1. Involving students to promote employability of higher education
Anita Līce
European Students’ Union
CEDEFOP peer learning event,
Thessaloniki, 20 November 2007.

2. European Students’ Union
Promoting the educational, social, economic & cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant organisations & institutions for 25 years
47 members
36 countries
Over 10 mill. Students
Formerly ESIB – The National Unions of Students in Europe

3. The development and policy level work that ESU is doing to promote young graduates´ entry to the labour market

4. Policy
ESU policy focuses on the higher education and related issues to promote students’ interests
What does it mean to be employable? (from students’ WS)
At the Higher education institution:
Adapt to emerging societal needs
Explain the value of the degrees (communication, learning outcomes, involvement of the stakeholders)
Reputation
Career guidance services
Taking into account the market needs
Promoting the transversal competences and soft skills
Good quality education
For the Individual:
Be able to apply knowledge, skills and competences in different contexts
Adaptability to the workplace environment
Self-aware of the capacities; self- confidence
Ability to be self-employed and to develop and achieve a life project

5. Policy
Employability – process and concept rather than a mere mathematical relationship between completion rates and employment statistics.
ESU continues to believe that “the main goals of education are personal development, promotion of and education for active citizenship, developing and spreading knowledge and humanity as well as fostering of critical thinking and learning to learn. And education system must work towards the aim of a democratic society with equal opportunities for all that puts the interests of all people in its centre and educates them for their activity in the labour market.” (ESIB 2004, 2006)

6. Policy
The trend towards articulation of learning outcomes (in terms of knowledge, skills, competences, most notable in the context of the development of QF), outcomes based, student-centered models of (higher) education – welcome and acts as a transformation of narrower, utilitarian notion of employability.
Employability and issues of work is not the issue of HE system alone, but incorporate many factors (e.g., social security, labour legislation, economic models and regional disparities)

7. Policy Potential of HE to enhance employability ACADEMIC
Quality education
SOCIAL
Equal opportunities
Increasing social cohesion
 Diverse society take advantage of education
&
Increasing efficiency of HE system
 Students do participate in and takes full advantage of education
Student centered education:
curricular reform
qualifications frameworks
skills and competences

8. Which channels does ESU use to consult the national student unions to find out expectations of new graduates towards the counselling services?

9. ESU Board (the national unions of students in Europe)
ESU committees
Dialogue & information (discussion, WS, trainings, publications)
Policy
Representation
ESU Board (the national unions of students in Europe)
Work towards specific services for students
Representing HE and/or VET students
Recognized; cooperates with various stakeholders
Involved in HE governance, QA process

10. Co-operation with the national unions of students
ESU collects information from its members and provide them with information: - ESU policy making by members in the board meetings; - gathering information from students; - providing unions with reports, articles, information papers.
National unions of students have different ways of policy-making (representing )
Student unions are not about “consumer protection”, but are NGO’s, which are developing opinion and lobby for it.

11. What negotiation fora does ESU use to influence other relevant actors and policy/decision-makers in order to bring to their attention the actual information and guidance needs of students making the transition from education to working life?

12. Negotiating employability
Majority of students in Europe work already before graduation. Integrated policy approach is needed to ensure that all students can take the best advantage of the best possible quality education and - in transition from education to the labour market - can take the best opportunities available to make use of the outcomes of their education.
National policy actors – through the national unions of students
Promote employability ideas within the Bologna Process through participation in the working group on employability, various conferences, talking directly with labour unions
Major concerns/priorities: Employability of bachelor degrees has become one of our major concerns by now; link between VET and higher education and access from on study programme to other; promoting mobility and internationalisation
European working groups (Expert group on entrepreneurship)

13. Good practices on employability (from WS)
Employers
Offer placements, internships, and coaching
Support HEI and also have agreements with HEI to train employees
HEI
Communication with society on the relevance of the education provided
Promoting mobility
Career guidance services
Stakeholder involvement in HEI governance
Research-based and up to date education
Ensure lifelong learning programmes
Government
Government should increase access to HE
Promote students’ and staff mobility
Set minimum standards in terms of salaries
Ensure autonomy of HEI’s
Students
Willingness to continue further studies
Involvement in student unions, academia, participation
Develop soft skills apart from core academic work

14. Thank you!