ESU responds to the Skills Agenda consultation paper

Download here ESU’s response to the Skills Agenda consultation paper(s) sent to the EQF AG (DG EMPL) and the BFUG (DG EAC)

ESU emphasizes that employability is a broad concept which includes subject-specific, methodological, social and individual competences which enable graduates to successfully take up and pursue a profession/employment and empower their lifelong-learning. Employability is also about making graduates more likely to gain employment in their chosen field(s), being able to create/start new businesses, and being able to develop and succeed in their occupations.

Although, since the economic crisis the European education discourse has even more moved in the direction of developing a knowledge society that benefits the growth of economies, it is of high importance to acknowledge that higher education needs to be tailored according to the societal needs and not to the needs of the economy solely. Higher education has multiple purposes where employability is only one of the facets, along preparing active citizens for life in democratic societies, fostering social mobility, personal development and securing sustainable development for the societies we live in. This should be reflected in the way how higher education is financed and governed.

Students should be in the centre of the reform that aims at enhancing employability, actively involved in curriculum design and governance of higher education.