This article explores which measures are perceived by European key stakeholders (students, employers and academics) as crucial for the development of curricula that provide graduates with working-life competences and key skills that may increase their employability. It also seeks to identify measures that may strengthen cooperation between companies and universities. This was achieved through the application of 1734 questionnaires to key stakeholders in five European countries which are part of the European project #Europehome. The most popular measure identified by all stakeholders was the internship. More specifically, internships are considered of great importance to increase graduates’ employability as well as being the best means of cooperation between universities and companies. In addition, the study identified a range of best practices and measures that may help lay the foundations and sustain the development of well-planned curricula.
BhattacharyyaN (2011) Management education: an approach towards nurturing students’ employability skills – a study on Tripura students. International Journal of Educational Research and Technology2(2): 20–29.
CaballeroGVázquezXHQuintásM (2015) Improving employability through stakeholders in European higher education: the case of Spain. Long Range Planning48(6): 398–411.
4.
CardosoJLEscariaVFerreiraVS, et al. (2014) Employability and higher education in Portugal. Journal of Graduate Employability0(July): 17–31.
5.
CrosbieR (2005) Learning the soft skills of leadership. Industrial and Commercial Training37(1): 45–51.
6.
European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice (2015) The European Higher Education Area in 2015: Bologna Process Implementation Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
7.
HolmesL (2013) Competing perspectives on graduate employability: possession, position or process?Studies in Higher Education38(4): 538–554.
8.
IdrusHDahanHMAbdullahN (2009) Challenges in the integration of soft skills in teaching technical courses: lecturer’s perspectives. Asian Journal of University Education5(2): 67–81.
9.
JacksonD (2010) An international profile of industry-relevant competencies and skill gaps in modern graduates. International Journal of Management Education8: 29–58.
10.
JacksonD (2016) Re-conceptualising graduate employability: the importance of pre-professional identity. Higher Education Research & Development35(5): 925–939.
11.
JacksonDBridgstockR (2018) Evidencing student success and graduate employability in the contemporary world-of-work: renewing our thinking. Higher Education Research and Development37(5): 984–998.
12.
LimaL (2012) Patterns of institutional management: democratisation, autonomy and the managerialist canon. In: NeaveGAmaralA (eds) Higher Education in Portugal 1974-2009: A Nation, a Generation. Porto/London: CIPES/Springer, pp. 287–306.
13.
MälkkiHPaateroJV (2015) Curriculum planning in energy engineering education. Journal of Cleaner Production106: 292–299.
14.
MocanuCZamfirAMPirciogS (2014) Matching curricula with labour market needs for higher education: state of art, obstacles and facilitating factors. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences149: 602–606.
15.
PinheiroMMSarricoCSSantiagoRA (2011) Competências de auto-desenvolvimento e metodologias PBL num curso de contabilidade: perspectivas de alunos, docentes, diplomados e empregadores [self-development skills and PBL methodologies in an accounting course: perspectives of students, teachers, graduates and employers]. Revista Lusófona de Educação17: 147–166.
16.
RaoMS (2014) Enhancing employability in engineering and management students through soft skills. Industrial and Commercial Training45(1): 42–48.
17.
RobertsonS (2009) O Processo de Bolonha da Europa torna-se global: modelo, mercado, mobilidade, força intelectual ou estratégia para construção do Estado? [The Bologna Process of Europe becomes global: model, market, mobility, intellectual strength or strategy for the State’s construction?]. Revista Brasileira de Educação14(42): 407–422.
18.
RoddisEMorganL (2008) Education and Skills Survey, 2008. London: Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
19.
RotherhamAJWillinghamD (2009) 21st century skills: the challenges ahead. Educational Leadership67(1): 16–21.
20.
SilvaE (2009) Measuring skills for 21st century learning. The Phi Delta Kappan90(9): 630–634.
21.
SmithMBellKBennettD, et al. (2018) Employability in a Global Context: Evolving Policy and Practice in Employability, Work Integrated Learning, and Career Development Learning. Wollongong: Graduate Careers Australia.
22.
StăiculescuCRichiţeanu-NăstaseEDobreaR (2014) The university and the business environment – partnership for education. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences180: 211–218.
23.
TymonA (2013) The student perspective on employability. Studies in Higher Education38(6): 841–856.
24.
YorkeM (2004) Employability in the Undergraduate Curriculum: Some student perspectives. European Journal of Education39(4): 409–427.
25.
YorkeMKnightPT (2006) Embedding Employability into the Curriculum: Learning & Employability Series One. New York: The Higher Education Academy (ESECT).
26.
YorkeMKnightP (2007) Evidence-informed pedagogy and the enhancement of student employability. Teaching in Higher Education12(2): 157–170.
