. These recommendations can be consideredand implemented in both developed and developing countries.Addressing these issues is essential—countries with systemsof higher education that fail to meet workforce needs will fallbehind those that satisfy evolving labor market demands.INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY01