WG – Higher Education & Research – 21st Century Education Skills

Cluj-Napoca, Romania 30 September

21 CENTURY EDUCATION SKILLS ST

PRESENTED BY PWG HE&R

During the past years, there has been a growing awareness on the importance of professional skills which was also acknowledged by institutions of higher education.

Not only are those skills vital for academic studies, but also essential for graduate employability. Studies like “Graduate Employability, ‘Soft Skills’ Versus ‘Hard’ Business Knowledge: A European Study by J. Andrews and H. Higson (2008)” underline that employers are often looking for graduates who possess strong communication and leadership skills. Thus, the discipline itself is not as important as the ability to analyse and to solve problems.

This leads to a situation where universities are not only required to prepare their students for their future employment on an academic level, but also in terms of the ever changing, complex needs of the contemporary workplace.

In order to meet the demands of an increasingly global job market, it is not enough to have a strong academic background and subject specific knowledge. In addition to these, young persons must be equipped to deal with other persons from different cultures, religions, and social backgrounds; solve problems creatively, have strong presentation and communication skills, think in a multidisciplinary way, and evaluate information critically.

Many universities are already responding to those needs and offer professional skills curriculums in addition to their degree options.

We, the European Democrat Students (EDS), the official student organization of the European People’s Party (EPP): • Acknowledge the increasing importance of professional skills within academic education, • Recognize the importance of strong presentation and communication skills for graduate employability, • Affirm that in order to educate future leaders, leadership skills taught as part of academic education are essential, • Acknowledge that professional skills are vital not only to find a job, but also to succeed in the working world,

We, the European Democrat Students (EDS), the official student organisation of the European People’s Party (EPP): • Call upon institutions of higher education to expand their offer of professional skills courses, • Request institutions of higher education without such offers to create adequate courses, • Further request the creation of the options to have all kinds of subjects next to business and law related ones, • Reaffirm that essential education should not only provide academic knowledge but also professional skills.