Graduate redundancy - Whose liability is it?

Singeing budget cuts to higher education institutions, the pressure to accomplish more in less time, they serve different purposes, needs to be justified.

That improvement in the labor market or the skills required to carry out high quality research, social mobility, training people to be active citizens, and more efficient education system in this activity from the competition are weighted against each other.

Recent graduates of higher education reform in Europe, rising unemployment and stressed the needs of the labor market.

The unemployment rate is not the cause of education

Three arguments are used to explain the need for reform.

One says that there is a mismatch between skills and labor market demands. The other is an oversupply of graduates, says that for certain areas. Then, for some reason enough to simply have a reform of the education system, high unemployment, argue that.

If these problems can affect or cause that a thorough examination of other factors. They go beyond the content or quality of education and research as a need to understand the root causes of graduate unemployment.

Several issues discussed at the meeting conclude graduate unemployment. They are students and graduates of previous work experience in its sector to offer temporary contracts often put off low-paid and much easier to include a survey of employers.
But a number of tax policy, employers and weak economic performance, lack of incentives, including a structural problem often helps.

Initiatives to improve employment

Education should not be used as a scapegoat to fix graduate unemployment - well-known and need to solve the current obstacles and all stakeholders need to accept their responsibility to solve these problems.

In order to improve the work of the graduates of the many initiatives that are taking place in the national and local levels.

They range from the European Commission's recent communication on the development of Rethinking Education and university career centers within higher education as an indicator of financial decisions on graduate employment, as well as reforms aimed at national calls.

There was not ready for anything, but to do it on their terms, we should ask.

For example, the applications of innovation and entrepreneurial graduates to work in almost all the discussions have been a staple part of the increase. For students to use the skills of the labor market and society, so we are ready to take the necessary measures to facilitate the case, however, will not only make a difference.

It is expected that individuals are willing to become entrepreneurs? Business graduates are attractive? Does it make sense for all areas of the business?

This is an example of the possible solutions to deal with the causes and graduate unemployment and the lack of a comprehensive discussion of all the stakeholders involved.

It is from these examples, as well as the skills needed in the labor market outside of formal education that is getting clear. They are valued by employers across the high skills, such as communication, talent and teams on projects, including work on the analytical abilities and intercultural competence.

Such skills are not only getting a formal education, and this must be recognized by the higher education institutions and employers. A narrow-minded in terms of the skills they need a certain level of expertise in how to access and provides education and training must develop higher education reforms is driving the discussion forward.

Four country study

The European Students' Union (ESU) is engaged in the research and now this exact subject. Graduate employment ESU since 2011, and is conducting a project for the student or sage.

Its main purpose is to promote the expansion of employment, which aims to collect examples of best practice in terms of education, employment subject to explore, and to come to a conclusion, the impact of higher education reform in Europe's policy is to check a student's point of view that defines the subject.

Denmark, Finland, Hungary and Spain: SAGE four countries are involved in the study. SAGE higher education stakeholders to discuss the current state of dialogue with the national policy to deal with the four countries on the basis of this study to investigate the cases will be published.

By default, our education system and the job market by providing them with life skills to adapt physically to prepare the labor market. The qualities of education to prepare graduates for the future are good enough or educational choices instead of restricting academic freedom, we should ask instead.

* Tania Maeander, vice-chairman of the European Students' Union.