Presenting the results and policy implications of a huge research project that consulted 70,000 European graduates of higher education, this report on the REFLEX project assesses how suited todays graduates are to the imperatives of a knowledge economy.
Higher education policy has increasingly gained a European dimension, with its own distinct influence over national education policies. Against this background, a major project was launched, the REFLEX project, which aims to make a contribution to assessing the demands that the modern knowledge society places on higher education graduates, and the degree to which higher education institutions in Europe are up to the task of equipping graduates with the competencies needed to meet these demands. The project also looks at how the demands, and graduates ability to realise them, is influenced by the way in which work is organised in firms and organisations. The REFLEX project has been carried out in sixteen different countries and consisted of a large scale survey among some 70.000 graduates. This report presents the major findings and draws important policy implications.
Acknowledgements.- Editors.- Contributors.- Management summary.-
1.
Introduction; Jim Allen and Rolf van der Velden_ 1.1 The policy context_ 1.2
The REFLEX project_ 1.3 Trends and demands_ 1.4 Methods and data_ 1.5
Structure of the report_ References_ Appendix 1.1 First and second level
programmes per country.
2. The Flexible Professional in the Knowledge
Society; Rolf van der Velden and Jim Allen_ 2.1 Introduction_ 2.2 The demands
from the world of work_ 2.3 On the role of higher education in preparing
graduates for the labour market_ 2.4 The effects of programme characteristics
on competences_ 2.5 Does higher education provide a good basis to enter the
labour market?_ 2.6 Conclusions_References.-
3. The Professional Work of
Graduates; Harald Schomburg_ 3.1 What makes a profession?_ 3.2 Who is working
as a professional?_ 3.3 The role of professional knowledge_ 3.4
Professional role and professional identity_ 3.5 Professions and power_ 3.6
Discussion of results_ References_ Appendix 3.1 Mapping of 3-digit ISCO
occupational codes to typology of professions.-
4. Being Flexible:
Graduates Facing Changes in Their Work Environment; Julien Calmand, Michela
Frontini and Michele Rostan_ 4.1 The changing work environment of European
graduates_ 4.2 Outline of the chapter_ 4.3 Changes in graduates work and
employment situation_ 4.4 Employment mobility in graduates early career_ 4.5
The impact of employment mobility on graduates competences_ 4.6 Employment
mobility as a way to get a good job_ 4.7 Graduates facing temporary work_ 4.8
Functional flexibility in graduate employment and work_ 4.9 Functional
flexibility, competences, and higher education_ 4.10 Conclusions: two
different ways of being flexible_ References.-
5. The Graduates in the
Knowledge and Innovation Society; Jean-Jacques Paul_ 5.1 Introduction_ 5.2
Some conceptual elements about innovation_ 5.3 What organisations are likely
to be moreinnovative?_ 5.4 The place and the role of graduates regarding
innovation_ 5.5 Are graduates equipped for innovation?_ 5.6 Innovation,
occupations and rewards_ 5.7 Conclusions_References_Appendix 5.1 To what
extent innovative activities are related to a specific working environment?.-
6. Mobilization of Human Resources; Jim Allen_ 6.1 Clarifying concepts_ 6.2
Mobilization of human resources during higher education_ 6.3 Higher education
as producer of mobilization competences_ 6.4 Mobilization of human
resources after higher education_ 6.5 Determinants of utilization of own
capacities_ 6.6 Determinants of mobilization of others capacities_ 6.7
Conclusions_References.-
7. International Dimensions of Higher Education and
Graduate Employment; Ulrich Teichler_ 7.1 The growing relevance of
international dimensions_ 7.2 International mobility_ 7.3 The impact of
international mobility on employment and work_ 7.4 Foreign language
proficiency_ 7.5 Internationally mobile careers compared to home careers_ 7.6
Concluding observations_ References.-
8. Winners and Losers; Liv Anne Stųren
and Clara Åse Arnesen_ 8.1 Introduction_ 8.2 Labour market situation match
or mismatch_ 8.3 Wages_ 8.4 Work orientations_ 8.5 Job satisfaction_8.6
Summary and conclusions_ References_ Appendix 8.1 Definition of mismatch_
Appendix 8.2 The effect on wages of gender, grades, level of education, field
of study, mismatch and type of job contract_ Appendix 8.3 Definition of
winners and losers according to the graduates response to the questions on
work values and job characteristics (realization of work values).-
9.
Conclusions and policy implications; Rolf van der Velden and Jim Allen_ 9.1
General conclusions_ 9.2 Policy implications.- Index.
